Frozen fix...

PhilsGrill

Well, this happened again here in the south.



My external condensate lines on both furnaces froze up. Since these are 93% efficient they draw water winter and summer. Finally converted both external to internal drains. The upstairs I added a second condensate pump to pump this up and over about 8 feet. This pump has safety cut off but added a float switch cut off also and put in a water alarm... just in case. Now both furnaces will run in the coldest winters here.

fishlessman

the ones ive seen up here are a short straight horizontal pipe, wonder if all that verticle pipe was part of the problem.

Little Steven

I was going to say that. The pipe looks small too. 2" is common for real short runs, I had to use 3" cause I was more than 25' away from the boiler. Maybe just cut the 90* fitting off and intsall a 45* fitting only. If that were my place that pipe would be buried four months a year.

Steve

PhilsGrill

Actually, that was last years pics. I wrapped that section with foam, then frost tape and then duct tape. If still froze because the opening in the bottom, can't stop that cold air from coming up from under. I thought about 'heat tape', but my permanent fix is better.

fishlessman

i like your permenent fix better. my neighbors comes out the house maybe a 8/12 inches, no elbow and is bigger diametter. what im seeing in your pick is the horizontal is also pitched the wrong way which would cool the water even more before it started out the pipe. may have contributed to the problem of freezing. the bigger diameter isnt the best solution, squerrels took down my neighbors furnace through the vent line.