Split Air Condition Unit Is Dripping Water Inside

[4evermaat]

I have split air conditioning system (samsung), not sure how old but it's been fine up until about 2 weeks ago. After running for appx 30-45 minutes, the inside air blower will start to drip water. It starts as a slight pour for 15-20 seconds, and then continues for the remainder of the air cond operation with drip of 3-4 second intervals. I checked the air filter and it was fine. I'm thinking something is either clogged in or near the condenser or needs to be cleaned; not sure where to start. No other weird noises; only a towel to blend out the annoying drip while we figure out what to do. I'll attach some pictures for reference.

There is a large gecko (5 inches including tail) that seems to like it in there (inside unit....just lounging around the bottom part), not sure if that is affecting anything.

Ps: there's no text field for topic description. Is this a new forum adjustment or bug?

[Tywais]

Ps: there's no text field for topic description. Is this a new forum adjustment or bug?

Removed in the last upgrade so need to be more inventive in the topic title.

There is a drain tube and since you found a gecko in the unit perhaps the tube is plugged with one or debris.

//edit - in the middle picture of the bottom row on the right side of the photo is a dark grey tube hanging down. That appears to be the condensation drain tube and the water should be coming out of it.

[Crossy]

Yup, it's certainly a blocked drain. Probably gecko poo, if you take the cover off the indoor unit (power off at the distribution board) you may be able to see what's bunging it up and rod it out.

Failing that your local A/C man will clean the unit and filters for a nominal fee.

[lopburi3]

As said the water should be coming out that outside drain. A quick blow up that tube might clear it (water will come gushing down - so you might want to use a hand pump rather than a kiss). If you have not cleaned unit just have someone come to do as water drain tray on inside unit is likely full of dirt and can not be easily cleaned without disassemble of bottom inside unit. The 500 baht charge will be more than made up for with better cooling.

[Naam]

and after cleaning apply sign at drain pipe inlet in gecko language: "no poo, pee only!"

[DMC1]

This happens with mine now and again. If you've got a garden water hose just fire the hose up the AC drain for a couple of seconds and all the crap should come gushing out.

[lopburi3]

That will work but it will also make a mess inside house if not very lucky. And does not remove the crap from the drain tray so will likely block again soon.

[necronx99]

Ive always used flywire to make a little cage to fit over the end of the drain pipe to stop insects and such getting up there.

[lopburi3]

The problem is often just dirt that gets through the filters and cooling fins and drops into the water tray but does not wash out - as it collects it blocks drain and water level gets above the tray and you have drips. Add a few lizards and it can make things turn bad even faster.

[tutsiwarrior]

the moisture from the air (and there is plenty in Thailand; it's called humidity) will condense on the cooling evaporator surfaces inside of the 'inside of the house' unit and needs somewhere to go and a drain to the outside is provided for that purpose...locate that drain and clean it like you would clean any drain (although Draino is not suggested)...

yearly maintenance is suggested for all AC units for cleaning of the heat transfer surfaces and clearing the drain is part of the service....

but if I ever saw some gecko bastid dumping his load in my AC drain then I would get out the sawed off, pump action 12 gauge and do something abouddit...there ain't nothin' worse than disrespectful reptiles...but, most of the time they are quite friendly and companionable and they come to say 'hello' when in repose on the toilet in the hong nam...

Edited May 22, 2012 by tutsiwarrior

[Pacificperson]

and after cleaning apply sign at drain pipe inlet in gecko language: "no poo, pee only!"

Which is probably why you don't want to kiss the drain tube.

You can use a wet/dry shop vac if you have one. Put it on the outside drain pipe, and use your hand to make a seal. if that does not work, open the cover, take the filters out and look in the right rear there will be a small drain outlet. Stick a plastic drinking straw in there and use your shop vac and hand again.

Edited May 22, 2012 by Pacificperson

[bankruatsteve]

And you might want to put a large bucket and some towels down when you open the cover. It's surprising how much water some of those units can hold.

[4evermaat]

Ps: there's no text field for topic description. Is this a new forum adjustment or bug?

Removed in the last upgrade so need to be more inventive in the topic title.

There is a drain tube and since you found a gecko in the unit perhaps the tube is plugged with one or debris.

//edit - in the middle picture of the bottom row on the right side of the photo is a dark grey tube hanging down. That appears to be the condensation drain tube and the water should be coming out of it.

i checked that tube and everytime there is water dripping from that gray tube. But as others have pointed out, there is probably poo or other dirt making clog.

That will work but it will also make a mess inside house if not very lucky. And does not remove the crap from the drain tray so will likely block again soon.

I went ahead and used the water hose to spray into the drain tube. I let it fill all the way up and water started pouring from the inside unit and then I stopped. I will continue to monitor the condensation and see if more cleaning needs to be done.

Where is this drain tray? I'm thinking I must disassemble something beyond the air filter assembly to get to it?

Hopefully the a/c guy isn't a busy as the carpenter, which took almost 2 weeks as he had a lot of projects at the time.

Thanks for all the tips.

[Naam]

Where is this drain tray?

below the evaporator fins (bottom of inside unit).

[cdmtdm]

i suggest also check the level of the indoor unit , you should have a slight fall back to the drain end of the evap fan ,,,,,

[Naam]

i suggest also check the level of the indoor unit , you should have a slight fall back to the drain end of the evap fan ,,,,,

normally the drain tray is already mounted slightly sloped. sloping the whole unit won't help.

