21.5mm Condensate pipe into drain pipe

Juddles · 12 Dec 2010

Hi
I have a 21.5mm condensate pipe that has recently froze a few times.
It runs externally about 1m at approx 10deg drop into my upper guttering. this has consequently caused 4" block of ice in my guttering too. i decided to pull it up slightly and rest it on a tile so there was a gap of about 4" from guttering but it froze anyway as the water reached the opening and cause an ever growing icicle then backed up the pipe and froze! This is even with foam lagging on.

I was wondering what the ideal method of stopping this is.
Can i put a 45deg elbow in, run it round the corner of the house and insert into drain pipe with a boss strap ?
If so, can i do this with overflow pipe or do i need to convert to 32mm ?

Ideally i want to stop it dripping into the upper guttering as i said it causes blocks of ice and i have visions of it getting to heavy and the guttering to fall with the weight, and its the most exposed corner and freezes at the opening.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
Martin

adlplumbing · 12 Dec 2010

post pic
but i would go for 40mm

mickyg · 12 Dec 2010

i run all my external condense pipes in 40mm in the rare cases it cant be terminated internally.

muggles · 13 Dec 2010

Internal termination or 40mm waste pipe. In that order of preference.
In any case it shouldn't be running into your guttering, unless your rainwater goes to the sewer (combined drainage system), it's not permitted to discharge in this way.

libby lou lou · 13 Dec 2010

nail some carpet round it, there frost won't be this bad next year.

Juddles · 14 Dec 2010

adlplumbing said:
post pic
but i would go for 40mm

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Juddles
14 Dec 2010
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Juddles
14 Dec 2010
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Pics as requested.
Thanks for the replies, i think i'll skip the one about putting a carpet up there

So, sounds like its best to resize to 32mm/40mm. Can i do this from the elbow that comes out the wall ?
Then is it ok to feed round to drainpipe using a boss adapter ?
The sewarage system is combined, so rain / soil goes into same sewer.

Thanks
Martin [/img]

Juddles · 19 Dec 2010

froze again last night, got to sort something out quick

rich4nancy · 19 Dec 2010

In the short term you could totally disconnect the external pipework and discharge the condense in to a bucket internally. You would have to keep swapping the bucket over however, but at least your boiler will keep working. Not ideal i know but its bloody cold out there - just a quick fix till you can sort it properly.

Good luck

electronicsuk · 19 Dec 2010

Is that really 21.5mm pipework? Either you have really small guttering, there are some odd things going on with the perspective, or it's a larger diameter pipe than you think!

Agile · 19 Dec 2010

We can see and he has mentioned that it has foam pipe insulation!

Tony

electronicsuk · 19 Dec 2010

Agile said:
We can see and he has mentioned that it has foam pipe insulation!

Tony

Point taken, I'm an idiot.

Juddles · 19 Dec 2010

rich4nancy said:
In the short term you could totally disconnect the external pipework and discharge the condense in to a bucket internally. You would have to keep swapping the bucket over however, but at least your boiler will keep working. Not ideal i know but its bloody cold out there - just a quick fix till you can sort it properly.

Good luck

Thanks, i think i will try that, just hope it doesn't fill the bucket during the night! At least i wont be out there with a hairdryer every day while its so cold.
Do you know if there is a reducer that converts 21.5mm to 32/40 so i could improve things when i get a break from the cold ?
Failing that i have an idea where i could run it internally to my bath waste pipe, is that safe ?

Oh and yes its 21.5mm pipe, just foam lagged. i made the mistake of getting the wife to take the picture during the day

Hugh Jaleak · 19 Dec 2010

Adaptor available for 21.5mm to 32mm, but even a bigger pipe could freeze in that position. As far as i'm aware no-one makes an adaptor from 32/40mm to 68mm downpipe, so you'd need to fit a Tee in the RWP and let it run into that. If you can run it internally, do so. (Hopefully wont freeze then!) Bath waste would be ok.

Boiler can produce a fair bit of condensate when running, bucket may not be enough to hold it all if you leave it on overnight....

Juddles · 20 Dec 2010

I decided to run internally today seeing as i am off work, cost me less than £10 and took me 2 hours max. Ran 21.5mm from boiler in loft, down behind false wall behind bath and tee'd into the 40mm bath waste with a reducer and bung. Solvent welded the 21.5mm and so far so good, no leaks, i assume even with condensate i would notice if a joint wasn't good.
Only thing that worries me (and i know maybe a daft question) is that when the bath is filled and emptied, would any water go "up" the 21.5mm pipe, i have a 2.5m vertical to the loft so hopefully not.
Cheers, Martin.

electronicsuk · 20 Dec 2010

Unless the laws of physics have changed recently, it's very unlikely that the water level in the condensate drain will rise to a level higher than that in the bath. However, I suspect you should have fitted a trap (HepVO self sealing or something of that nature), no doubt an expert will put you straight soon.

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21.5mm Condensate pipe into drain pipe

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