Need help draining portable AC

Recently bought a portable AC with a drain plug near the bottom of the unit. It is impossible to drain condensate without flooding the carpet. Not enough room under the drain to put a pan. I attached rubber tubing to the drain plug and exited it through the rear door onto the patio. Now the problem is water just sits in the tube. There isn't enough of an incline for gravity to pull the water through the tube onto the patio. Raising the AC off the floor or lifting and tilting it isn't really an option. I thought of getting a siphon pump but so far can't find a product that will allow me to attach the tubing from the AC to the input valve on the pump. Really appreciate any suggestions.

 

How much water? Pint, quart, gallon? Posting the model # would help.

The simplest solution I've seen is a wet/dry shop vac and an old fashioned sink rack


Slide the dish pan under the drain plug, turn on the shop vac, remove the drain plug, let the shop vac collect the water.

 

First, make sure you AC doesn't have a secondary drain. The one I have has two drain locations and one is much higher up. Previously I had a portable that only had the drain down low. It came with a special low profile pan you could drain into... major pita as a big flat pan is perfect for spilling.

 

Afraid we don't have a wet vac (not even sure they are available in the UK). The AC is a Delonghi Pinguino. I think your idea about a drain board may be a good one if I can't find a way to siphon water out through the tubing. We could always roll the AC closer to the back door and onto the drainboard. If I can't find a way to siphon out of the tubing, that's a good possibility.

Last time we had water in the tubing it was probably a little over a pint. Still soaked the carpet when we tried to get it out of the tubing unsuccessfully (and accidentally pulled the tube off the drain valve!) It's been quite cool in the UK since so this hasn't happened since. But next hot spell when we use the AC it will again be a problem.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

Just realized there's a problem with using a drainboard under the AC. Even with the AC on the drainboard there is a
2+ inch high rise on the door frame. So the lip of the drainboard would be too low and couldn't go over the threshold. So back to the original problem....need to find some sort of siphon pump to pull the water out of the rubber tubing.

BTW, the AC has only one drain, not two.

 

You could buy or build a pedestal to raise the air conditioner. If done right it could be a little storage space as well.

 

That is certainly a possibility. If I can't find a siphon to fit the drain tube probably will. Thanks for your suggestion. Most welcome.

 

Is it this model?



If so, it looks like the wheels are simple pop-in wheels, in which case you MIGHT be able to swap in some larger caster wheels from an old office chair, that would give you better height to drain.
I've actually got a box of caster wheels that I've pulled off old office chairs and flakeboard file cabinets before getting rid of them, the old wheels come in handy sometimes...

https://www.delonghi.com/Global/Inst...0GN-Manual.pdf

 

Yes, that is the model. I've found a siphon that I can fit the output hose onto. Hopefully this will do the job
without more expense or having to lift the AC. Fingers crossed. Thanks for your very helpful suggestions. If, when the siphon arrives, it doesn't work out I will look at larger casters as a plan B.

 

Eureka!!! Finally made it work. Got the siphon pump and hooked it up. Worked perfectly! With very little effort in a couple of minutes I got all the water out. It would be great if the AC manufacturers would offer this solution or even a kit for buyers who have the same problem.