Lennox Furnace drain issue

Posted by on December 27, 2008, 2:36 pm

Hi, I purchased a new high effiency Lennox G61V furnace a year ago,
and have had problems ever since. After numerous visits from the
installer, we've finally determined that water from the cold header
box (which sit directly behind the combustion inducer fan), does not
drain out until the furnace shuts down. So, basically if it is cold
outside and the furnace runs for several hours straight, that water
continues to build up and gets into the inducer fan, which cause all
kinds of problems, and the furnace shuts down.

The service people I've used have called lennox, but can not figure
out why the water would not drain out until the furnace winds down or
is shut off.

Has anyone run into this issue before? I'm a good $1000 in on
maintenance fees right now and I'm not sure what to do at this point.
thanks,
Joe

Posted by Noon-Air on December 27, 2008, 5:22 pm

> Hi, I purchased a new high effiency Lennox G61V furnace a year ago,
> and have had problems ever since. After numerous visits from the
> installer, we've finally determined that water from the cold header
> box (which sit directly behind the combustion inducer fan), does not
> drain out until the furnace shuts down. So, basically if it is cold
> outside and the furnace runs for several hours straight, that water
> continues to build up and gets into the inducer fan, which cause all
> kinds of problems, and the furnace shuts down.
> The service people I've used have called lennox, but can not figure
> out why the water would not drain out until the furnace winds down or
> is shut off.
> Has anyone run into this issue before? I'm a good $1000 in on
> maintenance fees right now and I'm not sure what to do at this point.
> thanks,
> Joe

Was it the lowest price?? Seems that one of the first things they cut
corners on is not putting a proper trap in the drain line. There is a reason
for the trap being there....looks like you found out about it the hard way.

Posted by The King on December 27, 2008, 6:26 pm

wrote:

>> Hi, I purchased a new high effiency Lennox G61V furnace a year ago,
>> and have had problems ever since. After numerous visits from the
>> installer, we've finally determined that water from the cold header
>> box (which sit directly behind the combustion inducer fan), does not
>> drain out until the furnace shuts down. So, basically if it is cold
>> outside and the furnace runs for several hours straight, that water
>> continues to build up and gets into the inducer fan, which cause all
>> kinds of problems, and the furnace shuts down.
>> The service people I've used have called lennox, but can not figure
>> out why the water would not drain out until the furnace winds down or
>> is shut off.
>> Has anyone run into this issue before? I'm a good $1000 in on
>> maintenance fees right now and I'm not sure what to do at this point.
>> thanks,
>> Joe

>Was it the lowest price?? Seems that one of the first things they cut
>corners on is not putting a proper trap in the drain line. There is a reason
>for the trap being there....looks like you found out about it the hard way.

The trap is incorporated into the furnace at the factory. He is not
talking about the trap on the a coil. Which BTW isn't needed on a up
flow furnace you dolt.

Posted by Steve on December 27, 2008, 6:55 pm

> wrote:

>>> Hi, I purchased a new high effiency Lennox G61V furnace a year ago,
>>> and have had problems ever since. After numerous visits from the
>>> installer, we've finally determined that water from the cold header
>>> box (which sit directly behind the combustion inducer fan), does not
>>> drain out until the furnace shuts down. So, basically if it is cold
>>> outside and the furnace runs for several hours straight, that water
>>> continues to build up and gets into the inducer fan, which cause all
>>> kinds of problems, and the furnace shuts down.
>>> The service people I've used have called lennox, but can not figure
>>> out why the water would not drain out until the furnace winds down or
>>> is shut off.
>>> Has anyone run into this issue before? I'm a good $1000 in on
>>> maintenance fees right now and I'm not sure what to do at this point.
>>> thanks,
>>> Joe

>>Was it the lowest price?? Seems that one of the first things they cut
>>corners on is not putting a proper trap in the drain line. There is a
>>reason
>>for the trap being there....looks like you found out about it the hard
>>way.

