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-   -   Good ways to close the output power cable on a condensate pump? (https://www.diybanter.com/uk-diy/686701-good-ways-close-output-power-cable-condensate-pump.html)

Adam Funk[_3_] May 17th 21 03:37 PM

Good ways to close the output power cable on a condensate pump?
 
I've just received a Grundfos condensate pump to use under the
basement dehumidifier.

The old pump (which seized up after about 6 years) had a sealed-up
cable that you could strip and use optionally to power something else
(with a cut-off if the tank gets full and fails to empty). But you
didn't have to do anything if you weren't going to use that cable.

The new one came with bare wires on both the incoming (no plug!) and
outgoing cables. As a temporary measure, I stuck Wago blocks on the
wires and a Wago box on the cable. What are some good ways to cap the
cable off? I was thinking of heat-shrink insulation on each wire, then
a piece shrunk onto the end of the cable with some excess to fold over
and then cover with another layer.

Thanks.

Adrian Caspersz May 17th 21 04:37 PM

Good ways to close the output power cable on a condensate pump?
 
On 17/05/2021 14:37, Adam Funk wrote:
I've just received a Grundfos condensate pump to use under the
basement dehumidifier.

The old pump (which seized up after about 6 years) had a sealed-up
cable that you could strip and use optionally to power something else
(with a cut-off if the tank gets full and fails to empty). But you
didn't have to do anything if you weren't going to use that cable.

The new one came with bare wires on both the incoming (no plug!) and
outgoing cables.


Isn't there a terminal box on the pump, accessible if you remove a
cover? Then you can cable it with whatever.

Sometimes installation things are supplied with short lengths of wire as
they get tested with them on the final stage of the production line?

--
Adrian C

John Rumm May 17th 21 04:44 PM

Good ways to close the output power cable on a condensate pump?
 
On 17/05/2021 14:37, Adam Funk wrote:

I've just received a Grundfos condensate pump to use under the
basement dehumidifier.

The old pump (which seized up after about 6 years) had a sealed-up
cable that you could strip and use optionally to power something else
(with a cut-off if the tank gets full and fails to empty). But you
didn't have to do anything if you weren't going to use that cable.

The new one came with bare wires on both the incoming (no plug!) and


These things are normally "wired in" so no need for a plug in many
applications. (or at least that is enough plausible deniability to save
the maker forking out to fit one at all, let alone the right one for the
target market)


outgoing cables. As a temporary measure, I stuck Wago blocks on the
wires and a Wago box on the cable. What are some good ways to cap the
cable off? I was thinking of heat-shrink insulation on each wire, then
a piece shrunk onto the end of the cable with some excess to fold over
and then cover with another layer.


Take both cables into an enclosure of some kind using approprote strain
relief glands. Then wire up the wires you need using whatever jointing
method you fancy, and terminate unused wires in a terminal of some kind
(chock block, wago, insulated butt crimp etc - basically something that
stops the conductive bit coming into something it should not, and won't
fall off.

No need to be too anal about insulation since they are all enclosed in a
box that needs a tool to access, and protected from being pulled out of
the box by the entry gland.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Adam Funk[_3_] May 17th 21 05:29 PM

Good ways to close the output power cable on a condensate pump?
 
On 2021-05-17, John Rumm wrote:

On 17/05/2021 14:37, Adam Funk wrote:

I've just received a Grundfos condensate pump to use under the
basement dehumidifier.

The old pump (which seized up after about 6 years) had a sealed-up
cable that you could strip and use optionally to power something else
(with a cut-off if the tank gets full and fails to empty). But you
didn't have to do anything if you weren't going to use that cable.

The new one came with bare wires on both the incoming (no plug!) and


These things are normally "wired in" so no need for a plug in many
applications. (or at least that is enough plausible deniability to save
the maker forking out to fit one at all, let alone the right one for the
target market)


Yes, the leaflet says "The power supply cable has a Schuko plug or a
free cable end. The cable has a length of 2 metres."

http://net.grundfos.com/Appl/ccmsservices/public/literature/filedata/Grundfosliterature-5235397.pdf


outgoing cables. As a temporary measure, I stuck Wago blocks on the
wires and a Wago box on the cable. What are some good ways to cap the
cable off? I was thinking of heat-shrink insulation on each wire, then
a piece shrunk onto the end of the cable with some excess to fold over
and then cover with another layer.


