Air conditioner is dripping water, is that normal?

[Jeff Reinstad]

I lived here for a long time without air conditioning, but during the last heatwave, I decided to buy one at GlobalHouse. Some guys came over the next day to install it.

 

Since day one, it’s been dripping water, and every morning there's a big puddle underneath. As it’s installed directly under our patio door, it’s become a problem.

 

Is this something normal, like condensation, and nothing can be done about it? Or is it something I should complain about that can be fixed?

 

[Tim K]

If the unit is not on the ground there should be special pipe that connects to the condensation outlet and allows droplets to silently flow to the ground.
In Thailand almost all ACs have it.

 

In Russia almost none(illegally, owners don't care) and in multi-story buildings it creates hell in June-August, as water drips from 5 - 6 - 8 - 10 -12th floor down to the ground or into your balcony or window sill depending on the wind making loud thumps.

I don't see that pipe on your photo.

[Tim K]

Or they have messed up this part


Not providing enough insulation for the pipes so when hot outside air touches the cold pipe water droplets appear and slowly flow down to the bottom of the AC.

[Tim K]

 

[Captain Monday]

Looks lile a good install,  except no condensation drain line?

My units have flexible or fixed hoses leading to rain channel on balcony

or to drain pipe inlet.

[Liverpool Lou]

11 hours ago, Jeff Reinstad said:

is it something I should complain about that can be fixed?

Why not just call the seller and ask them to take a look at it?   

[Lacessit]

Condensation is normal. The unit is extracting moisture from the air it is cooling.

 

As others have said, it should have a drain pipe.

[G Rex]

Do you have water dripping from the main drain line? In normal split system instals, the water forms in the head unit and is drained outside by piping.

There should be no dripping from the inverter unit.  You may be correct in suggesting insufficient lagging on the gas pipes coming from the inverter. 

 

Edit.   looking again at the main picture - it looks like they did not instal a drain line, which should be 'in the bundle' with the gas pipes.

       I would be calling the installers back...

 

[ChipButty]

I once a villa and all the A/C where at the back of the villa, I extended the drain pipes onto the flower beds, kept them watered, 

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, ChipButty said:

I once a villa and all the A/C where at the back of the villa, I extended the drain pipes onto the flower beds, kept them watered, 

 

Yes.....we've done the same, we get at least a gallon a day of water from each unit.....how come his photos show no drain???...

[Dirk Z]

I had the same problem. After unblocking the drain pipe problem solved. 

[4MyEgo]

13 hours ago, Jeff Reinstad said:

Is this something normal, like condensation, and nothing can be done about it? Or is it something I should complain about that can be fixed?

 

As others have said, it appears that there isn't a drain pipe, however I doubt that would be the problem as it looks more like condensation to me.

 

There should be two brass nuts in sight, I have been known to get on a stool while the A/C was running on one unit, sitting exactly like yours, high up on the wall, and getting a shifting spanner to turn one gently until the condensation stopped.

 

Try that, if that fails, call the installer, no doubt he will want at least 500 baht to come out for what could be a simple job as I pointed out.

 

Let us know if that works will yah.

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, Captain Monday said:

Looks lile a good install,  except no condensation drain line?

My units have flexible or fixed hoses leading to rain channel on balcony

or to drain pipe inlet.

All mine have condensation lines incorporated into the line set on the left of the picture, I highly doubt that that has been forgotten, though it may be plugged.

[Dazinoz]

1 hour ago, G Rex said:

Do you have water dripping from the main drain line? In normal split system instals, the water forms in the head unit and is drained outside by piping.

There should be no dripping from the inverter unit.  You may be correct in suggesting insufficient lagging on the gas pipes coming from the inverter. 

 

Edit.   looking again at the main picture - it looks like they did not instal a drain line, which should be 'in the bundle' with the gas pipes.

       I would be calling the installers back...

 

Yes, looks like many people here think should be a drain line from the outdoor unit, wrong, as you say should come from indoor unit. In reverse cycle units, which I have never seen in Thailand there is also a drain line on the outdoor unit as it does produce condensation when in the heating mode.

 

I have also found if the unit is short on refrigerant icing can occur on the service valves and piping on the outdoor unit and hence more condensation. 

