Drain pump: a solution worth considering

The condensate pump, i.e. a small device with great possibilities. Find out how to choose, correctly install and safely use the drain pump for your air conditioner.

Where does condensation in air conditioning come from?

Condensation is the result of the condensation of moisture in the air. They collect in the internal units of air conditioning systems, i.e. the part of the system that is inside our house (room). The air conditioner, which acts as an evaporator in the refrigeration system, changes the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant circulating between the indoor and outdoor units. Changes in these parameters are accompanied by state changes, e.g. condensation of water vapor contained in the air.

How to drain condensation from air conditioning

The condensate drains into the drip tray that is provided with each air conditioner. Very often, what determines the method of draining the condensate is the location of the air conditioner in our house. The first method is the gravitational drain of condensate. The second way is to use a drain pump.

The gravity method consists in installing the drain channel from the air conditioner outside the building. This channel can be connected directly to the sewage system. This solution is simple and does not require any additional devices. However, it also has its downsides. First of all, to use this drainage method, it is necessary to make a hole in the wall. The location of the hole that will be used for gravitational drainage of condensate cannot be accidental. Please note that the duct must be directed downwards so that the condensate flows down it by gravity.

The drain pump is a solution that is irreplaceable when we do not have a hole in the right place and we do not want to make additional drillings that are not always aesthetic. It happens that the execution of a duct that will allow gravitational drainage of condensate forces it to be carried out through almost the entire room, which (to put it mildly) does not look good.

What is a drain pump

The drain pump is a small device, equipped with a vane impeller and a flow channel. The rotation of the impeller generates pressure that sucks the condensate from the inlet side to the pump. As a result, condensate is discharged through flow channels, regardless of their arrangement. The only element that may limit the effective drainage of condensate with a pump is the length of the pipes, because at a certain distance from the device the pressure may be too low for the water to move.

Together with the pump, the condensate tank will always work together, inside which there is a float or pins. Condensation from the drip tray flows into the tank. If the volume of condensate in the tank reaches the limit value and the float is raised to the maximum level, the pump receives information about the need to turn on and pump out the condensate. Electric pins work the same way, but are a bit more reliable as there are no moving parts that can jam. The pumps can be equipped with an appropriate alarm system that will inform the user about the occurrence of a failure, due to the fact that uncontrolled shutdown of the condensate pump may lead to leakage of the air conditioner. You will learn about condensate pump alarm systems later in the article.

When a drain pump is needed

The use of a drain pump is necessary in any installation where the drain must be discharged above the indoor unit. These are, for example, installations located underground or those in which a fragment of the duct is placed horizontally in the ceiling. Equally often, condensate pumps are used in air conditioners mounted not directly on the external wall of the building, but in some room inside. It is worth remembering that with gravitational discharge of condensate to the sewage system, an unpleasant smell may come out of the air conditioning. This is especially the case in winter when the air conditioning is turned off. Here, too, pumps that block the flow of odors can come to the rescue.

How to choose an drain pump

What buyers are guided by when choosing a pump is usually its size and the noise level it generates. Condensate pumps can be placed in different places and they will dictate the maximum size of the device. It is worth remembering that these are small devices that will usually always find a place for themselves, whether in the masking duct or in the air conditioner itself.

The drain pump should be matched to the size of our air conditioner so that it works as efficiently as possible. Flow parameter (volume stream) given in L/h. indicates how many liters of condensate the pump will pump out in one hour. It is worth remembering that the condensation tanks have a capacity of approx. 40 ml. It only takes a few minutes to pump them out. For example, the ABLTEK drain pump available in our store is able to pump out 18 L/h, operating at a sound level of 19 dB (which is compared to a whisper).

How to reduce the noise generated by the drain pump

The manufacturer should always specify the sound level in dB. It is assumed that for humans the threshold of pleasure ends at about 90 dB. Definitely, the lower this value is, the more comfort we will guarantee ourselves. What we mainly hear when the condensate pump is activated is not its operation itself, but the vibrations of various elements to which it is attached. In order to reduce this noise to the lowest possible level, vibration-isolating mountings should be used. Velcro will work well here, which at the same time holds the device firmly in one place and creates a small distance between the air conditioning housing and the condensate pump.

The location of the pump should also be carefully considered. The higher and farther it is from our ears, the less we will hear it. At the same time, avoid placing the condensate pump in the channels, which will increase vibration and echo. False ceilings won't work here either. It is a good idea to place the pump behind a wall or above a regular ceiling. All wires can be surrounded by insulating material and also moved away from other elements as much as possible. This cuts off the transmission of vibrations to other components.

Drain pump installation

In some types of air conditioning, the pumps are already built into the air conditioner. However, if you decide to install it yourself, there is nothing to worry about, because the installation of the drain pump is not a difficult task.

The first step is to mount the tank to the outlet port of the drip tray. Then, in the place of your choice, we install the pump. However, the choice of place is not entirely arbitrary. It is limited by the maximum distance of the pump from the tank (given in the manual) and the need to place the pump above the tank and the water level on the tray. The condensate pump is most often mounted with Velcro tape. The device is connected to the tank with a water conduit and an electrical conduit. For tidiness, remember to roll up excess cable. Then connect the drain pump to the power supply and to the drain. You can't forget about such an element as the tank venting pipe, which prevents the formation of negative pressure when the condensate is flowing down. It can be connected to a vent, but it can also remain open to the atmosphere. At the end of the assembly, each connection should be sealed with a cable tie. After installation, the drain pump is ready for operation. It is worth carrying out a test by pouring a small amount of water into the tray so that the reservoir is full. After lifting the float, the pump should automatically start working. During this time, it is necessary to observe that each connection is tight and that there is no leakage anywhere.

Condensate pumps, which play an important role in air conditioning, should signal us about a failure. When the operation of the pump is incorrect and the air conditioner continues to operate, then the condensate will not be discharged in any way, and this in turn may result in flooding the wall under the air conditioner. Therefore, it is important to always connect the alarm cables. One of them as a power cord is an alarm cord in itself. It works in such a way that when the pump stops working properly, its contact opens and thus stops the operation of the air conditioner. Although the air conditioner no longer cools, we are protected against flooding and we can easily diagnose the cause of the fault, remove it and quickly enjoy cooling again. The already mentioned ABLTEK drain pump is equipped with additional alarm wires that can be connected to a lamp or an audible alarm. Their activation immediately signals the need for repair.

Summary

When choosing a condensate pump, let's be guided not only by its price. We should also pay attention to the parameters of the device (noise level) or additional protections (fault signaling). Both our comfort and the certainty of proper drainage of condensate will depend on the quality of the condensate pump. The use of a drain pump brings a number of advantages, and the simple method of installation does not require the presence and payment of a specialist.