Air conditioning condensate pumps

[localzuk]

For the 4th time since it was put in a year and a half a go, our airconditioning unit is offline. The condensate pumps keep on breaking - pouring water all over the place.

Does anyone else have this problem? If now, what make/model of condensate pump are you using?

We've already lost £10k of equipment due to water damage due to this issue (we aren't storing anything valuable there now, as once bitten, twice shy) but it is supposed to be our secure storage room as well as our server room... So it isn't very useful if we can't actually put anything valuable in there...

[plexer]

What sort of air con unit is it?

Ben

[matt40k]

I've had a similar problem, but this was down to condensation and a hole in the pipe. Luckily the near by UPS was a few inches off the ground. All the air con guys recommend as another unit. Not really want you want to hear when they quoted it as being "more then enough"

[localzuk]

Well... the bit i can see is a Daikin inverter... that's all i know about it, as it was dealt with without my input...

[Sirbendy]

We lose 1 occasionally in the main IT suite...Fujitsu cartridge units - very good kit. Shame that drain on unit 2 has to pump UP half a metre before entering a gravity run. Unit 2 is all gravity.

TBH, it's never leaked...if the pump fails, the unit fills up, triggers the float switch and just shuts down with a fault code on the display panel.

Last engineer that looked at it strapped an external pump to the unit, and it's been rock solid.

[localzuk]

Ours are a fixed unit system, and the inverter is below ground, about 15m from the external part of the system, which is on the roof. So gravity isn't involved at all.

[plexer]

Yeah I was wondering if an external pump was an option, the one in the server room is gravity drain as far as I can tell.

Ben

[localzuk]

Just been told that 'it is unheard of for 4 pumps to go in such a short time'. So, make of that what you will...

[SpuffMonkey]

Ours is a Fujitsu and keeps freezing up =- then it shuts down - then we notice and it works again as the ice has usually melted by then. Grrr

[Fuzzz]

We also had a condensate-pump failure a couple of times. (Carrier split-unit airco).
The last time is was replaced by a Sauermann-pump (click), the aircon-guy told is was (one of) the best pump available. The only 'drawback' of this pump is that the tube on the inside has to be replaced every year, but the unit gets service every year anyway...

@SpuffMonkey: It sounds strange, but the unit can be freezing because it's lost/losing its refrigerant... we also had that happen one time...

[plexer]

See my other thread about a freezing fujitsu.

IF you know the model number I'll check it against mine, it looks like it was the main pcb on the outdoor unit being faulty on mine causing it.

Ben

[pete]

A couple of years ago, the newer Fujitsu units had a different cable to communicate with the pump. Not every installer knew about this. If the wrong cable was used (or the right one installed incorrectly) the end result was the pump wasn't running for long enough to clear out all the water. In time the unit will freeze up.

[Sylv3r]

Our Hitachi unit used to freeze up and pour out with water all the time, but since its 6 monthly service it has been behaving itself. Its been colder outside as well, which may be the reason it hasn't leaked as the server room is currently slightly cooler due to the outside temp.

[DMcCoy]

Hmm, my unit hasn't leaked or frozen up in the 3 1/2 years it's been running. I feel left out!

I even found out how to make it come back on after a power cut, with the right manual (users guide hints that it can be done, installers guide tells you *how*).

[EduTech]

If it was Toshiba then i would tell yah just to brake it and get a Daykin! :P

We had so many issue's with our air con, was a toshiba.. we have Toshiba's in the IT Rooms and all they do is break every 5 mins.

We have just had a Daykin 14kw installed and its ace! i freeze and its only on 20 Degree's lol best Air con we have in the school, i know many people who have them and say they are fantastic units and never have problems with them!!

Who installed it?