Take both cables into an enclosure of some kind using approprote strain
relief glands. Then wire up the wires you need using whatever jointing


Oh, I've already put a 13 A plug on the input cable and started using
it!


method you fancy, and terminate unused wires in a terminal of some kind
(chock block, wago, insulated butt crimp etc - basically something that
stops the conductive bit coming into something it should not, and won't
fall off.

No need to be too anal about insulation since they are all enclosed in a
box that needs a tool to access, and protected from being pulled out of
the box by the entry gland.


OK, I was just looking for a non-bulky way to terminate the output
cable so I can coil it up and cable-tie it out of the way!

Adam Funk[_3_] May 17th 21 05:32 PM

Good ways to close the output power cable on a condensate pump?
 
On 2021-05-17, Adrian Caspersz wrote:

On 17/05/2021 14:37, Adam Funk wrote:
I've just received a Grundfos condensate pump to use under the
basement dehumidifier.

The old pump (which seized up after about 6 years) had a sealed-up
cable that you could strip and use optionally to power something else
(with a cut-off if the tank gets full and fails to empty). But you
didn't have to do anything if you weren't going to use that cable.

The new one came with bare wires on both the incoming (no plug!) and
outgoing cables.


Isn't there a terminal box on the pump, accessible if you remove a
cover? Then you can cable it with whatever.

Sometimes installation things are supplied with short lengths of wire as
they get tested with them on the final stage of the production line?


It's definitely meant to be used for powering something else --- see
section 3.2.1 of the manual:

http://net.grundfos.com/Appl/ccmsservices/public/literature/filedata/Grundfosliterature-5235397.pdf

but that does make it sound like it's OK to open the thing up and
change the connections, so I suppose I could open it up and remove the
output cable entirely.

John Rumm May 17th 21 06:37 PM

Good ways to close the output power cable on a condensate pump?
 
On 17/05/2021 16:29, Adam Funk wrote:

No need to be too anal about insulation since they are all enclosed in a
box that needs a tool to access, and protected from being pulled out of
the box by the entry gland.


OK, I was just looking for a non-bulky way to terminate the output
cable so I can coil it up and cable-tie it out of the way!


Either a small dedicated box or similar then, or some adhesive lined
heat shrink.

If you cut the individual wires such that they are slightly staggered.
Get a couple of bits of heatshrink, shrink the first in place such that
it overhangs the end of the cable. Then fold over the free end and stick
another bit over it and the cable to hold it against the side of the
cable in the folded position. That should fix it all in place, and not
leave any possibility of accidentally poking something conductive up the
open end of the heatshrink. The adhesive will stop it being accidentally
being pulled off.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Adrian Caspersz May 17th 21 09:49 PM

Good ways to close the output power cable on a condensate pump?
 
On 17/05/2021 16:32, Adam Funk wrote:
On 2021-05-17, Adrian Caspersz wrote:

Sometimes installation things are supplied with short lengths of wire as
they get tested with them on the final stage of the production line?


It's definitely meant to be used for powering something else --- see
section 3.2.1 of the manual:

http://net.grundfos.com/Appl/ccmsservices/public/literature/filedata/Grundfosliterature-5235397.pdf

but that does make it sound like it's OK to open the thing up and
change the connections, so I suppose I could open it up and remove the
output cable entirely.


Strange manual, no mention on what colour the rest of the wires are, and
a view of the terminal block would be in place to identify what goes
where when the day comes for head scratching.

The alarm output wires look to me connected just to relay contacts, they
are not energised internally (unless the manual is telling fibs)

--
Adrian C

Adam Funk[_3_] May 18th 21 02:45 PM

Good ways to close the output power cable on a condensate pump?
 
On 2021-05-17, Adrian Caspersz wrote:

On 17/05/2021 16:32, Adam Funk wrote:
On 2021-05-17, Adrian Caspersz wrote:

Sometimes installation things are supplied with short lengths of wire as
they get tested with them on the final stage of the production line?


