Drain from drip tray into sump pump?

My kegerator is in the basement with the tap right over my sump pump. I'm thinking of installing a drip tray with a drain.

Can I run tubing from the drain into my sump pump? I'm pretty ignorant about the sump pump and don't know if having some beer overflow into it will be a problem...

I'm not talking about gallons of beer here, just the occasional drip and overflow.

Thanks

I would definitely recommend NOT doing that. First off you will have to tap into your sump pump, which is just effing nasty (poo and all), second you will now have an open air source from the sump pump right next to where you have your beer, no thanks. However if you wanted to, it wouldn't not be an issue, I just dont think that it would be ideal. Is there no plumbing line/sink near you that you can send it to? If so I would second think your location for the drain, or just not have one and get a decent drip tray, you only have to clean a good one out every now an then plus you just throw it in the dishwasher.

Brewin_CRAZY said:

I would definitely recommend NOT doing that. First off you will have to tap into your sump pump, which is just effing nasty (poo and all), second you will now have an open air source from the sump pump right next to where you have your beer, no thanks. However if you wanted to, it wouldn't not be an issue, I just dont think that it would be ideal. Is there no plumbing line/sink near you that you can send it to? If so I would second think your location for the drain, or just not have one and get a decent drip tray, you only have to clean a good one out every now an then plus you just throw it in the dishwasher.

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Ummm...

Sump pumps are intended to remove groundwater from underneath the basement floor, not pump sewage.

That said, I would just use a jar or bottle inside the kegerator to catch the drips (there won't be much), and empty/wash it every couple weeks or so.

Don't use the sump pump - I actually did this thinking it was a great idea and what I didn't think of was that the sump kicks on *when* there is enough water on the float switch to require it....

The drip tray fed into it - and the beer-water stayed stagnant for a while and started a mold-fungs fest that was disguistingly intriguing.....

If you dump a bucket of water into the pump weekly to purge it, that would be ok - but I would just not go there.

jpc said:

Ummm...

Sump pumps are intended to remove groundwater from underneath the basement floor, not pump sewage.

That said, I would just use a jar or bottle inside the kegerator to catch the drips (there won't be much), and empty/wash it every couple weeks or so.

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A house hold sump pump is for houses that are below the sewage level and pumps more than just the drainage water... it pumps ALL liquid (toilet water, shower water, sink water) out of the house, usually through a macerating pump. I have one, I installed it, yea i know how they work. Most house hold ones have a small reservoir (50-150 gal) and have float sensors that will kick on when a certain level is reached, pump the goo out, and you are good to go. I would assume that there are more than one type of sump pump, but I have never heard of one that only pumps groundwater (probably because I dont have one). I guess it all depends on they type he has, but I still wouldnt mess with it.

That being said, I would leave that thing alone. But I do like the idea of just using a jar to catch your drip, even better, throw a little starsan or other sanatizer in it and it should keep mold and crap from growing in it!

sump pumps can serve both purposes. sewage and ground water. many people use a 5 gallon bucket sized hole , with a sump pump (or battery operated watch dog) to rid of rain water if you have a leaky foundation. not always for sewage....

...either way..it isa good place to harvest bacteria and i would not recommend putting your kegerator there

When I hear "sump pump" I immediately assume it's what you put into a basin where a french drain would empty and it's just for groundwater. If it's meant to pump water/sewage from below the sewer line, like a retrofitted basement bathroom, then it's a sewage or maceration pump. Semantics aside, I'd only plumb a trip tray into a sewer line, pre P/J trap. It gets nasty quick. Just make your drip tray removable and throw it in the dishwasher every other week.

Original poster here --

Yup, it's just drainage water, no sewage. It's a bucket-sized hole in the floor with a pump in it and a cover kind of like a garbage-can lid, with a big hole cut into it. If there were sewage in there I would have smelled it by now.

I guess I'll just do the bucket/jar thing, it's just that we have cats who might get into it. Maybe i"ll just get a non-draining drip tray and wash it out frequently.

Thanks everyone for the tips

Brewin_CRAZY said:

A house hold sump pump is for houses that are below the sewage level and pumps more than just the drainage water... it pumps ALL liquid (toilet water, shower water, sink water) out of the house, usually through a macerating pump.

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Maybe it's a regional thing, but I've always known a sump pump to pump water only, and a sewage pump to do the more... uhh... icky stuff.

wikipedia definition

Either way, though, I wouldn't do what the OP asked...