I have a large commercial in-wall unit which is dripping from the bottom. I have a 2.5 gallon bucket underneath to catch the water and it's halfway full after a few days. What do you think is the cause and how much to fix it?
Air conditioner drips from the bottom...
- Thread starter Kouros
- Start date
I couldn't tell ya. we have a window A/C and ours drips on the outside, although I couldn't tell you what the source may be.
I would take a guess that you might need "freon". A very similar thing happend to me already this Summer. Good luck.
(Sooner or later you will notice that it does not cool as well, or at least that's what happened to me).
Condensation is one of the principles of air conditioning. Hot, humid air is converted into cool air by the use of a compressor, vacuum and gas (freon, ammonia, etc.). What may be happening is that a condensation tube that lets condensed water outside is blocked and the water is leaving the system in the next path of least resistance.
Look for a drain pipe on the outside and find out is it clogged. If it is, use a pipe cleaner to try to remove the clog.
If you cannot find this then you will have to call a professional and they will charge what the going rate for your area is.
I wish you well.
Look for a drain pipe on the outside and find out is it clogged. If it is, use a pipe cleaner to try to remove the clog.
If you cannot find this then you will have to call a professional and they will charge what the going rate for your area is.
I wish you well.
One more thing, the other possibility is that condensation is not draining well from the inside unit. You should be able to check this. Dust gets in the trough, slime can grow and block it from draining (if it's like my unit). So you might check this.
However, if it is a "freon" problem, they will top that off outside where the condenser is.
(Woops, CD beat me to it. Yes, check drainage first. Then if you do clean it out and it starts dripping underneath again, I would suspect it needs freon).
However, if it is a "freon" problem, they will top that off outside where the condenser is.
(Woops, CD beat me to it. Yes, check drainage first. Then if you do clean it out and it starts dripping underneath again, I would suspect it needs freon).
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All air-conditioners produce condensate, which must be drained off. If this is a new problem with an old unit, you are looking at a clogged drain pipe.
If I assume that, until recently, this AC unit did not produce water you can see, that means it recently got its drain clogged. The drain could be a clear plastic hose, or a black plastic hose, or ...
It should empty outside somewhere. The solution is a wire or other probe which will clear the wad of green goop which is stuck somewhere, usually in a dip or elbow.
If I assume that, until recently, this AC unit did not produce water you can see, that means it recently got its drain clogged. The drain could be a clear plastic hose, or a black plastic hose, or ...
It should empty outside somewhere. The solution is a wire or other probe which will clear the wad of green goop which is stuck somewhere, usually in a dip or elbow.
+3 on the clogged drain. Sounds like thats you're problem
Yes clog. In a lot of units you can see the bottom of the AC unit when you take off the grill. An amazing amount of stuff can grow in the bottom. You might want to clear this up at the same time so that chunks breaking up will not clog up the drain pipe.
Mike
Mike
Yep, you've got a clog. We see this often on the AC units in our apartments in Arizona.
recently my father n law's central air started to drip water everywhere, hose wasn't clogged, drain was ok, however service guy noted that the freon pressure was down a rather large amount, meaning it was low on freon. Apparently when you're down on freon the unit doesn't operate as efficiently causing more condensation to build up.
I'd check the tube, if it's clear, get it checked out or get a new A/C an inwall A/C may cost nearly as much as getting it serviced IMO.
I'd check the tube, if it's clear, get it checked out or get a new A/C an inwall A/C may cost nearly as much as getting it serviced IMO.
If your unit has stopped cooling as good as she once did or if you have patches of ice on certain areas of the copper tubing then that is a good indication the unit needs a charge of freon. A proper operating A/C should have no ice whatsoever forming on the unit
Also, you have these sight glasses patched into the copper tubing. If you can find these, there should be no bubbles visible except for when the unit "kicks" in. And then they should clear up quickly, the sight glasses should appear empty when the unit is cooling. If there is a low charge you will see a bunch of tiny bubbles in the sight glass.
But i am betting it's your drain tube because you are saying nothing about cooling performance. Let us know how it turns out. Hope this helps.
Also, you have these sight glasses patched into the copper tubing. If you can find these, there should be no bubbles visible except for when the unit "kicks" in. And then they should clear up quickly, the sight glasses should appear empty when the unit is cooling. If there is a low charge you will see a bunch of tiny bubbles in the sight glass.
But i am betting it's your drain tube because you are saying nothing about cooling performance. Let us know how it turns out. Hope this helps.
If the unit is dripping into the house and it never did before, than its a drain issue. If it's a new unit its not pitched properly.
Is it freezing up? If so, the coils more than likely need to be cleaned. I use Simple green and a hot water hose to do this. In my area this needs to be done every couple of years.
Dirty coils mess with the balance- which is also symptom of low freon.
Use the KISS method to repair- most simple up, you can do most of it yourself.
Be careful of wasps nesting in the unit.
Good luck!
Is it freezing up? If so, the coils more than likely need to be cleaned. I use Simple green and a hot water hose to do this. In my area this needs to be done every couple of years.
Dirty coils mess with the balance- which is also symptom of low freon.
Use the KISS method to repair- most simple up, you can do most of it yourself.
Be careful of wasps nesting in the unit.
Good luck!
- Thread starter
- #13
The dripping has stopped for no particular reason at all...
In a few minutes I am going to replace an air conditioner in an apartment. You say that yours is a "commercial style" unit. Is it the type that you find in hotel rooms?
This...
The leak may have stopped due to a partial clearing of the clog...less humidity...but I would bet it will happen again. If you find the drain for the machine...it would be a good idea to try and clean/flush the inside of the pipe... running some bleach/chlorine down it helps. I have installed an inline removable cap on mine, so I can routinely bleach the drain, to prevent build up of "sludge" within the drain pipe walls.
