Longevity of hvac condensate pumps?

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JHZR2

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I keep a dehumidifier and condensate pump in my shop in my basement. They are both fed by a power strip that plugs into a GFCI outlet. Has been this way for years. Over the last few months, three times now the GFCI is tripped. When I reset it, everything comes on, but the only loads that are powered on down there when I'm not working are the dehumidifier and pump.

I'm not seeing any issue with the dehumidifier, but the condensate pump I don't hear as readily. I do think it may be louder than when it was younger, but at the same time, I suspect it gets much less use than one connected to an AC or mod/con boiler.

How long should I expect from these pumps, and how do you know when they are getting close to failing?
 
When was the last time you cleaned it ? I've seen some last 15 plus years. I have a condensate pump on my AC unit because I relocated the air handler from the attic down vertical and couldn't run a gravity drain. I throw vinegar down every month to help keep it clean. Mine came with a sticker that says" When changing the AC/Heater filter also clean the tank, check Valve and bottom of the tank". Your is a little easier to clean because it is 120V and has a plug, mine is a 240V and hard wired to the unit with a fuse.
 
We built our home in 2008 and the original HVAC condensate pump lasted 4 years. Our current one just turned five.

I didn't notice any symptoms before the first one died. Just a puddle of water one morning.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2

How long should I expect from these pumps, and how do you know when they are getting close to failing?


You really don't know when they'll fail, as they could last a year or 20 years. If it makes you feel better, put a catch tray under it with an alarm that signals when the water level builds.
 
If mine fails, I'm not concerned about a puddle on my concrete floor.

Really more curious if the gfci tripping, which it has never done before, is a sign of pending failure.
 
Pending failure of GFCI? Could be...
I usually get 4-5 years from our condensate pump in the attic where the 2nd half of the split unit resides.
 
Originally Posted By: Kestas
Somewhere I remember reading you shouldn't plug refrigeration devices in GFCI outlets.


Very true, this drove me crazy when I put a fridge in my garage.
 
If you have a non-GFCI source to plug one of the devices into, give that a try and see if it still trips. That way you can potentially eliminate that item as the cause.
 
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