Dual condensate pumps-plumbing?

[PCustoms]

Need some help plumbing condensate lines for Furnace and on demand water heater.

Furnace used to dump into a garden hose snaked across basement. I added a neutralizer and pump, which has a small check valve, clear tubing in a loop and then a barb fitting into a piece of 1" PVC that daylights over in the utility sink.

On demand heater is on the opposite wall of utility room, no good way to gravity drain to the existing pump at the furnace. Was going to add a 2nd pump, but how do I tie this in?

Can I just wye into the existing PVC, add an upstream check on each pump and call it good?

Do I even need check valves, aside from right at the pump?

What if I wanted to tie these into the main sanitary line? I didn't do this initially as it was a trainwreck (mix of PVC, fernco and rubber hose) that has since been re-done.

 

[larry4406]

I would keep the pump systems separate so failure of one can't take the other out.

Regarding dumping to the sanitary, it will depend on what your local Code allows. Counties near me are mixed. Most counties have us plumb the mechanical room floor drain to the sump crock and the condensate lines then dump to the floor drain. Other odd county requires that the floor drain be connected to the sanitary system which then receives condensate discharge.

 

[PCustoms]

I would keep the pump systems separate so failure of one can't take the other out.

Run a separate line to the sink?

I suppose I could, but not sure how 2 pumps into the 1" drain would take each other out. Or are you referring to my comment about #2 dumping into #1?

I installed that water heater and embarrassingly long time ago, it drains into a 5 gallon bucket. Guess what I recently forgot to empty...

Regarding dumping to the sanitary, it will depend on what your local Code allows. Counties near me are mixed. Most counties have us plumb the mechanical room floor drain to the sump crock and the condensate lines then dump to the floor drain. Other odd county requires that the floor drain be connected to the sanitary system which then receives condensate discharge.

Thinking about this after I typed the OP, it's not worth my time to tie back into the sanitary. This drain is run nice and compact the where if I ever finish the basement it would be 95% hidden. I'll leave that as is.

 

[larry4406]

Run a separate line to the sink?

I suppose I could, but not sure how 2 pumps into the 1" drain would take each other out. Or are you referring to my comment about #2 dumping into #1?

I installed that water heater and embarrassingly long time ago, it drains into a 5 gallon bucket. Guess what I recently forgot to empty...



Thinking about this after I typed the OP, it's not worth my time to tie back into the sanitary. This drain is run nice and compact the where if I ever finish the basement it would be 95% hidden. I'll leave that as is.

If you have a 1" gravity drain, then you could discharge the individual pumps to this common drain. I would be inclined to install a concentric PVC reducer to act as a funnel where the discharge hoses connect.

 

[Bert_]

You don't want a direct connection into the sewer. There needs to be a trap and the condensate line drains into that.

 

[Jim greengo]

Picture?

 

[PCustoms]

You don't want a direct connection into the sewer. There needs to be a trap and the condensate line drains into that.

Thanks, but that was never a question, and I nixed the idea of tying to the sanitary.

 

[PCustoms]

Picture?

Of?

 

[djbmw]

Your pumps are supppsed to be mounted as high up as possible to assist the pumps via gravity, as well as to prevent backflow in the event of a pump or check valve failure.

Second, if you mount two competing pumps on a single line then yes, I would personally install check valves on each line, prior to the "T" to prevent back pressure impacting the pumps.

Do you HAVE to tie them together, or can you just run individual lines to the drain?

 

[PCustoms]

Your pumps are supppsed to be mounted as high up as possible to assist the pumps via gravity, as well as to prevent backflow in the event of a pump or check valve failure.

Second, if you mount two competing pumps on a single line then yes, I would personally install check valves on each line, prior to the "T" to prevent back pressure impacting the pumps.

Do you HAVE to tie them together, or can you just run individual lines to the drain?

1 pump is pretty much on the floor, as that's where the drain out of the furnace is. IIRC it's rated for like 12' of head, so no issues there.

I could run a separate drain, but I'd rather not run another 30' of PVC

 

[djbmw]

1 pump is pretty much on the floor, as that's where the drain out of the furnace is. IIRC it's rated for like 12' of head, so no issues there.

I could run a separate drain, but I'd rather not run another 30' of PVC

A 30' length of pvc hose is cheaper than two check valves and a T connection in my neck of the woods... but both solutions will work.

 

[Jim greengo]

Of?

The area where the pumps need to go,so we can get an idea what you have to work with.

 

[PCustoms]

The area where the pumps need to go,so we can get an idea what you have to work with.

Well one is already installed and has a hose/pipe run up the side of the furnace.

The other would be a picture of an on demand heater and PEX attached to a wall.

I can take a pic later but not really sure how that helps.

Just trying to figure out the proper way to route 2 1/2 hoses into a single 1" PVC like that daylights in a sink.

 

[Jim greengo]

Well one is already installed and has a hose/pipe run up the side of the furnace.

The other would be a picture of an on demand heater and PEX attached to a wall.

I can take a pic later but not really sure how that helps.

Just trying to figure out the proper way to route 2 1/2 hoses into a single 1" PVC like that daylights in a sink.

After more than 40 years in the trades,30 of them as a contractor I've learned to never give estimates over the phone.
Same holds true for plumbing advice,it's a lot easier to figure things out with a couple of pictures to help visualize what you have to work with. Hahaha

 

[The Cobbler]

You could potentially run 1 pump into the other . granted it may not be the most cost effective to double pump .

 

[PCustoms]

You could potentially run 1 pump into the other . granted it may not be the most cost effective to double pump .

Not practical here, I'd have to run across open space or go up and over .

 

[welder4956]

Yes, a check valve on the discharge of each condensate pump is all you need to tie both into a common drain line. You could add a manual shutoff valve on each one in case you need to isolate the pump to repair or replace, but not absolutely necessary.