It's definitely meant to be used for powering something else --- see
section 3.2.1 of the manual:

http://net.grundfos.com/Appl/ccmsservices/public/literature/filedata/Grundfosliterature-5235397.pdf

but that does make it sound like it's OK to open the thing up and
change the connections, so I suppose I could open it up and remove the
output cable entirely.


Strange manual, no mention on what colour the rest of the wires are, and
a view of the terminal block would be in place to identify what goes
where when the day comes for head scratching.

The alarm output wires look to me connected just to relay contacts, they
are not energised internally (unless the manual is telling fibs)


Huh, I didn't even think of that! I just saw an extra cable coming out
with blue and brown wires and assumed. The old one (different brand)
definitey had an output power cable with a separate float switch to
cut it off.

ARW May 20th 21 09:19 AM

Good ways to close the output power cable on a condensate pump?
 
On 17/05/2021 17:37, John Rumm wrote:
On 17/05/2021 16:29, Adam Funk wrote:

No need to be too anal about insulation since they are all enclosed in a
box that needs a tool to access, and protected from being pulled out of
the box by the entry gland.


OK, I was just looking for a non-bulky way to terminate the output
cable so I can coil it up and cable-tie it out of the way!


Either a small dedicated box or similar then, or some adhesive lined
heat shrink.

If you cut the individual wires such that they are slightly staggered.
Get a couple of bits of heatshrink, shrink the first in place such that
it overhangs the end of the cable. Then fold over the free end and stick
another bit over it and the cable to hold it against the side of the
cable in the folded position. That should fix it all in place, and not
leave any possibility of accidentally poking something conductive up the
open end of the heatshrink. The adhesive will stop it being accidentally
being pulled off.



A pro would just use insulation tape.....

--
Adam

Adam Funk[_3_] June 10th 21 11:03 AM

Good ways to close the output power cable on a condensate pump?
 
On 2021-05-17, Adrian Caspersz wrote:

On 17/05/2021 16:32, Adam Funk wrote:
On 2021-05-17, Adrian Caspersz wrote:

Sometimes installation things are supplied with short lengths of wire as
they get tested with them on the final stage of the production line?


It's definitely meant to be used for powering something else --- see
section 3.2.1 of the manual:

http://net.grundfos.com/Appl/ccmsservices/public/literature/filedata/Grundfosliterature-5235397.pdf

but that does make it sound like it's OK to open the thing up and
change the connections, so I suppose I could open it up and remove the
output cable entirely.


Strange manual, no mention on what colour the rest of the wires are, and
a view of the terminal block would be in place to identify what goes
where when the day comes for head scratching.

The alarm output wires look to me connected just to relay contacts, they
are not energised internally (unless the manual is telling fibs)


You're absolutely right. I checked it (with a volt stick, then a
voltmeter, then an ohmmeter [1]). Normally the two wires are
connected; when I unplugged the pump and filled the tank up (quite
full) they became disconnected; then I plugged the pump in and they
were reconnected not long after.


[1] The same meter, on different settings.

Adam Funk[_3_] June 10th 21 11:05 AM

Good ways to close the output power cable on a condensate pump?
 
On 2021-05-17, John Rumm wrote:

On 17/05/2021 16:29, Adam Funk wrote:

No need to be too anal about insulation since they are all enclosed in a
box that needs a tool to access, and protected from being pulled out of
the box by the entry gland.


OK, I was just looking for a non-bulky way to terminate the output
cable so I can coil it up and cable-tie it out of the way!


Either a small dedicated box or similar then, or some adhesive lined
heat shrink.

If you cut the individual wires such that they are slightly staggered.
Get a couple of bits of heatshrink, shrink the first in place such that
it overhangs the end of the cable. Then fold over the free end and stick
another bit over it and the cable to hold it against the side of the
cable in the folded position. That should fix it all in place, and not
leave any possibility of accidentally poking something conductive up the
open end of the heatshrink. The adhesive will stop it being accidentally
being pulled off.


Adrian was right --- the wires are not powered. They're just connected
internally unless the tank is really full (the blue and brown
insulation was a red herring). So I've just taped them up for
aesthetics and coiled that lead up beside the pump.


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