A/C leaking water


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Old 08-07-06, 09:12 AM
S
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A/C leaking water

We recently found water coming from a pipe under the roof. One of my friends told me that is the indication of a clogged drain for a A/C. I went to attic several times to try to find the problem and also read related postings on this forum. What I saw on the attic is that 1). there is water in the pan under the airhandler. 2). The water in this pan comes from the secondary drain, only when the A/C has been running for a while. I think the blowed air makes water dripping out from this drain. This forum is very helpful. From what I have been reading on this forum, it's clearly caused by a clogged drain or damaged pan inside the airhandler. However, when I started working on it this morning, I got confused. I cut the draining pipe near the unit and also opened the airhandler (a small window) just above the drain. here are what I saw: 1). the drain is not clogged where it connects to the inside pan. I was suspicious of a clog somewhere down the drain. Therfore, I poured a total of 5 gallon of water (1/3 to 1/2 gallon at a time) down the drain, from the cut. All the water went down and no water came back, assuring me that the drain is not clogged anywhere down the drain. 2). the inside pan is not leaking, from what I saw inside and outside (but I saw some rust in the pan and at the side where many copper pipes connect to the coils. 3). Actually the inside pan is not a real pan, like many posts said on this forum. It's just the bottom of the airhandler (am I using the right term when I say "airhandler" ? Hopefully you understand what I mean.). 4). the second short pipe coming from the unit is next to the primary drain (they are at the two sides of the copper line) and a little bit higher (the primary pipe is close to the bottom of the unit).
So, no clogged drain, no leaking pan inside the unit. Does that mean it's normal for the water comes from the secondary pipe?
Please help me on this. Also please excuse me if I used wrong terminology.
Thanks a lot.
 
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Old 08-07-06, 11:15 AM
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Wink

Id say you did a good post here for not knowing just what is what on a AC.
Now you say the drain is clear. Does the blower suck the air over the coil ??or blow it over the coil? Air filter clean and new?? any ice on the copper lines . At outside unit when AC is running is big copper line cold and wet small copper line warm to hot?????. That big drain pan under the unit dont it drain to the outside of the home That drain clear??

Post back in same post. ED
 
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Old 08-07-06, 01:27 PM
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Re:

Thanks, Ed. To answer your questions, 1). Does the blower suck the air over the coil? or blow it over the coil?
Don't know how to check it. Should I open the unit while the A/C is running?
2). Air filter clean and new?
Not sure which air filter you talked about. If you meant the one in the house, I got two filters for the upstair A/C and change them every 3 months.
3). Any ice on the copper lines?
Did you mean the copper lines inside the unit? Should I examine them when A/C is running or after A/C has running for some time? I didn't see any ice on anything inside the unit when I opened it this morning (but I don't think the A/C ran a lot at night. Since the opening is on the side where the drains connect to the unit and is small, I couldn't see the whole thing inside but only two sides. The long side is fine coil (am I right?) and the small side is many curled copper lines. I couldn't see the top of the stuff inside the unit.)
4). At outside unit when AC is running is big copper line cold and wet?
Yes, after the A/C has run for several minutes (but I just went back to check again after the A/C has run a little bit longer when I was typing and found while it's still wet, it's not as cold as I first checked it).
5). Small copper line warm to hot?
Warm, after the A/C has run for about 10 minutes (but I just went back to check again after the A/C has run a little bit longer when I was typing and found it's not as warm as I first checked it. The big and small copper lines now have the similar temperature, although the big one, which is wrapped, is wet).
6). That big drain pan under the unit dont it drain to the outside of the home That drain clear?
Yes, it goes to outside. Yes, the drain is clear. That's where we found water came.

Thank you very much.
 
 

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