[Pib]

Where is this drain tray?

below the evaporator fins (bottom of inside unit).

And usually the drain tube and tray connection point is on the very end of the tray...usually on the right hand side of the indoor unit as you are looking at it. Open the filter cover and look for it using a flashlight. You may get lucky, can see the drain tube connection point and then use something long (12 to 18 inches) and flexible to poke into the tube hole to break loose what is blocking it....of course do this with the A/C power turned off. Since the drain tube may undergo one or two near 90 degree turns near the connection point there's a high chance the clog is withing the first few inches of the pipe....partially or completely gunked from the water and other stuff which drips off the evaporator fins....or geckos and bugs using the tray as a watering hole.

[cdmtdm]

i suggest also check the level of the indoor unit , you should have a slight fall back to the drain end of the evap fan ,,,,,

normally the drain tray is already mounted slightly sloped. sloping the whole unit won't help.

wrong space cadet ... the recess for the drain is slightly lower than the tray itself... if u read the installation instructions it advises to have a slight fall to the drain exit .. so of course sloping the unit slightly will help ...

[Naam]

i suggest also check the level of the indoor unit , you should have a slight fall back to the drain end of the evap fan ,,,,,

normally the drain tray is already mounted slightly sloped. sloping the whole unit won't help.

wrong space cadet ... the recess for the drain is slightly lower than the tray itself... if u read the installation instructions it advises to have a slight fall to the drain exit .. so of course sloping the unit slightly will help ...

the products of any aircon manufacturer who writes that in his installation instructions should not be considered. perhaps sloping the unit will indeed help if it is a shoddy product.

[4evermaat]

Thanks everybody. It looks like spraying/filling the drain pipe with water (from the outside, in the OP photo) to the point where it came out inside solved the problem, for now. The water that came out inside didn't appear dirty, so the only thing left to inspect is the drain tray itself.

I cant seem to see where the inside drain tray can be taken off for inspection. No screws or removable panel. I'll look a bit more closely when I get around to it again. The big gecko seems to have gone the next day or the day after that was done. Either that, or it no longer shows itself. It used to come out at the same time every evening, or, if inside the unit you can see its tail from the outside.

So I take it Naam used to work with appliances?

Edited May 26, 2012 by 4evermaat

[cdmtdm]

the products of any aircon manufacturer who writes that in his installation instructions should not be considered. perhaps sloping the unit will indeed help if it is a shoddy product.

and you have installed how many of these units yourself in high humidity countries shultz? the emphasis on HIGH HUMIDITY ........

[Naam]

So I take it Naam used to work with appliances?

many rainy seasons ago i spent several months as an exchange student in the aircon research&development department of Matsushita Electric ("Panasonic") in Kyoto, Japan. moreover, i live since 38 years in tropical and subtropical countries and gained therefore "a wee bit" more practical experience than John Scotsman from Glasgow, Sven Svensen from Stockholm or Ivan Vladimirovich from Vladivostok who moved to Thailand recently

[Naam]

the products of any aircon manufacturer who writes that in his installation instructions should not be considered. perhaps sloping the unit will indeed help if it is a shoddy product.

and you have installed how many of these units yourself in high humidity countries shultz? the emphasis on HIGH HUMIDITY ........

all 19 split units in my present home in Thailand were installed according to my load calculations, placement design and under my tight supervision.

any additional questions or lectures on "recessed drains" non-Schultz?

[Naam]

It looks like spraying/filling the drain pipe with water (from the outside, in the OP photo) to the point where it came out inside solved the problem, for now. The water that came out inside didn't appear dirty, so the only thing left to inspect is the drain tray itself.

a cheap little assistance which helps to prevent drain pipes to clog. a little piece of soap pressed into the evaporator fins or just dropped into the drain pan. works miracles!

[cdmtdm]

supervising someone else and actually doing yourself is not even close to the same .... practical experience will always rule over textbook reading and the exchange student program ... so the answer is no you have never installed a split system from start to finish , just read about and perhaps you have an engineering degree from stuttgart or the mercedes factory lol ...typical shultz .... i can only give you my own practical experience of installing such machines in tropical and sub tropical australia over 30 plus years ...

[Naam]

supervising someone else and actually doing yourself is not even close to the same .... practical experience will always rule over textbook reading and the exchange student program ... so the answer is no you have never installed a split system from start to finish , just read about and perhaps you have an engineering degree from stuttgart or the mercedes factory lol ...typical shultz .... i can only give you my own practical experience of installing such machines in tropical and sub tropical australia over 30 plus years ...

those high-tech products with "recessed drains" which have to be mounted crooked in order to provide a slope for the condense water?

[cdmtdm]

supervising someone else and actually doing yourself is not even close to the same .... practical experience will always rule over textbook reading and the exchange student program ... so the answer is no you have never installed a split system from start to finish , just read about and perhaps you have an engineering degree from stuttgart or the mercedes factory lol ...typical shultz .... i can only give you my own practical experience of installing such machines in tropical and sub tropical australia over 30 plus years ...

those high-tech products with "recessed drains" which have to be mounted crooked in order to provide a slope for the condense water?

so the answer is no ...you just have a big mouth its a shame your hands were not as productive as your trap ..... schultz zee suervizor !!

[Naam]

so the answer is no ...you just have a big mouth its a shame your hands were not as productive as your trap ..... schultz zee suervizor !!

for the record: never supervised crooked aircons nor recessed drains.

[Crossy]

At this point I think we can pull the plug on this one.

OP has his solution.