Aircon condensate
Discussion
The finishing touches are being put to the plans for my a/c installation next month.
I asked the installer about condensate and where it goes; he said it comes out via a 21.5mm diameter pipe to the ground.
This pipe is only going to take a few drips of water at a time. Why does it have to be big enough to run a bath? The installer is adamant it has to be like that but I really don't want great big pipes running down my house walls. Surely just a bit of 10-15mm pipe sticking out (like a cistern overflow) would do?
I asked the installer about condensate and where it goes; he said it comes out via a 21.5mm diameter pipe to the ground.
This pipe is only going to take a few drips of water at a time. Why does it have to be big enough to run a bath? The installer is adamant it has to be like that but I really don't want great big pipes running down my house walls. Surely just a bit of 10-15mm pipe sticking out (like a cistern overflow) would do?
Standard cistern overflow is 21.5mm
You could use smaller, but you might get more trouble with airlocks.
I run a dehumidifier with a 4mm bore drain, it can clog, but that only results in the dehumidifier tank filling and it eventually stopping.
Maybe you could do something like I've seen on a few bits of guttering, let the water run down a rope or chain?
You could use smaller, but you might get more trouble with airlocks.
I run a dehumidifier with a 4mm bore drain, it can clog, but that only results in the dehumidifier tank filling and it eventually stopping.
Maybe you could do something like I've seen on a few bits of guttering, let the water run down a rope or chain?
Steve H said:
It does seem to be over spec’d but if you can run it back to the outdoor unit alongside the insulated refrigerant pipes it will look pretty small by comparison.
Well that's the snag - the refrigerant pipe will be coming in horizontally about 7' up, and now I'll have this bloody pipe going vertically down... the front of my house will start to look like a map of the Underground.What size are yours? And is there some regulation that days they have to go to ground level?
OutInTheShed said:
Maybe you could do something like I've seen on a few bits of guttering, let the water run down a rope or chain?
It's on the front of the house, so no...When the a/c is working hardest the sun will be blasting that wall as it's south-facing. A few dribbles of water won't last long.
Simpo Two said:
Steve H said:
It does seem to be over spec’d but if you can run it back to the outdoor unit alongside the insulated refrigerant pipes it will look pretty small by comparison.
Well that's the snag - the refrigerant pipe will be coming in horizontally about 7' up, and now I'll have this bloody pipe going vertically down... the front of my house will start to look like a map of the Underground.What size are yours? And is there some regulation that days they have to go to ground level?
I’m not sure about the regs on letting it drip from height but wouldn’t be surprised if there was one.
If you have too small a pipe it won't run downhill properly and gums up.
You can get a condensate tank pump which occasionally pumps out down a small diameter tube. These are used commonly where the unit is out in the middle of a ceiling and you can't get the drop on gravity piping. But you might get annoyed with the noise of the pump cycling.
You can get a condensate tank pump which occasionally pumps out down a small diameter tube. These are used commonly where the unit is out in the middle of a ceiling and you can't get the drop on gravity piping. But you might get annoyed with the noise of the pump cycling.
osterbo said:
If you have too small a pipe it won't run downhill properly and gums up.
You can get a condensate tank pump which occasionally pumps out down a small diameter tube. These are used commonly where the unit is out in the middle of a ceiling and you can't get the drop on gravity piping. But you might get annoyed with the noise of the pump cycling.
Yes, I don't want the extra complexity of pumps and possible failures. And the water would still have to exit the house somehow.You can get a condensate tank pump which occasionally pumps out down a small diameter tube. These are used commonly where the unit is out in the middle of a ceiling and you can't get the drop on gravity piping. But you might get annoyed with the noise of the pump cycling.
I had envisaged a piece of 15mm pipe running through the wall at about 30 degrees slope, projecting 2-3" with an angled end.
One issue perhaps is that in winter, if I use the units for heating, it might freeze up. Perhaps 21.5mm diameter doesn't freeze up?
Simpo Two said:
The finishing touches are being put to the plans for my a/c installation next month.
I asked the installer about condensate and where it goes; he said it comes out via a 21.5mm diameter pipe to the ground.
