Condensate pump

Abstract

A condensate pump for an HVAC system includes a reservoir with a top assembly, which includes control electronics, a pump motor, and a pump impeller, mounted on top of the reservoir. The condensate pump includes wall hangers. The top assembly has a top cover with four inlet openings, and the top cover is reversible to accommodate placement of the electric service and the evaporator tube. The top cover has tube holders that extend into the reservoir so that the evaporator tube does not bottom out in the reservoir. The reservoir is made of clear plastic so that the water level can be readily observed. The condensate pump has control circuitry that can shut off the HVAC system or sound an alarm when the pump fails. The condensate pump has a drawer for biostat tablets. The drawer passes through the top assembly and extends into reservoir.

1 . A condensate pump for collecting condensate water and pumping the condensate water to a remote location comprising: 
 a. a reservoir having an open top and a bottom panel with a trough formed in the bottom panel;    b. a top assembly mounted on the open top of the reservoir and comprising 
 i. a top cover;  
 ii. a motor mounted on the top cover and connected to an impeller with a water inlet port and a water outlet port;  
 iii. a float assembly for determining the level of water in the reservoir; and  
 iv. a control circuit connected to the float assembly for controlling the operation of the motor based on the level of the water in the reservoir,  
   wherein the inlet port of the impeller is located in the trough to minimize the amount of water remaining in the reservoir after the water has been pumped to the remote location.    
   
   
       2 . The condensate pump of  claim 1 , wherein the top assembly further comprises an inlet opening in the top cover for allowing the flow of condensate water into the reservoir from an evaporator discharge tube and a tube holder extending from the inlet opening into the reservoir for restraining the evaporator discharge tube from contacting the bottom panel of the reservoir to keep the bottom panel from blocking the evaporator discharge tube.  
   
   
       3 . The condensate pump of  claim 1 , wherein the top assembly further comprises a drawer opening in the top cover and a drawer slideably mounted in the drawer opening for holding a biostat tablet, wherein the drawer extends into the reservoir and the drawer has a drawer opening to allow the water in the reservoir to contact the biostat tablet in the drawer.  
   
   
       4 . The condensate pump of  claim 1 , wherein the top cover has multiple inlet ports for allowing the flow of condensate water into the reservoir from an evaporator discharge tube and wherein the top cover can be mounted in a plurality of orientations with respect to the reservoir.  
   
   
       5 . The condensate pump of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir has hanger brackets for allowing the reservoir to mounted on a support member.  
   
   
       6 . The condensate pump of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is transparent to allow observation of the water level in the reservoir.  
   
   
       7 . A condensate pump for collecting condensate water and pumping the condensate water to a remote location comprising: 
 a. a reservoir having an open top and a bottom panel;    b. a top assembly mounted on open top of the reservoir and comprising 
 i. a top cover;  
 ii. a motor mounted on the top cover and connected to an impeller with a water inlet port and a water outlet port;  
 iii. a float assembly for determining the level of water in the reservoir;  
 iv. a control circuit connected to the float assembly for controlling the operation of the motor based on the level of the water in the reservoir;  
 v. an inlet opening in the top cover for allowing the flow of condensate water into the reservoir from an evaporator discharge tube; and  
 vi. a tube holder extending from the inlet opening into the reservoir for restraining the evaporator discharge tube from contacting the bottom panel of the reservoir to keep the bottom panel from blocking the evaporator discharge tube.  
   
   
   
       8 . The condensate pump of  claim 7 , wherein the top assembly further comprises a drawer opening in the top cover and a drawer slideably mounted in the drawer opening for holding a biostat tablet, wherein the drawer extends into the reservoir and the drawer has a drawer opening to allow the water in the reservoir to contact the biostat tablet in the drawer.  
   
   
       9 . The condensate pump of  claim 7 , wherein the bottom panel of the reservoir has a trough and the impeller is located in the trough to minimize the amount of water remaining in the reservoir after the water has been pumped to the remote location.  
   
   
       10 . The condensate pump of  claim 7 , wherein the top cover has multiple inlet ports for allowing the flow of condensate water into the reservoir from an evaporator discharge tube and wherein the top cover can be mounted in a plurality of orientations with respect to the reservoir.  
   
   
       11 . The condensate pump of  claim 7 , wherein the reservoir has hanger brackets for allowing the reservoir to mounted on a support member.  
   
   
       12 . The condensate pump of  claim 7 , wherein the reservoir is transparent to allow observation of the water level in the reservoir.  
   
   
       13 . A condensate pump for collecting condensate water and pumping the condensate water to a remote location comprising: 
 a. a reservoir having an open top and a bottom panel;    b. a top assembly mounted on open top of the reservoir and comprising, 
 i. a top cover having a drawer opening therein;  
 ii. a drawer slideably mounted in the drawer opening for holding a biostat tablet, wherein the drawer extends into the reservoir and has an opening to allow the water to contact the biostat tablet in the drawer;  
 iii. a motor mounted on the top cover and connected to an impeller with a water inlet port and a water outlet port;  
 iv. a float assembly for determining the level of water in the reservoir; and  
 v. a control circuit connected to the float assembly for controlling the operation of the motor based on the level of the water in the reservoir.  
   
   
   
       14 . The condensate pump of  claim 13 , wherein the bottom panel of the reservoir has a trough and the impeller is located in the trough to minimize the amount of water remaining in the reservoir after the water has been pumped to the remote location.  
   
   
       15 . The condensate pump of  claim 13 , wherein the top assembly further comprises an inlet opening in the top cover for allowing the flow of condensate water into the reservoir from an evaporator discharge tube and a tube holder extending from the inlet opening into the reservoir for restraining the evaporator discharge tube from contacting the bottom panel of the reservoir to keep the bottom panel from blocking the evaporator discharge tube.  
   
   
       16 . The condensate pump of  claim 13 , wherein the top cover has multiple inlet ports for allowing the flow of condensate water into the reservoir from an evaporator discharge tube and wherein the top cover can be mounted in a plurality of orientations with respect to the reservoir.  
   
   
       17 . The condensate pump of  claim 13 , wherein the reservoir has hanger brackets for allowing the reservoir to mounted on a support member.  
   
   
       18 . The condensate pump of  claim 13 , wherein the reservoir is transparent to allow observation of the water level in the reservoir.