Welcome back to the WhisperKOOL blog. Today we’ll continue our series of technical and informational blog posts about wine cellar cooling. Today we’d like to discuss condensate pumps. These pumps can assist your unit to get rid of excess condensate. We’ll discuss how our pumps work, the advantages they convey, and common reasons why a condensate pump might fail prematurely.
The condensate pump is a small condensate removal pump which is installed in our Ceiling Mount units. This pump facilitates the removal of condensate from the internal drip tray and routes it away from the unit—preferably via a rigid drain line (PEX or CPVC).
WhisperKOOL units can, under certain circumstances, produce moisture in the form of condensate during normal operation. This moisture collects in a tray inside the unit. The water is then routed out of the unit via a gravity-fed internal drain tube.
In humid environments, occasionally, excess condensate may be produced. This can cause the drip tray to overflow. This, in turn, may cause water damage to the cellar, the racking, or the unit itself.
The condensate pump uses a reservoir which contains a thermistor to sense the condensate produced by the unit. This thermistor determines when the water in the drip tray has risen too high. The thermistor engages the pump, which removes the excess condensate from the drip tray. By means of a rigid drain line, the condensate drains to a safe location.
Environmental factors can play a role in causing the condensate pump to fail prematurely. Buildup of mold or bacterial growth in the drip tray can clog the condensate pump and cause it to malfunction. Sometimes, also, the timing of the unit’s installation can be a factor. Sometimes WhisperKOOL units are installed in homes before the home’s construction is complete. During normal operation, the unit will sometimes take in wood and drywall dust and other construction debris. This debris sometimes contaminates the drip tray and clogs the condensate pump’s lines.
Other factors which can lead to premature condensate pump failures include:
– kinks in the drain line
– restrictions or clogs in the drain line
– sagging (when part of the drain line droops or sags, creating an uphill slope in part of the line, prohibiting water from draining naturally)
– freezing (in cold climates, if the drain line is routed out of doors, water freezing in the line can become an issue)
– exceeding specified application parameters during installation (the drain line must have no more than a 15-foot vertical rise and 50-foot horizontal run)
To conclude, condensate pumps—which come standard on WhisperKOOL Ceiling Mount units—help prevent leaks and water damage. When paired with a rigid drain line, they remove excess condensate from your unit. Environmental factors and installation oversights can sometimes lead to clogs and pump failure. We advise our customers to have their cooling units inspected regularly to ensure that they’re operating as efficiently as possible. We also encourage you to visit our Learning Center to learn more about wine cooling and storage. Thank you for being a WhisperKOOL customer.