Air condensate drain lines

[mathew stouffer]

Here we go again. This has been kicked all over this site but I can't find what Im looking for. This is an air handler is in an attic with a coil. Primary drain with pan. However the pan drains into the primary drain. Code says pan OR secodary drain line needed. What if there is no sec drain, there is a pan but it drains into the primary. Defeats the purpose according to me:)

[Jim Luttrall]

Go back and read the code section a little more closely. I don't have it in front of me but it says something to the effect of "secondary drain piped separately to a conspicuous location...
Then one of the exceptions allows a switch or a pan with a switch.
So no, your installation pictured is wrong.
Also, there are no traps or trap vents.

[Tom Rees]

Mathew, This is one of the things I find installed wrong around here all the time. I would bet that 98% of the condenstae lines I see are installed improperly. No traps or vents on lines and when installed over a finished living space the secondary line is not installed or installed to terminate improperly. I think it's one of those things that after having been done wrong for so long it becomes ok to do it that way. Kind of sad. :(

[Binford Tools]

Mathew, This is one of the things I find installed wrong around here all the time. I would bet that 98% of the condenstae lines I see are installed improperly. No traps or vents on lines and when installed over a finished living space the secondary line is not installed or installed to terminate improperly. I think it's one of those things that after having been done wrong for so long it becomes ok to do it that way. Kind of sad. :(


I can second that. I had to show a plumber how it needed to be done. I said its just like a sink. You have a trap and then a vent? But a condensate line also needs a clean out too. It's like Tom said its been done wrong for so long few know how it should be done. It does not help when the furnace manuals are wrong too:eek: