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This is related to this question What type of pipe should I used to build a gravity drain from my furnace to the bathroom plumbing?
I am building the red pipe in the below picture, This is the condese drain for the furnace
The original tubing used by the pump is 3/8 ID, 1/2 OD.
The specs for the condense pump are in the above mentined post
In order to give the PVC tubing a slope I decided to run it through a 1/2 PEX pipe which I pushed in the ceiling as indicted below.
The problem is that this setup is not working for two reasons: -due to the fact that there is mineral wool in the ceiling and this is between two joists I can't push the pex pipe as I want and I can's seem to be able to give it the right slope
-the other thing that is now working is the fact that the pup is at floor level. It has to push the water 8' up to the ceiling where the pvc tubing enters the pex pipe. when the push there is water left on the vertical segment from the pump to the ceiling and that seems to bounce back. That creates negative pressure in the tubing and some of the water is being sucked back.
The end result is that very little water comes out at the other end and it takes an eternity for the pump to empty the basin ...
Is there any way to drill thrugh that damn wool to make room to run the pipe properly. The middle of the red segment is out of reach so there is no way to pull the wool out.
I am considering using using one for these to pull the wool out
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  • a check valve might help with your pumping problems
    – Jasen
    Commented Sep 14, 2020 at 13:01
  • cleaned the pump last evening. it might not be strong enough for a too long 3/8" pvc tube.
    – MiniMe
    Commented Sep 14, 2020 at 13:03

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I have used a copper pipe with an angled cut to push through several types of insulation with the plastic pipe following on behind.

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  • yes, make a needle shape and push it through
    – Jasen
    Commented Sep 14, 2020 at 10:44
  • all can probably do is to try to make like a spear tip for the pipe. There is one more issue here, I do not want to cut the 10' stretch of 1/2 pex pipe because I want to avoid any leaks in the ceiling where I can't reach. The furnace room and the bathroom are like 7' wide so I am beding/flexing the pex pipe in order to be able to push it through
    – MiniMe
    Commented Sep 14, 2020 at 12:33
  • @MiniMe plan joints in places that can be accessed. That's how I did mine. Also planned runs without any joints so that the possibility of leaks was avoided. Of course, can't prevent idiots drilling into pipes by accident...
    – Solar Mike
    Commented Sep 14, 2020 at 12:50
  • that is what I am doing but that adds to the challenge
    – MiniMe
    Commented Sep 14, 2020 at 13:04

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