Drain pump (condensate pump) with run-off trays

I'm building an auto drain set up using the bucket company ez-pz runoff trays.

Here is my question, How can the water reach the top of the pump if the pipes are 2-3cm of the floor? Gravity is not doing a good enough job here, It doesn't seem to have enough pressure or is there something i don't understand?

The most popular drain pump seems to be the little giant condensate pump and the water intake is definitely higher than the pipes. The pump works like that: it fills up and after a certain height, it turns on automatically. Help me understand please, I can't understand what kind of pump i need and how it works.

They have their own that’s like a sump pump. You could raise them too

Gemtree said:

They have their own that’s like a sump pump. You could raise them too

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do you mean the bucket company has their own pump? I can't buy it where I live, they don't sell it so I have to go with alternatives.

I got these trays vs having a flood table tray because of the extra height it gives to my plants so raising the trays is not what i want to do here.

Is your pump in a bucket? You will need to run the hose in the side of the bucket. Or raise your trays. Water dosent run up hill and your pump is most likely not positive displacement. Meaning it needs water in it to pump.

Well you obviously need your drain line higher than the condensate pump.

This is the exact reason I have 5" risers under my buckets, so gravity draining will work.

They make low profile condensate pumps

Herb & Suds said:

They make low profile condensate pumps

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Would this one be low profile? I assume that the white pipe is the intake, it seems to be low enough? It says 2.5L per minute which i have no idea if it's enough for flushing 15 x 5 gallons coco but i would think not. It's also made for ac units so it has wires but no wall plug, I have to diy one which i'm not even sure if it's possible. it's 75$usd. What do you think?

I use one of these, and my drain pipe is barely higher than the pump. I've dumped a gallon of water directly into it and it kept up.

lusidghost said:

I use one of these, and my drain pipe is barely higher than the pump. I've dumped a gallon of water directly into it and it kept up.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y1T321S

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That looks pretty good but at that velocity is it loud ?

OverCloudz said:

Would this one be low profile? I assume that the white pipe is the intake, it seems to be low enough? It says 2.5L per minute which i have no idea if it's enough for flushing 15 x 5 gallons coco but i would think not. It's also made for ac units so it has wires but no wall plug, I have to diy one which i'm not even sure if it's possible. it's 75$usd. What do you think?
View attachment 5263787

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Without accurate specs I have no idea
One set of wires should be a safety switch to a/c unit if it fails
You can jump that out
No idea why you need any special wiring

Herb & Suds said:

That looks pretty good but at that velocity is it loud ?

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Nah, I can barely hear it. I usually know it's running by the sound of the water going down the drain.

lusidghost said:

Nah, I can barely hear it. I usually know it's running by the sound of the water going down the drain.

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nice sized sump too.
good solution!

Herb & Suds said:

That looks pretty good but at that velocity is it loud ?

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Shouldn't be, I have one for my water heater.

J. Rocket said:

nice sized sump too.
good solution!

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I stole the idea from The Bucket Company.

lusidghost said:

I stole the idea from The Bucket Company.

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Which BK showed me. haha.

what about just a normal cheap non-submersible pump and just have it timed to run for 15 min after every watering? Would this be a good option?

Herb & Suds said:

Without accurate specs I have no idea
One set of wires should be a safety switch to a/c unit if it fails
You can jump that out
No idea why you need any special wiring

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let me show a better image. Can I just connect a wall socket on the wire? What do you guys think of 2.5L per minute for 15 x 5 gallons coco

OverCloudz said:

what about just a normal cheap non-submersible pump and just have it timed to run for 15 min after every watering? Would this be a good option?

let me show a better image. Can I just connect a wall socket on the wire? What do you guys think of 2.5L per minute for 15 x 5 gallons coco
View attachment 5263837

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whats the flow rate of the feeding/flush? L/m?
if your "flushing" I'd assume its just going to be flowing thru and out at same rate its going in.
I'd size your pump based on the inflow if thats the case.
or use a sump to collect it all then pump out with a smaller pump.

39 gallons per hour sounds to slow
But as stated depends on feed flow