# AC drain pipe is clear but no water draining!



## mrivney (Nov 4, 2011)

Hi all,
Finally got the three files uploaded/attached.
MRivney


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## dawg_30741 (Feb 7, 2014)

Can't see photo does it have a trap?


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## mrivney (Nov 4, 2011)

*Reply to Dawg*

Dawg,

Sorry, in my second post are the pictures. Yes, there is a trap but it's not in the picture. The trap is on the line a few inches away from the condensate opening/port. It's clear. With the line off, as in the picture, no water is coming out. I'm going to double check on the levelness again. I think that for the age of this house (which is about 15 years), this main line never worked. Instead the overflow which goes to the pan is acting as the main drainage, as I said, at the eaves, just under the end of the roof line.

Thanks, Mike


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Is the water dripping out of the bottom of the coil case. Doesn't look like its coming out of the over flow drain of the coil.

Could be caused by a dirty coil.


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## mrivney (Nov 4, 2011)

Hi beenthere,

Per your question, I'll have to check it out tomorrow morning. (It's too hot to go up there in the attic. It's almost 100 degrees F today.)

I'll check the levelness again too. And see if I can check out the coil too. I know the coils have never been cleaned since I've been here for 12 years. Maybe that's because there's no access and thus no need for maintenance? And I've had a few professionals out to the house over the years. They always put in freon. They never go upstairs.

Thanks, MRivney


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## InPhase277 (Feb 9, 2008)

Maybe the water is evaporating before it gets full enough to flow down the line? Summer in Nevada I imagine is pretty darn hot.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

mrivney said:


> Hi beenthere,
> 
> Per your question, I'll have to check it out tomorrow morning. (It's too hot to go up there in the attic. It's almost 100 degrees F today.)
> 
> ...


Good chance the leak is in the coil.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

InPhase277 said:


> Maybe the water is evaporating before it gets full enough to flow down the line? Summer in Nevada I imagine is pretty darn hot.


I've been in 155° attics. The water still ran out the drain pipe.

Plus, that wouldn't explain why he has water in the over flow pan.


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## zappa (Nov 25, 2011)

I think it may be a dirty coil as beenthere mentioned earlier. Instead of the water following the fins down into the main drain pan, it drops off of the angled coil and misses the pan.


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## mrivney (Nov 4, 2011)

Hi all,
Well, I double-checked the levelness and it's as I described, that is, it's level with a slight incline towards the side with the condensate drain port.

I think I'll call a professional service. I'll then report back later.

But I do have a question: Why isn't there access built to get to the coils? My system is a HEIL HVAC. Is this because, supposedly with a closed-system, it shouldn't get dirty or have problems? Or is it oversight or poor engineering? And as I stated before, when the AC has been serviced, the technicians never went up into the attic.

Also, beenthere asked: "Is the water dripping out of the bottom of the coil case. Doesn't look like its coming out of the over flow drain of the coil."

Answer: there is no water coming out of the overflow drain of the coil. I'm presuming the overflow drain is next to the main condensate drain line as in the pictures. (As I stated before this main condensation drain line is dry and I've checked that it is clean and not plugged.)

Thanks, MRivney


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Building access panels in the case cost more money. So they don't do it.


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## mrivney (Nov 4, 2011)

To all,
Professional coming out this coming Tuesday. Will report back with findings.

I'm thinking that the case has a hole in it, thus the water leaks out of the hole into the pan instead of coming out of one of the ports. The main port or the overflow port.

MRivney


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## mrivney (Nov 4, 2011)

Hi,
Professional came out and fixed the problem. Not sure how and where but it was blown out. Here's the detail from the invoice (which is for all three units):

FOUND UPSTAIRS MASTER BEDROOM UNIT WITH LOW MFD READING ON 40X5 MFD RUN CAPACITOR, COMPRESSOR
OPERATING WITH HIGH AMP DRAW MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY WEAK RUN CAP, ALSO BURNT AND PITTED CONTACTOR
AND SYSEM IS COOLING WITH 21 DEGREE TEMP SPLIT AND 7 DEGREE SUPER HEAT.
FOUND DOWNSTAIRS DINNING ROOM SYSTEM WITH LOW MFD READING ON 40X5 MFD RUN CAP AND COMPRESSOR
OVER AMPING CAN BE CAUSED BY WEAK RUN CAP. CLEARED CONDENSATE DRAIN LINE THAT WAS PLUGGEDAND
REPLACED LEAKING SERVICE VALVE. CONTACTOR IS BURNT AND PITTED. SYSTEM IS OPERATING WITH 20 DEGREE TEMP
SPLIT AND 7 DEGREE SUPER HEAT.
FOUND DOWNSTAIRS MAIN UNIT WITH LOW MFD READING ON 40X5 MFD RUN CAPACITOR, COMPRESSOR OPERATING
WITH HIGH AMP DRAW MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY WEAK RUN CAP, ALSO BURNT AND PITTED CONTACTOR AND SYSEM IS
COOLING WITH 21 DEGREE TEMP SPLIT AND 10 DEGREE SUPER HEAT.

Confirmed that water is now coming out of the end of the condensate drain pipe that is outside of the house.

Thanks, MRivney


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Thanks for the update.


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