This may be a "not uncommon" problem. We experienced a similar issue
with the drain from an internal ceiling which was installed
specifically to provide protection against floods in the synthetic lab
upstairs! The contractors installed large sheets of corrugated
plastic (sloping) directly above our consoles, each one feeding into a
gutter and drain, which then ran through a "U" trap and into the main
drain out of the lab upstairs. When the main drain blocked (because
one of our synthetic colleagues put an intact sample bottle down it),
the lowest point of egress for the water was (you guessed it) the
gutter above the console. Fortunately, the sheets of plastic were
considerably larger than the consoles, so the water did not fall on
the console, but was close enough to be of real concern.
I am now very wary of any changes to the drains in the NMR labs and
always view the site of any suggested new drain as a hole which water
can come up out of as well as go down into.
(That's not a bad stab for prepositions to end a sentence with, but
falls far short of the record which I believe relates to a child's
complaint about its parent's choice of bedtime stories, the parent
having selected a volume of tales about Australia. It goes "What did
you bring that book I didn't want to be read to from out of about down
under up for?").
Cheers,
-------------------------------------------
Alan Kenwright
NMR Service Manager
Durham University
Tel: +44-191-334-2095
On 10 Sep 2008, at 08:03, Andy Soper wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> Reading Josh's remarks about his flood
> reminds me of ours. It is a short tale of what
> NOT to do with airconditioner condensate.
>
> Our 400 is not in a pit but it is one floor above
> ground level in a five story building. A drain
> pipe runs down from the gutters (above the 5th
> floor) to a drain on the ground. When our
> aircon was installed the engineers ran the
> condensate line into the drainpipe AT OUR
> LEVEL and sealed it in place.
>
> All was well for about 12 years. Then two
> events occurred simultaneously:
>
> 1. The drainpipe blocked below our
> condensate pipe's connection.
> 2. We experienced a massive thunderstorm
> with torrential rain.
>
> The result was that the drain pipe filled very
> rapidly and the significant 'head' of water found
> the only remaining outlet by flowing back
> through our 'split' aircon's wall-mounted
> evaporator and onto the control desk.
>
> Fortunately I was working late when this
> occurred. The first I knew was when icy water
> at several litres per second started cascading
> over the PC, monitor, printer and I. I remember
> taking off my tee-shirt to protect the monitor.
>
> Eventually we found the cause and ripped the
> condensate pipe out of the drain pipe. It now
> has its own discharge path independent of the
> drainpipe.
>
> A cautionary tale. Please have a look at your
> aircon condensate pipe's discharge
> arrangements.
>
> Sincerely,
> Andy||---------------------------------------------
> Sed ex amante alio accenditur alius. St
> Augustine.
> One loving spirit sets another on fire.
>
> Andy Soper (*NEW* Contact Details) Email:
> a.soper_at_ru.ac.za
> Telephone: National +27: Area (0)46
> Office: 603 8717: Fax: 622 5109: Home 622
> 6315
> Mobile: (0)82 56 27037 Amateur Radio: ZS2
> VJZ
>
>
Received on Wed Sep 10 2008 - 22:55:46 MST