What is a condensate pump?

For those who don’t know what a condensate pump is, it is a small pump that collects water draining from HVAC  (Heating, cooling, air conditioning) devices and pumps it up and/or across to a remotely located water drain.   Not everyone has or needs one, because if a water drain is close and low enough to your equipment, the condensate pipe or hose can be connected directly to the drain, draining by gravity.

The Problem:

The condensate pump that is connected to my main heat pump, gas hot water heater, and basement dehumidifier has recently been taking longer and longer to empty during its run cycles.  Normally it only takes a few seconds to empty.  I kept putting off checking it out.  I guessed it was most likely obstructed, but possibly the pump motor was dying.

Today, however, while I was in the basement doing some maintenance work on my aquariums, I noticed that it was running continuously.  Not good.  This was going to lead to burning out the pump motor, a flood, or both.

I pulled the pumps exit hose out of the drain to see if it was pumping any water and there was just a slow dribble.  It should have been shooting out with force.  It was kind of like meatal stenosis.  Don’t ask.

The Repair:

I turned off the heat pump and dehumidifier and unplugged the condensate pump.  Next I disconnected all the hoses going into it.

Using a flashlight looking into one the the pumps drain openings I saw thick, white, semi-solidified slime.

In the photo you can see chunks of it, like icebergs breaking off a glacier.

I took it outside and sprayed it with water using a garden hose, washing free all the icebergs.

I noticed that there were 2 wires with bare ends hanging free.  Those wires are for connection to either a buzzer, or to the heating/cooling system.  It is to tell the system to shut off in the event the pump fails so as to not allow the condensate to flood the area.  I don’t know why the wires were just hanging free.  I don’t see where they were connected to anything.  I capped the bare ends of the wires with wire nuts.  Monday I’ll call our HVAC people to find out how they intended that it be connected (assuming they intended it to be connected to anything).  I paid enough for that system, so hopefully it was installed correctly.   The manual shows a default connection of those wires as they come from the factory.  However, if they are not connected to either the heat pump or a buzzer, it really doesn’t matter that they are just capped off.

Pump manual.

I checked the output hose & check valve for obstructions, but they were clear.

I reconnected all the drains, the output tube, and plugged the condensate pump and dehumidifier for power.  I turned the heat pump back on.  It now empties in 4 seconds.  Yay!

Additional Thoughts:

Now, while it is fresh in my mind, I should clean out the second condensate pump which drains a dehumidifier in the crawl space under the addition.  I should also note the unobstructed emptying time (currently 4 seconds) and the date I cleaned the units to catch this earlier next time.

The instructions tell you to inspect/service/clean the pump at least once a year.  Be honest, when was the last time you cleaned yours.  The HVAC people don’t seem to include that as part of their regular maintenance either.  Mine was installed about 5 years ago and just now failed/required cleaning.

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