> The trap is incorporated into the furnace at the factory. He is not
> talking about the trap on the a coil. Which BTW isn't needed on a up
> flow furnace you dolt.

Having never worked on that particular model, I'll take you word for it...
Either way, from the symptoms, there are issues with the trap either being
partially blocked or not being deep enough.

Now....as far as a trap on an upflow coil, Rheem/RUUD *REQUIRES* that there
be a trap that a minimum of 6 inches below the coil pan, and the trap must
be a minimum of 3 inches deep. There is a reason the factory puts notes in
the installation instructions and puts a sticker on the coil and/or coil
casing that gives the dimentions of the required trap. I have seen the same
trap requirements for Carrier and Trane. Not only do they give the
dimentions, but they also include pictures...*just* for you.

Posted by The King on December 27, 2008, 9:10 pm

wrote:

>> wrote:

>>>> Hi, I purchased a new high effiency Lennox G61V furnace a year ago,
>>>> and have had problems ever since. After numerous visits from the
>>>> installer, we've finally determined that water from the cold header
>>>> box (which sit directly behind the combustion inducer fan), does not
>>>> drain out until the furnace shuts down. So, basically if it is cold
>>>> outside and the furnace runs for several hours straight, that water
>>>> continues to build up and gets into the inducer fan, which cause all
>>>> kinds of problems, and the furnace shuts down.
>>>> The service people I've used have called lennox, but can not figure
>>>> out why the water would not drain out until the furnace winds down or
>>>> is shut off.
>>>> Has anyone run into this issue before? I'm a good $1000 in on
>>>> maintenance fees right now and I'm not sure what to do at this point.
>>>> thanks,
>>>> Joe
>>>Was it the lowest price?? Seems that one of the first things they cut
>>>corners on is not putting a proper trap in the drain line. There is a
>>>reason
>>>for the trap being there....looks like you found out about it the hard
>>>way.

>> The trap is incorporated into the furnace at the factory. He is not
>> talking about the trap on the a coil. Which BTW isn't needed on a up
>> flow furnace you dolt.

>Having never worked on that particular model, I'll take you word for it...
>Either way, from the symptoms, there are issues with the trap either being
>partially blocked or not being deep enough.

I agree that it sounds like a trap problem or possibly a venting issue
with the pitch of the pipe. Its not a field fabricated trap. Like
all 90 plus furnaces, the trap comes with the furnace.

>Now....as far as a trap on an upflow coil, Rheem/RUUD *REQUIRES* that there
>be a trap that a minimum of 6 inches below the coil pan, and the trap must
>be a minimum of 3 inches deep. There is a reason the factory puts notes in
>the installation instructions and puts a sticker on the coil and/or coil
>casing that gives the dimentions of the required trap. I have seen the same
>trap requirements for Carrier and Trane. Not only do they give the
>dimentions, but they also include pictures...*just* for you.

I don't know why they would make it a requirement since it has nothing
to do with condensate drainage on an up flow.

Blow thru coils don't need a trap to drain properly. Pull thru coils
do.

Page 1 of 14 1 2 3 > last >>

Similar Threads	Posted
lennox g43uf drain & failure issue	February 5, 2009, 8:49 pm
Furnace or Thermostat issue?	October 6, 2009, 2:52 pm
Goodman GMS 90904CX Furnace issue with squirrel cage/blower motor	January 23, 2007, 11:35 am
Problem with Furnace Condensate Drain	August 2, 2006, 3:35 pm
Water in AC condensate pan does not drain (drain not clogged)	July 7, 2006, 11:40 am
Lennox Furnace 2-Speed Noise	January 20, 2007, 8:18 am
Lennox Furnace Filter Question	December 2, 2007, 3:45 pm
Lennox G23Q2 furnace ignition problem	November 29, 2007, 11:22 pm
Will non-lennox brands work for independent humidity control in a Lennox system	May 2, 2007, 4:34 pm
Honeywell thermostat issue	September 18, 2006, 4:44 pm