Checking Your

Condensate Pump/Unit for Issues

143 McDonough Parkway, McDonough, GA 30253
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Checking Your Condensate Pump/Unit for Issues

While the basic principles behind commercial steam boiler design have been in place for
more than 150 years, modern boilers are complex networks of machinery that require
several systems working in concert to operate effectively. Neglecting any part of the
system can cost businesses time and money. Therefore, it is vitally important to make
sure all the elements of any boiler system, whether used for power generation, building
heating, or other purposes, is functioning at peak efciency. That includes seemingly
innocuous components like the condensate pump, a critical but often overlooked part
of every boiler system. Properly maintained steam traps can add to the life of your
condensate unit but poorly maintained traps can become clogged trapping condensate
and not allowing it to return to the unit causing very costly maintenance and repair.
To understand why condensate pumps are so important, its rst necessary to understand
their function in the boiler system. Every steam boiler system is comprised of the heating vessel and four additional
systems: distribution, feedwater, fuel and draft. The distribution system is the network that channels steam to whatever
it will be used for radiators, driving a turbine, etc. The feedwater system delivers water to the heating vessel. The
fuel system supplies the fuel that will burn and heat the water in the vessel. The draft system introduces the air for fuel
combustion and vents the gasses created by it.

The distribution system is generally a closed system. Steam travels through it, and rather than being vented, it
is reclaimed and sent back to the boiler, thus keeping water usage economical. As steam travels through the
distribution system, part of it will cool enough to condense into water. This condensed water, or condensate, is
typically collected in a receiver tank. Once enough water has been collected, a rising oat in the receiver tank will
trigger the condensate pump, which then pumps the reclaimed water back into the boiler for reuse.
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An easy way to picture how this process works is a
familiar (if unglamorous) everyday example: a toilet
tank. When activated, water ushes out of the tank
into the bowl. As the tank is relled, a oat in the tank
rises with the water level. When a sufcient amount
of water has entered the tank, the oat rises to the top
and shuts off the ow of water into the tank.
To apply this example to modern boiler systems, the
receiver tank is represented by the toilet tank, and
the boiler is represented by the toilet bowl. And like
this example, the condensate pump serves a simple
but vital purpose: it makes sure that the water level is where it needs to be for the entire system to function at its best.
When the condensate in the receiver tank reaches a certain level, the condensate pump is triggered and pumps the
collected condensate back into the boiler for reuse.
So why is proper condensate pump function so critical? Imagine if the oat in the toilet tank malfunctioned. Either too
much water goes into the bowl (boiler) and it overows, or not enough water gets to the bowl (boiler) and it runs dry.
In a toilet, that is an inconvenience. In a boiler system, it is potentially disastrous. A boiler that has too much water
in it will function poorly, which can result in huge dollar losses in reduced or lost production, and additional losses
in downtime to x the problem. A boiler that has too little or no water can be severely damaged, necessitating an
expensive overhaul and/or replacement of critical components.
Condensate pumps may not be considered top priority items, but clearly its wise to make sure they are operating
at peak efciency. If you have any strainers attached to your condensate return be sure and check them weekly
or monthly to ensure they are clean and free of any scale or other foreign material that can block condensate from
returning to your unit.
143 McDonough Parkway, McDonough, GA 30253
www.boilersupplies.com (800) 780-3776 pg.4


What should companies look for to ensure that they are? Here are some danger signs and their potential causes:
The pump runs too often or the pump motor overheats

Make sure the capacity and pressure rating of the pump is appropriate. It may be insufcient for the task and
needs to run too often to keep up.
Check the temperature of the condensate. These are superheated gasses and they may be overheating the pump.
Check the oat switch. Remember the toilet tank example? If the oat is stuck in the on position, it will keep
running and continuously pump condensate to the boiler.
Ensure that the lines between the pump and boiler arent clogged. In systems with a lot of sediment in the water,
adding new strainers or cleaning existing ones can help.

The pump constantly starts and stops, or doesnt keep the boiler level high enough

Again, check the oat switch. It determines how often the pump runs and how much condensate is returned to the
boiler each time it cycles. So its important that the oat travel is set correctly.
Inspect the check valve. Condensate pumps have a one-way check valve that prevents water from owing into
the receiver tank from the boiler. If this valve doesnt seal properly, water from the boiler will back up into the
receiver and activate the pump. This can create a tug of war between the receiver and the boiler
Pump operation is excessively noisy

Make sure the pump hasnt been damaged by hot condensate or inadequate priming.
Check how the pump is mounted. Its important to make sure that the pump controller is level and the pump is on
an adequate foundation.
Is the noise coming from adjacent piping? Often, attaching short hoses between the input and output points can
deaden knocking from pipes.

The pump leaks or functions erratically

Check the PH of the water. Carbolic acid can build up in boiler systems and affect the seal.
Often, pump problems are caused by dirt and sediment, which can plug vent lines and clog the pump impeller
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Of course, setting the pump to run at maximum efciency for a given application is the best way to avoid
problems. Generally, the pump shouldnt run more often than every three minutes. By adjusting oat travel, its
possible to get good results even with a pump with a relatively small gallon per minute rating. Heres a handy
table showing the relationship:

Pump Horsepower
and Tank Size
Building Capacity
Sq. Ft. EDR
Gal per minute rating Approx. oat travel
1/3 HP with 8 gal steel or
6 gal CI tank
8,000 12 3
1/3 HP with 15 gal steel
or 13.5 gal CI tank
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
3
6
9
12
3
5
7
8
1/2 HP with 30 gal steel
or 24 Gal CI tank
10,000
15,000
15
22.5
7
10