Condensate Removal Pump

Overview

A condensate pump removes the water that cooling and heating equipment produces when it cannot drain by gravity. An air conditioner's evaporator, a high-efficiency furnace, or a dehumidifier all shed liquid water, and when the appliance sits below or far from a drain that water has to be lifted. The pump collects condensate in a small reservoir and, each time the reservoir fills, switches on briefly to push the water up a thin tube to a sink, standpipe or drain line.

The Reservoir catches the water and carries the float switch. Above it the Drive Motor drives the Pump End, and the Discharge lifts the water out through a check valve. The Inlet & Safety accepts several drain lines and adds a safety cutoff, the Housing encloses it all, and the Power Cord supplies power.

How it works

Condensate drips into the Collection Tank through the Inlet Ports. As the level rises, the Float lifts along its Float Guide until it trips the switch, closing a Relay that starts the motor. The motor spins the Impeller inside the Volute, throwing the water up through the Discharge Tube. The Check Valve holds the lifted column so it does not run back down when the pump stops, and the float drops to shut the pump off after a few seconds of running.

Because a failed condensate pump would let water overflow onto the floor or back up into the equipment, a second Safety Switch sits higher in the reservoir. If the water rises past the normal start level, that switch opens a circuit wired to the HVAC equipment and shuts it down before the tank can spill. The Ball Bearing-supported motor and sealed Housing keep the electrics dry, and the Wire Bundle and Connector land power at the motor from the grounded cord.