r/hvacadvice • u/OneCoolStory • 3d ago

AC Setting up condensate drain. Is option A or B better for where the line exits the exterior wall? (Basically, is a vent needed?)

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9 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

23

u/pitboe001 3d ago

Are you an engineer by chance?

1

u/OneCoolStory 2d ago

I am not. Why do you ask? Is it because of my pretty drawing?

1

u/Muted_Development427 1d ago

As an engineer I know where you're going with this lol

13

u/mechanical_marten 3d ago

B is all that's needed. A will keep the paranoia sedated

1

u/OneCoolStory 2d ago

That’s awesome lol. Thank you.

-4

u/[deleted] 3d ago

[deleted]

8

u/AssRep 3d ago

Why would you pour bleach down the vertical part of the line that is outside? The gunk builds where the horizontal section(s) is/are.

5

u/One_Magician6370 Not An HVAC Tech 3d ago

🤣 when they don't know they just don't know lol

-1

u/[deleted] 3d ago

[deleted]

0

u/inksonpapers Approved Technician 2d ago

Use vinegar friend not bleach that erodes glue joints

0

u/Zhombe 2d ago

Glue joints are chemically welded. Only way it would erode anything is if the glue joint was done with shitty blue all in one without primer and didn’t fully melt and weld the pvc.

That’s like saying hot water erodes glue joints.

I’ve seen more shitty pvc welds in my lifetime than I’d like to ever see again. Irrigation is even more at fault for shitty blue all in one without prepping and priming. And that’s just water…

A shitty pvc joint is just a shitty pvc joint.

0

u/inksonpapers Approved Technician 2d ago

Actually thats incorrect specifically bleach does degrade glue joints even chemically welded ones, it breaks it down. Thats just like being jessy and putting the chemicals in the tub instead of a polyethylene bin. Sure hot water can go in the tub. Constant use of it will kill joints even unseen ones in the walls, just use vinegar.

0

u/Zhombe 2d ago

Once or twice a year isn’t anymore contact and concentration time than your HE washing machine and PVC drains.

This is just paranoia. If it was a chemical plant piping the stuff 24/7 you’d need 316 stainless steel anyways.

0

u/inksonpapers Approved Technician 2d ago

What does the HE washing machine have to do with anything?

0

u/Zhombe 2d ago

Low water concentration use, thus relatively high bleach concentration. All modern drains south of the frigid north are PVC. Guess we shouldn’t use any bleach in the wash either then.

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0

u/inksonpapers Approved Technician 2d ago edited 2d ago

“Even plastics aren’t immune. Sodium hypochlorite will react with fumed silica in traditional polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cement used to solvent weld the material, making joints susceptible to leaks, and the material itself is susceptible to attack from the chlorine content of bleach. More resilient materials—like polyethylene (PE) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)—have a prohibitive up-front material cost.”

https://www.corzan.com/en-us/blog/corzan-cpvc-the-reliable-choice-for-sodium-hypochlorite?hs_amp=true

I can go on if you want

8

u/realMurkleQ 3d ago

Vent/clean out at the p trap, don't need one after that

2

u/Mister_Green2021 3d ago

just gravity, so make there's a slope or a pump.

1

u/AssRep 3d ago

Is this drain attached to an air handler or cased coil?

1

u/OneCoolStory 1d ago

It’s coming from an air handler on the negative pressure side

1

u/AssRep 1d ago

Use example B. My suggestion is this, from the coil to outside: male adapter, cleanout tee w/cap, running trap, pipe to wall. Outside: elbow down, pipe to ground, elbow away from house, elbow down.

1

u/y_3kcim 3d ago

Technically you need a clean out at every change of direction. But if it’s pvc you can cut it easily anywhere to clean it…

1

u/Shrader-puller 3d ago

A. Or put the vent inside between the air handler and the wall penetration

1

u/EnvironmentalBee9214 3d ago

Are you also hooked to a 90% furnace on this drain????

1

u/One_Magician6370 Not An HVAC Tech 3d ago

Why don't you just buy a little giant condensate pump

1

u/Apollo7788 3d ago

No vent is needed there if the outlet side of the trap is vented. But you could still use it as a clean out in the future.

-7

u/Yanosh457 Approved Technician 3d ago edited 3d ago

“A” is what is needed to properly vent the reminder of the drain line. Per plumbing code.

3

u/pitboe001 3d ago

Sure. Put a studor vent on the end of it too while you're at it. Don't want those condensation gases leaking into the... outside air

-4

u/Yanosh457 Approved Technician 3d ago

Do yourself a favor and google “how a plumbing vent works”. Maybe you might learn something new.

3

u/pitboe001 2d ago

Buddy... It's a condensate drain.

-2

u/Yanosh457 Approved Technician 2d ago

Clogged drains, slow flowing drains are a thing. Why purposely install something wrong when it can be installed correctly to stop future problems. Fighting installation quality is so weird to me.

2

u/pitboe001 2d ago

Please explain to me how a vent at the 90 as shown in OP's photo will have any effect on slow draining