AC water leaking

[zcui]

My central Air Conditioner has problem with leaking water on the floor. After inspection I found the water seems from the conjunction betweek the plastic water pan and the threaded femal copper pipe adaptor. The plastic water pan is inside the AC unit inside house. The threaded femal copper part is for the connection to the drain system to the outside. Since the gape between the above two mentioned parts is lower and before outlet of the drain pipe, condensed water all leaks through the gap to the floor, and not water really go through to the drain system. I tested the drain pipe to the outside is not clogged, and water will go through the pipe only when pouring a lot of water suddenly inside the AC unit and the water level is higher above the outlet of the drain pipe.

I guess when tightened the male pipe adaptor to the femal copper part, the toque loose the copper part with built on the water pan, and made a gap between the water pan and the copper pipe. Now my question is how to fix it by myself? Is there any seal or glue for this purpose? I asked the HomeDepot staff, and the J&Bweld was recommened. However, this product takes about 5-8 hours to cure or dry. I really don't have that long time to wait in this hot summer in Texas. I read instructions of other products, like Amazing GOOP Plumbing, AquaMend (underwater repair epoxy putty stick), and SeamerMater (Professional grade) for gutter, but I am not sure which one can really do the work.

Also, it is very hard to access the damaged area. There is no way to separate the two mentioned part. The only thing I hope is I can use my finger to put some kind of seal or glue along the conjunction to stop the leaking.

Of course, the final way is to call an AC specialist to replace the water pan, which probably will cost me several hundred dollars.

Please give me suggestions?

Thanks SZ

[mm]

I think you do. You'll be lucky to fix this with just glue at all, and 5 to 8 hours is not much.

Remember our soldiers in Iraq on patrol or even combat with full battle gear in 130 degree weather (if not in July than in August.)

One says that it works underwater. Isn't that a tiebreaker? Does it also stick to copper and ?aluminum?

I wouldn't try to separate them. Then you'll have problems holding them together when gluing them.

I've had the same problem, except that my outer pipe and coupling was plastic. And the pan and the female part was metal. In the process of trying to figure out why the water wasn't going down the pipe, I unscrewed the plastic from the metal, and I couldnt screw it back in. The threads were never the same, they never matched because half was plastic and half metal, but somehow it was screwed in anyhow, with little if any glue.

I'm pretty sure I used, and what I would recommend is PC-70. It sticks to everythign, including glass. It's very strong, and in another case, I was able to put it on something that was wet amd it still dried. In that case I had just moved into a room in an apt. with 2 roommates i soon found out were obnoxious, and I don't know if they had complained to the ll or not, but the sink was dripping constantly, or maybe running, and there was a small hole, getting bigger, in the drain pipe beneath the sink. There probably was one somewhere but I didn't see a valve to turn off the water to the sink.

PC-70 isn't as runny as JB-weld, so it will stay in place after only about 10 minutes after it has been mixed, althouhg follow the insturctions to see how long you have to apply the stuff to the joint. I think it is less than 10 minutes, maybe 5.

When I applied it to the leaking drain, it kept drooping and separating from the drain, moreso than normal because it was wet and wasn't "adhering". But I watched it probably for a half hour and every time it sagged, I pushed it up to where it was and may have held it in place most of the last 10 minutes. I only lived there about 3 months but I think it held all that time.

I would still turn off the AC, and dry it up as much as possible.

BTW, in my case which didn't have an identifiable leak as yours seems to, this didn't solve my prolbem. The plastic pipe went out an inch, a right angle to point down 2 inches, a right angle to point to the wall

20 inches or so, horizontally and I checked, then down to the floor 4 feet, across to near the sump 7 feet, out from the wall 2 feet, and a right angle into the sump.

I blew through the pipe and it seemed fine. I flushed it with a garden hose from the utiltiy sink and water poured out as fast as it went in. But when I reattached it as above, the water in the AC still ended up on the floor. Finally, I cut the thing and rearranged i so it went out an inch from the AC and then down 2 feet instead of 2 inches. Everything else was the same, but after that it worked. I still can't understand way.

[Bubba]

You're Tony Hwang's long lost brother, right? Bubba

[zcui]

Thank you, mm, for your suggestions!

I'll try something any way before replacing the part by an AC specialist, and let you know the result.

Thanks again. SZ

[zcui]

I bought a tube of plumber's Epoxy Putty from Lowe's and sealed the leaking area for the AC drain pipe.

Thanks SZ

[Bubba]

Atta boy, "junior". If you need, Ive got some used bubble gum, duct tape, bailing wire and some rubber bands for future repairs. Bubba

[Zephyr]

I wonder if it [the leaking area] is actually water overflow?

Zyp