How to properly remove water from exhaust vent

[Pukenzz]

Approx a year ago I self installed a Rheem RTGH-95DVN.

I did not want to re-plumb water and gas lines so I installed it approx where my old tank unit was.

I have the intake and exhaust running into a concentric vent on a horizontal path out the side of my house.

Those 3" PVC intake and exhaust lines run approx 20' perpendicular / under my floor joists. There was no way I was going to put a 3" hole through +/- 20 floor joists. To get the lines out the side of the house and keep above the snow line I had to make a jog UP and penetrate the rim joist. I reinforced the rim joist with 2 additional layers of 2 x 12.

Running the intake and exhaust line parallel to the floor joists in the cavity was not an option because they would have to exit my house through the fireplace.

The unit ran fine for approx 4-6 weeks then it error-ed out. What I found was that the exhaust line was full of condensation and choking the unit. So as a temporary fix I drilled a hole in the 3" line and drained it into a Tupperware. For the past year now I have to go empty that Tupperware every couple of weeks. Clearly this in not a good solution. I want to change my exhaust line to pitch back towards the unit and connect it to a 1/2" PVC line and let the water drain into my floor drain leading to the sump pump.

My concern is that the exhaust gasses will go out that new 1/2" drain line and into my house. Is that an acceptable solution? Am I over thinking this? Am I missing something?

Photos and drawing can be provided if needed for clarification.

Regards,
Matt

 

[Killer95Stang]

If it is the exhaust side pipe and not the air intake side, then just pitch it back toward the unit. The condensation in the exhaust line will drain through the internal condensation neutralization kit and out the condensate drain at the bottom. From there, connect a downward sloping house to your in floor condensate drain. If that hose clogs up because it is not sloped to the drain or is pinched, you will get an error 29. Allowing that line to drain properly will clear that code.

It is the intake side, then you will need condensate trap type fitting with a barb on it, that you can separately route to a proper drain.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Killer95Stang]

You can see in this installation photo from Rheem's manual that the uncapped exhaust runs straight down the center, then sloped back into the unit. Only the intake requires the additional condensate drain coupling.