This pipe is only going to take a few drips of water at a time. Why does it have to be big enough to run a bath? The installer is adamant it has to be like that but I really don't want great big pipes running down my house walls. Surely just a bit of 10-15mm pipe sticking out (like a cistern overflow) would do?
The spec will have been set to just ensure zero issues. You can almost certainly use smaller bore but the question is how small before you hit the issues of water drops not flowing due to an air lock or the eventual gumming up by life forms over time etc. I asked the installer about condensate and where it goes; he said it comes out via a 21.5mm diameter pipe to the ground.
This pipe is only going to take a few drips of water at a time. Why does it have to be big enough to run a bath? The installer is adamant it has to be like that but I really don't want great big pipes running down my house walls. Surely just a bit of 10-15mm pipe sticking out (like a cistern overflow) would do?
Re the evaporation due to the hot sun aspect, don't forget that the most water will be being produced over humid nighttimes where next to no evaporation can occur.
I think the big question is whether the pipe needs to be run all the way to the ground. You'll be amazed how much water gets produced at times and we've all seen messes under overflow pipes left to drip much more slowly. How much it shows, it all will depend on what is underneath, a flower bed or a patio etc.
As for masking the overflow pipe, it's what gargoyles were invented for.
Jeremy-75qq8 said:
Don't under estimate the condensate flow it is significant when the unit is working hard and it is humid.
Do you really want a damp patch with moss outside the house ?
Other Option run it to an internal drain which is how all of ours are done.
Below is garden, so water is no problem, in fact in the times it's producing most water it will be a heatwave and so the plants underneath will be very happy.Do you really want a damp patch with moss outside the house ?
Other Option run it to an internal drain which is how all of ours are done.
There are no internal drains.
Another idea, slightly less nasty than six feet of vertical pipe on the front of my house, is to lead it horizontally (with a slight incline) across under the ducting to join a gutter downpipe. Would that be allowed?
As mentioned, they can produce a a surprising amount of condensate. They need to be a decent diameter to limit mildew growth and subsequent blockages. Smaller pipes are much more prone to that. Nothing wrong with poking it out the wall a foot or so and letting it drip from there. Painted matt black, the pipe will essentially be invisible.
When using it for heating there will be no condensation being produced by the indoor unit, so not an issue there. Instead the outdoor unit will be producing the condensation instead. So you do need to take that into consideration and make sure it’s off the ground so that the runoff has somewhere to drain away to, and not sit around and ice up the outdoor unit. Although UK climate isn’t really cold enough for this to be a problem, it’s still best practice to allow for it.
When using it for heating there will be no condensation being produced by the indoor unit, so not an issue there. Instead the outdoor unit will be producing the condensation instead. So you do need to take that into consideration and make sure it’s off the ground so that the runoff has somewhere to drain away to, and not sit around and ice up the outdoor unit. Although UK climate isn’t really cold enough for this to be a problem, it’s still best practice to allow for it.
Edited by Cristio Nasser on Monday 25th August 03:49
Cristio Nasser said:
As mentioned, they can produce a a surprising amount of condensate. They need to be a decent diameter to limit mildew growth and subsequent blockages. Smaller pipes are much more prone to that. Nothing wrong with poking it out the wall a foot or so and letting it drip from there. Painted matt black, the pipe will essentially be invisible.
When using it for heating there will be no condensation being produced by the indoor unit, so not an issue there. Instead the outdoor unit will be producing the condensation instead. So you do need to take that into consideration and make sure it’s off the ground so that the runoff has somewhere to drain away to, and not sit around and ice up the outdoor unit. Although UK climate isn’t really cold enough for this to be a problem, it’s still best practice to allow for it.
Thanks, the diameter isn't a problem as much as having to have long vertical runs. I'd probably paint it brick red to match the wall.When using it for heating there will be no condensation being produced by the indoor unit, so not an issue there. Instead the outdoor unit will be producing the condensation instead. So you do need to take that into consideration and make sure it’s off the ground so that the runoff has somewhere to drain away to, and not sit around and ice up the outdoor unit. Although UK climate isn’t really cold enough for this to be a problem, it’s still best practice to allow for it.
The outside unit will be about 6' up.
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