Trap Seal Primer Alternative
Trap Seal Primer Alternative
(OP)
I have run into a situation whereby I am concerned with protecting a tarp seal in a floor drain from drying out.
Drain is in a computer room to collect CRAC unit condensate. CRAC units are scheduled with 0 latent load, actual calculations show 0.1 MBH latent load.
First choice is to use a trap primer and pipe water to the trap; however a suitable source of water is far enough away to be beyond the recommended distance of trap primers (50 feet+).
Second choice is deep seal trap; I have doubts that the drain will receive sufficient amounts of water to maintain the seal (if there was this I wouldn't need the trap primer to start with).
Although there are ways around my problem, I am curious to know if other engineers have used devices such as Trap Guard. Also what has been your justification to allow such a device when IPC does not specifically mention them?
Thanks,
Bill
Drain is in a computer room to collect CRAC unit condensate. CRAC units are scheduled with 0 latent load, actual calculations show 0.1 MBH latent load.
First choice is to use a trap primer and pipe water to the trap; however a suitable source of water is far enough away to be beyond the recommended distance of trap primers (50 feet+).
Second choice is deep seal trap; I have doubts that the drain will receive sufficient amounts of water to maintain the seal (if there was this I wouldn't need the trap primer to start with).
Although there are ways around my problem, I am curious to know if other engineers have used devices such as Trap Guard. Also what has been your justification to allow such a device when IPC does not specifically mention them?
Thanks,
Bill





RE: Trap Seal Primer Alternative
Have you thought about electronic trap primers where a solenoid opens on a regular schedule to allow a small quantity of water to flow. I specify them where the floor drain is not close to a water line feeding a water closet and I am not likely to get a good pressure drop spike to operate the standard trap primer. They are pricy, ~$800, but will do the job.
RE: Trap Seal Primer Alternative
I had not thought about using an electronic primer, thanks. Unfortunately, I have similar concern as using a regular primer and that is simply the distance from the trap to the water source. I will have to do some research on that.
Still would like to hear tales where they have been used, both successfully and not.
RE: Trap Seal Primer Alternative
IPC 2015 now allows "trap seal protection devices) (¶1002.4.1.4).