Condensate drain

[mike93lx]

I have a 2 ton freidrich mini split that I installed about 5 years ago. Condensate drain is flex tubing and runs partially in the wall.

I have had several instances where the unit overflows and drips water in my living room. I **** out the drain with a shop vac and it seems to work OK, just to back up again sometime in the future. Yesterday it did this again. After completely clearing it, I poured water in the pan and it backed up again. There must be a pinch or obstruction somewhere, but I am done.

Plan is to run a new 3/4 pvc drain through the wall and mounted on the siding. Not ideal as the lineset is hidden, but its on a side of the house that we don't easily see and I'll paint the pvc to match.

From the drain outlet to the siding is about 8". Should I come straight out then turn down or come through at an angle, like a 45? That side faces north, but does get wet from wind driven rain. Any advice before I break out the drill bits?

 

[rlitman]

The drain is probably just clogged with algae. Blow it out, and use condensate pan tablets that prevent algae growth in the future.

 

[Roundhouse]

Duct tape a shop vac to the pipe on the outside of the house and use the c02 gun to blow out the Algae

Then use the chlorine tablets to keep it from growing back

 

[mike93lx]

How strong of an odor will the tablets give off? This is in my living room.

I did blow some air through with my Compressor, but couldn't get a good seal. I'll grab a cord and pop the hose off the pan to try again.

I'm just sick of having this happen. It's in the 90's right now and I'm afraid to run it

 

[nadogail]

Blow & Flush the line before going to the effort of replacing it.


Consider working Smarter rather than Harder.

 

[rlitman]

How strong of an odor will the tablets give off? ...

They have no odor whatsoever.

HD carries them in overpriced 6 packs:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/AC-Safe-Air-Conditioner-Pan-Tablets-6-Pack-AC-912/100665383

If you want a lot:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008A3UCYS/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[mike93lx]

How do you guys get these tablets in the pan of a mini split? I have to take the entire cover off to get to the drain... Doesn't take long, but something is going to break at some point.

 

[rlitman]

On one of my units, there's just enough room that I can remove the filter and place a tablet in front (just like my window units) without removing the cover. In the others, I break them up and stick chunks in the gap in the front of the coil.

 

[Jackfre]

You won't have this problem is the drain line is graded properly. How are the line set and drain lines run currently? Are they straight out the back on the rt side or do they lay off from the right to left and then out the left side. If the later, it is not uncommon for the drain line to get lifted up, creating a trap, as the unit is closed down onto the mounting bracket. I run the drain line out the left side of the evap. I think it is reversible on your unit. That way you have only the line set and power line running across from the left. Even that can be a pain getting the unit to close down and lock on the bracket. Check the wall for plumb and the mounting bracket fro level.

 

[acmikee]

can you access the drain line from outside if yes give it a short burst of air to unplug the line then flush with hot water from inside

 

[DHCrocks]

I just chop a couple of tablets in to quarters and spread them out along the bottom edge of the coil where it meets the drain pan.

 

[mike93lx]

Thanks everyone.

I think I sorted it out.

You won't have this problem is the drain line is graded properly. How are the line set and drain lines run currently? Are they straight out the back on the rt side or do they lay off from the right to left and then out the left side. If the later, it is not uncommon for the drain line to get lifted up, creating a trap, as the unit is closed down onto the mounting bracket. I run the drain line out the left side of the evap. I think it is reversible on your unit. That way you have only the line set and power line running across from the left. Even that can be a pain getting the unit to close down and lock on the bracket. Check the wall for plumb and the mounting bracket fro level.

yes, you're right, two drains. It was factory plumbed to the right drain, but I switched it a couple months ago when I had the first overflow of the year. drain and lineset runs from the center, straight down about 6 feet then turns to run outside. Looking at it tonight, the drain was a little too long, causing it to rise. It didn't look like it was above the pan, so I would have expected it to drain once the "trap" filled up, but either way, I shortened the drain by about 8 inches to get rid of the rise.

I blew it out with compressed air (didn't get any noticable dirt in the bucket and flushed it with a bunch of hot water under some pressure (water bottle that fit the drain, squeezing hard). I connected it back up and it's draining...for now.

I double checked the rest of the drain and everything is pitched downward.

I really hope this takes care of it. I bought a 6 pack of tablets at HD and threw a couple in the pan. If I can figure out a way to get them in the pan with the cover on, I'll buy some more on amazon. If not, I'll just plan to pull the cover once a year and flush it all out. Not ideal, but I guess it is what it is. Maybe that will prompt me to clean the coils too

 

[4x4Petr]

Once a year isn't too bad, gives you a chance to see if there is any other problems going on

 

[fitter30]

Take evaporator coil cleaner diluted in a spray bottle with a shop vac connected to drain line spray coil and coil cleaner will clean out the slime. I have the same.problem with mine and do this two or three time a season.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Duct tape a shop vac to the pipe on the outside of the house and use the c02 gun to blow out the Algae

Then use the chlorine tablets to keep it from growing back

$49.00??!! That's nuts. I think I paid about $15.00 for mine (probably 20 years ago) and it came with 5 cartridges.

Tommy

 

[mike93lx]

$49.00??!! That's nuts. I think I paid about $15.00 for mine (probably 20 years ago) and it came with 5 cartridges.

Tommy

Yeah, that's crazy, I'll use my Compressor for free

 

[mike93lx]

Take evaporator coil cleaner diluted in a spray bottle with a shop vac connected to drain line spray coil and coil cleaner will clean out the slime. I have the same.problem with mine and do this two or three time a season.

Thanks. My drain is really tough to access with the cover on, but I can pour liquid on the coils easily.

I put two tablets in late last night and even withiut the ac running overnight, one was gone by morning. Craziness at $1 each

 

[rlitman]

Yeah, that's crazy, I'll use my Compressor for free

That's what I do. The CO2 blowers are for techs in the field.

Thanks. My drain is really tough to access with the cover on, but I can pour liquid on the coils easily.

I put two tablets in late last night and even withiut the ac running overnight, one was gone by morning. Craziness at $1 each

Liquid is an option. The tablets are just a delayed release of quaternary ammonium compounds.

I use a no-rinse evaporator coil cleaner on all of my ACs once a year. I'll use the foaming spray I get from HD:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/AC-Safe-Air-Conditioner-Foaming-Coil-Cleaner-AC-921/206740351

I don't mind the smell, but my wife and children are offended by the lemon scent added to the cleaner. I think the scent is added to mask the mildew smell you'd get from cleaning an old system.

I'll spray the foam only the coil with the system RUNNING, so it ***** the foam into the coil as far as possible. I'll do this only on a hot day where I can leave the system running, so it rinses itself with condensate.

Anyway, evaporator coil cleaner doesn't have much residual action (like a quaternary ammonium would), but it will quickly dissolve the any buildup of algae, so that's a start.

If you look at mold remediation sprays in the back of HD's paint aisle, they sell some that use bleach, and some that are chlorine free. Look closely at the products that are chlorine free, and many that claim you can spray and not rinse to prevent mold growth use quaternary ammonium ammonium as the active ingredient. In theory you could spray either that, or maybe Wet & Forget through your coil into the pan, but do not breathe the mist, as it can be irritating to your lungs.