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QUESTION:I recently installed a new Carrier 80MXA-16 gas horizontal gas furnace
and air conditioner. The furnace is installed
in my house's crawl space (sealed from outside air currents, but not
directly heated). I have the concentric flue vent kit.
The vent and condenseate drain appears externally to be plumbed
correctly.
The weather here (Raleigh, NC) has started heading for the 20F @
night-50F @day range.
During the last month, I started hearing a ticking noice at the vent
outlet and near the furnace during
operation. I hadn't thought much about it since I attributed it to some
sort of metalic rattling noise of a
one way airflow trap door in the flue vent system.
We'll, now it became time for my winter inspection. The installation
service company repair person
inspected the system and claimed the "ticking"
noise was from condenseate water hitting the inducer fan blades (he had
to call his boss to get advice).
He filled the drain trap with water and said
this "could/should" fix the problem. (This is the same guy who said I
had a great 94% effecient system).
I also inquired why i shouldn't be concerned that during cold weather,
my condenseate drain won't freeze shut.
He failed to answer that question directly.
Next day: I still hear the noise and now its got me a bit worried. If
the condensiate is not draining
correctly: sounds like i'm headed for a complete system shut-down if
during colder weather the
condenseate doesn't drain as fast as it's created.
I plan on calling back the service company and asking them to send out
someone with some in-depth
knowlege and experience concerning these systems.
Any advice or experience with this problem? Can the condeseate drain
line freeze shut at its outlet?
ANSWER: That's been a problem with that model. A drain & trap in the VENT as it
exits the furnace will help or stop it. The condensate that forms
in the vent runs back into the inducer. Putting in the drain drains it
externally to the furnace. Your crawl would have to stay above
freezing but that shouldn't be a problem.
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