# Home AC leaking internally and wetting filter???!!!



## buckeroo (Jun 16, 2010)

I have a Trane system thats been installed for 10 so years. It is cooling and running "fine" it seems. I did notice that the filter was wet when I changed it last night. There is not huge puddles in my basement closet where the unit is, but there is dampness on the concrete coming from under the unit. I checked again today and the filter is wet again and water is dripping from above the filter. I am assuming that some kind of drain is clogged. I looked at my pump that shoots condensation outside and it is shooting water outside like it should. How do I check any other drains on this guy? I am curious if anything else may be acting nuts too.

Any ideas?

Here is the floor next to the pump:






Here is the front with the filter door closed:





Here is the filter door opened:


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## state159 (Jun 16, 2010)

It's condensation but I'm not sure of your setup. I'd say it's either missing the drip pan (too small) or clogged drain, causing the pan level to rise and the fan picking up the water and blowing it. I just went through the same thing (both problems) and had an oversized pan installed under my evaporator unit along with cleaning out the drain line.  Water leaks cannot be ignored in a house, no matter what the source.


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## maker4life (Jun 16, 2010)

Those pans are bad about cracking around the where the fitiing screws in .


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## chadair (Jun 16, 2010)

buckaroo, yer a lucky u r just now havin problems with that heat pump leakin. u need to put a store bought P trap on the indoor unit. the blower sits above the drain, causin a negative pressure, the unit will NOT drain properly til it cuts off.


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## buckeroo (Jun 16, 2010)

Well I removed the white pipe that comes off the front of the unit. It was completely clogged. The clear tubing routed outside was fine. I was able to blow on it and my wife was outside where it dumps and she felt the air I was blowing. 

I also removed the pump and cleaned the 4 inches of sludge out of it and ran some clorox through it. 

I assembled everything and the unit has been running for over an hour dry as a whistle. 

We'll see later on in the night before going to bed if there is any more water. 
I think it has been fixed though.

Thanks yall,
Greg


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## doublelung (Jun 16, 2010)

Sounds like you probably found the culprit.  Very common problem considering most people don't know to treat or clean the drain line every now and then.  Cut the elbow out of the pvc condensate drain line and replace it with a T fitting.  Glue it back in so that the open side of the T fitting is pointing up.  Next plug the open side with a pvc plug or a short piece of pipe and a cap BUT DONT GLUE IT TO THE T FITTING.  Now you have easy access to treat the drain line and the pump reservoir.  Just poor a plastic safe cleaner down the line every 90 days or so.  Some people use a little bleach but make sure it doesn't sit in the pump reservoir during heating season when the resevoir dries up.  

As for the P-trap, you shouldn't need it if the drain line is plumbed correctly.  After the pump cycles, there is still a little water left in the reservoir.  The PVC line should extend into the pump reservoir enough to remain submerged in water, thus acting as a trap.  Make sure the line doesn't run all the way to the bottom of the pump, restricting drainage.  I'll stop rambling now.


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## DYI hunting (Jun 16, 2010)

I had similar water problems.  The drip pan was installed wrong and allowed water to stand in the tray.  Over time it built up gunk and clogged the drain.  When the drain clogged, it overflowed into the bottom of the unit where the intake end was and my overflow pan constantly overflowed and tripped the auto shut-off.


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## Doyle (Jun 17, 2010)

Here's a tip for you.  Every winter, when the  A/C is shut down pour a couple of cups of bleach into the hose.  There is a trap in the line that aways holds water.  Mold and algae will grow in that water and clog you up.  Keeping bleach in there during the winter will prevent it from growing.

Also, get in the habit of using the shop vac to suck the line clear at least once each summer.


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