 

Looking at the picture the refrigerant piping is on the right side and the internal drain line comes out the bottom of the ducting on the left.

[Dazinoz]

1 hour ago, Will B Good said:

 

Yes.....we've done the same, we get at least a gallon a day of water from each unit.....how come his photos show no drain???...

I believe it does, coming from bottom of ducting on left hand side of unit.

[8OA8]

It's normal

[steven100]

of coarse it's normal ...  but where from? ...  don't you have a drain pipe coming from the AC to outside?

 

or are you saying it's dripping water at the front onto the floor   ?  

 

 

edit :    sorry ... I just seen your pictures.   It is normal for the AC to acquire water at that point,  sometimes there's a drain attachment there with a small pipe .... and some don't have it.   

 

 

[Dazinoz]

2 minutes ago, steven100 said:

of coarse it's normal ...  but where from? ...  don't you have a drain pipe coming from the AC to outside?

 

or are you saying it's dripping water at the front onto the floor   ?  

Photo he posted showed where water dripping from.

[steven100]

1 minute ago, Dazinoz said:

Photo he posted showed where water dripping from.

 

yes Daz,  my bad ... I just seen that after i posted.  I edited my comment.

[Wrwest]

14 hours ago, Jeff Reinstad said:

I lived here for a long time without air conditioning, but during the last heatwave, I decided to buy one at GlobalHouse. Some guys came over the next day to install it.

 

Since day one, it’s been dripping water, and every morning there's a big puddle underneath. As it’s installed directly under our patio door, it’s become a problem.

 

Is this something normal, like condensation, and nothing can be done about it? Or is it something I should complain about that can be fixed?

 

You have good answers already. I would just add that, while cost is negligible, my four new units installed charged for the plastic drain piping.

[brianthainess]

Where is the drain pipe from the indoor unit ???  The yellow arrow is the drain pipe, but water could be tracking down through the gas line, insulation/trucking into the outside unit. What is that pipe to the left of your unit ?

 

 

[Fruit Trader]

Condensate dripping from the outdoor unit.

 

Sometimes it comes from pipes inside the condenser but more often from exposed service valves or uninsulated pipe near to them.

Below shows recent installation here where we have insulated the service valves to stop dripping on the walkway. 

 

 

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

edit :    sorry ... I just seen your pictures.   It is normal for the AC to acquire water at that point,  sometimes there's a drain attachment there with a small pipe .... and some don't have it.   

None of the 3 different makes of unit I have have any water from that area, it is more probable that the unit is probably not clean.

[andygrr]

14 hours ago, Jeff Reinstad said:

I lived here for a long time without air conditioning, but during the last heatwave, I decided to buy one at GlobalHouse. Some guys came over the next day to install it.

 

Since day one, it’s been dripping water, and every morning there's a big puddle underneath. As it’s installed directly under our patio door, it’s become a problem.

 

Is this something normal, like condensation, and nothing can be done about it? Or is it something I should complain about that can be fixed?

 

Just need to blow through the drain line. I do mine energy few months.

[Fruit Trader]

38 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Where is the drain pipe from the indoor unit ???  The yellow arrow is the drain pipe, but water could be tracking down through the gas line, insulation/trucking into the outside unit. What is that pipe to the left of your unit ?

 

See photo.

 

[steven100]

3 minutes ago, Fruit Trader said:

 

See photo.

 

 

perhaps you could get them to install a small tray under that drip point with tubing and run it into that indoor drain line going down. 

[Fruit Trader]

1 minute ago, steven100 said:

 

perhaps you could get them to install a small tray under that drip point with tubing and run it into that indoor drain line going down. 

 

Why me?

[brianthainess]

10 minutes ago, Fruit Trader said:

 

See photo.

 

Shame you didn't put that before, could have saved my effort.

I would go back to Global and Complain,  it is not normal. 

[steven100]

15 minutes ago, Fruit Trader said:

 

Why me?

sorry, I mean the OP...  haha

[Will B Good]

47 minutes ago, andygrr said:

Just need to blow through the drain line. I do mine energy few months.

 

 

How do you do that?