Hi, occasionally, when my AC is running, my Air Conditioner Condensate pump kicks on and needs a place to drain. I didn’t know if there were any requirements on this type of drain similar to a Laundry Standpipe. I live in upstate New York.

I would like to install a scaled down version of a laundry Standpipe which itself requires an 18” height and 2” diameter pipe along with a trap.

I would like to use a height of about 12” and a 1.5” pipe with a trap. Does this sound like it is acceptable and to code in most areas ?

By reviewing [inspectapedia.com] I think I am OK would welcome your opinions.
Thanks

you are so much better off if you can run the discharge from the condensate pump into an existing washing machine stand pipe. it is only 3/8 vinyl tubing.
you can't just cut a trap in anywhere in the plumbing system. also,your new trap will need to be protected from syphoning by venting it properly and also will need to be protected from evaporating off season with a trap primer.
most good condensate pumps will pump 20 feet with no trouble.

There is a main drain that wraps around my basement that I could tie into easily only about 12 feet away. The Washingmachine drain is about 25 feet away and in a finished part of the basement that I would rather not touch.

I can't tap into the main drain?

Seems like such a waste. Sending perfectly good water down the drain in the summer, then watering the plants outside. Couldn't you pump it to a rain barrel with drip hose off of that.

You CAN do anything you want to, but it would not be a good idea. It is so little water that you can just pump it outside on to the ground. Many units do that even when they do not have pumps.

I could only pump it outside in my driveway, so we would be getting our feet wet and getting in our cars, it doesn't seem right.

where you can use the rise above an existing trap t drain ok..Where any drain is added to any section of the dwv laws apply/you may which to alternate trap??make this a float mechanical or checked discharge type.In winter sewer gas in your home will harm you if you miss the reasons why a trap can run dry.

my advice isn't right nor is it legal.
but, you would be better off drilling a 3/8 hole in your main drain and silicone seal a tube into it.
any improperly vented trap you install has the risk of syphoning when you flush a toilet. also, the water in the trap will evaporate if some water isn't run into it for a matter of months.
the condensate pump has a check valve at the discharge port so no sewer gas will come back thru the 3/8 tube.
so, just call my advice the lessor of two evils..

I would like to do this to code. The more I think about it, I may be able to sneak this into the washing machine drain, but I would need to sneak the line over about 10 feet of drywall. Another alternative is that I could run it into a utility sink.

It is important that it is to code, as I plan on selling the house in a few months.

There is no code as to WHERE you drain it. The code would apply to any "device" you created to connect it directly to the drain line.

No code, but I found this?


Here is an excerpt from the Uniform Mechanical Code pertaining to the disposal of air conditioning condensate: "Section 310.0, 310.1 Condensate Disposal.

Condensate from air washers, air cooling coils, fuel-burning condensing appliances, the overflow from evaporative coolers and similar water supplied equipment or similar air conditioning equipment shall be collected and discharged to an approved plumbing fixture or disposal area. If discharged into the drainage system equipment shall drain by means of an indirect waste pipe. The waste pipe shall have a slope of not less than 1/8 inch per foot (10.5 mm/m) or one percent slope and shall be of approved corrosion-resistant material not smaller than the outlet size as required in either Section 310.3 or 310.4 below for air-cooling coils or condensing fuel-burning appliances, respectively. Condensate or waste water shall not drain over a public way."

make some kind of bracket and pump it into the utility sink 1" or more above the flood rim

just like the faucet discharges

personally:

i would use a 'gutted' beverage dispenser faucet to establish the 'air gap'

a - take all the guts out of the faucet (always wide open)
b - mount gutted faucet to sink ledge
c - attach 3/8 tube from pump to faucet inlet

voila ~ pump now discharges LEGALLY into a fixture


or you could use a 'bulkhead coupling' to make your own spout by bending a piece of 3/8 Cu tube

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

somebody please tell me what this means ??

"discharged to an approved plumbing fixture or disposal area"

what is a disposal area??

I have seen some interesting choices for A/C drains retro-fitted into existing homes that never had A/C before. Three common scenarios I have seen are 1) dishwasher tailpiece under kitchen sink (or any sink) 2) washer machine box in utility room. 3) overflow for tub. Some cases a gravity drain was used.

Good Luck

A tubular wye tee above the laundry tub trap sounds good if there is room.Also known as dishwasher wye tee?Above the trap drainage is also alternative where you are selling/inspected questioned.You are not protecting any cross tied above the trap whier. .