Ask Me Help Desk - Ejector Pit and A/C drainage

I had a new overhead sewer installed including an ejector pump for my washer, wash tub, floor drains and A/C and furnace humidifier drainage. The A/C and humidifier condensate drainage line (which is PVC and is run together) runs into the through of the pit cover but is not sealed. It runs through an open hole in the cover along with the electrical cords for the pump. There is no toilet or shower in the bathroom. Is this open hole going to cause an odor problem over time? Should this opening be sealed? :confused:

Definitely ! What you just described is a health hazard. Besides a bad smell, you will be noticing small sewer flies around the ejector.

You have to properly seal the connection between the lid and the collection bucket. Buy self-stick foam tape and tape it around the perimeter of the lid. Close the lid and tie it down to the bucket with supplied s.s. bolts. Each hole for cable should have a round, rubber sealing washer that will fit exactly to the hole in the lid allowing cables to run through it. Buy them from your sewer ejector manufacturer.

The condensation line and humidifier drainage should not run directly into the sewer ejector. They have to be installed to trapped drain with point of connection above the trap. The way you have it now is wrong. These drain lines allow sewer gas to vent into your A/C and Humidifier.

Do yourself a big favor and correct these installation mistakes in timely manner...

Even if you seal off the AC drain line you will still leave a direct open connection between the ejector pit and the AC and humidifier resulting in bad smells and destroying the pit seal. The ejector pit should have a dedicated vent that both vents air out as the fixtures discharge into the pit and vents air out as the ejector pump pumps it out. To operate correctly the pit MUST be sealed. You have destroyed that seal when you holed the top. In my area it's against the law to discharge anything into the city sewer except sewage and gray water. I would repipe the condensate to terminate outside. Good luck, Tom

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Originally Posted by speedball1

Even if you seal off the AC drain line you will still leave a direct open connection between the ejector pit and the AC and humidifier resulting in bad smells and and destroying the pit seal. The ejector pit should have a dedicated vent that both vents air out as the fixtures discharge into the pit and vents air out as the ejector pump pumps it out. To operate correctly the pit MUST be sealed. You have destroyed that seal when you holed the top. In my area it's against the law to discharge anything into the city sewer except sewage and gray water. I would repipe the condensate to terminate outside. Good luck, Tom

There is a separate vent pipe for the washer stand pipe drain, the floor drain, the laundry tub and the pit itself. This all tie in with the roof vent line. There is just this hole where the AC condensate and electrical cords go through the cover, unsealed.

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There is a separate vent pipe for the washer stand pipe drain, the floor drain, the laundry tub and the pit itself. This all tie in with the roof vent line. There is just this hole where the AC condensate and electrical cords go through the cover, unsealed.

Are you telling me that you have a ejector pit that's open? And the pit vent should be a dedicated vent, (read your installation sheet) without any tie back to the house vents. The reason for this is that while the house vents draw air into the system to maintain the integrity of the trap seals a pit vent also pulls air into the system as it pumps the discharge up to the sewer main after it vents air out of the system as the fixtures drain into the pit. If your pit isn't sealed it can no longer operate efficiently. Once more, are you saying your pit's not sealed? Regards, Tom

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedball1

Are you telling me that you have a ejector pit that's open? And the pit vent should be a dedicated vent, (read your installation sheet) without any tie back to the house vents. The reason for this is that while the house vents draw air into the system to maintain the integrity of the trap seals a pit vent also vents air out into the system as it pumps the discharge up to the sewer main after it pulls air into the system as the fixtures drain into the pit. If your pit isn't sealed it can no longer operate efficiently. Once more, are you saying your pit's not sealed? Regards, Tom

Sorry if I did a lousy job explaining the problem. The new ejector pit serves a floor drain, washing machine stand pipe, laundry tub, and the combined condensate/run off line from the furnace A/C and humidifier. The pit itself has an individual vent line, as does the laundry tub and washing machine standpipe. The floor drain runs into the pit and splits off with its own dedicated vent line. These all tie in to one roof vent that is dedicated to these devices only. The A/C and humidifier line run the a small opening in the pit cover which also contains the ejectors electrical plugs. This hole is not sealed. It is about 1 inch in diameter. Does it need to be sealed. Maybe it was an oversight? Everything else is sealed tightly.

Again, A/C and Humidifier lines should not be connected to the sewer ejector directly. It is not an "..oversight..." but staple of a lazy A/C technician and Humidifier installer who selected the "easy" way to complete their installation. You should connect them to trapped drain. Seal the hole in ejector cover with silicone sealer.

Thanks for the advice. I have silicone sealed the hole for now, and will rerun the condensate lines to the laundry sink.

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Originally Posted by DocH

Thanks for the advice. I have silicone sealed the hole for now, and will rerun the condensate lines to the laundry sink.

As I stated in a earlier post if the pit isn't sealed it will allow gas to vent out every time your fixtures drain into it. That's why the pit has its own vent to exhaust the pressure created by the fixtures discharge into it. Good luck, Tom