Condensate pump bad?

[Erico]

Problem: furnace stops working

Temporary fix: my brother in law took vacuum line off to check diaphragm by sucking on it and got a mouth full of water. When line is emptied the furnace starts and runs.

Mother in law has been pulling top gray line and emptying it for the last week.

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I think the condensate pump is not working. She says she hasn't heard it kick on.

There is standing water in the tray not shown at top of PVC line on right.

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I see the a-coil drain line lower left. The drain upper right, I assume, drains furnace. This is a high efficiency furnace. Down draft. Over a crawl space. Apparently the drain exits the pump and goes to the crawl - I assume entering the drain system? Need to get in crawl and confirm.

Seems silly to have a pump for water going down hill. Or is the pump required to evacuate the system??

I can get a pump for 40-50 bucks. In the mean time, I'm thinking of cutting the PVC, removing the pump and draining in to a bucket tonight to see if that solves the problem.

Either replace the pump or drain everything in to a trap and then the plumbing drain.

The fact there is even a pump to a crawl is a mystery to me. Or is the pump necessary.

 

[Erico]

I assume the rust is part of the problem. She had it serviced this summer and didn't get any negative feedback.

It needs to be cleaned and taped/sealed.

Also, the vent vents through the roof but the air intake is drawing from the room. It's not piped. I understand that's not uncommon from lazy installers or lazy DIYers. That's a relatively easy fix. The room has no door on it so it draws from the kitchen and house.

She's been in this house for a couple years. I remodeled her kitchen but haven't looked too closely at the furnace. Her husband was around for that but recently passed.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Stuff]

The condensate pump has nothing to do with the current problem. If it wasn't working the furnace would be fine. Instead the pump bowl would overflow and you would have a wet floor - some have a safety switch that cuts R so shuts down the furnace/ac.

I have seen a vacuum line fill with water because it was too long and drooping. Maybe when the tech was there he re-positioned it incorrectly. Sometimes just twisting it fixes it or else shortening it fixes the problem.


Just remember that water runs downhill.

 

[Erico]

The condensate pump has nothing to do with the current problem. If it wasn't working the furnace would be fine. Instead the pump bowl would overflow and you would have a wet floor - some have a safety switch that cuts R so shuts down the furnace/ac.

I have seen a vacuum line fill with water because it was too long and drooping. Maybe when the tech was there he re-positioned it incorrectly. Sometimes just twisting it fixes it or else shortening it fixes the problem.


Just remember that water runs downhill.

Hmm. Yeah. Makes sense. That's what I what I would have expected.

The black thicker lines go to the drain/pump.

It's the top gray thin line holding water.

Maybe a clog somewhere casusing to back up inside?

 

[Erico]

Here is the tray with standing water.