condenser unit sweating

[Phisherman]

I have an central A/C condenser unit in the basement that is sweating and water is dripping onto the floor. Will more insulation help? Currently, I have turned off the A/C and just running the blower fan.

[AZ Nomad]

It is normal for a condensor to gather water from the air. It'll have a drain and that is where your problem lies.

[hrhofmann]

The condensor is outside, the evaporator is in the basement/ furnace!!!!!

[Phisherman]

My bad. It is the evaporator in the basement and located above the furnace. There is a PVC drain, and I checked that there is water flowing through the pipe to the outdoors. The outside of the evaporator is cold, wet and dripping on all sides when the A/C is turned on.

[Larry The Snake Guy]

Yes, and it's the evaporator, not the the condenser that gathers water. (If the evaporator IS in the basement OR is sweating, he has bigger problems.) As "AZ Nomad" said, there should be some sort of drain that is probably clogged.

Phisherman, could you clarify what you mean by adding more insulation?

["<<<]

[Wayne Boatwright]

On Tue 30 Jun 2009 01:22:00p, Phisherman told us...

I doubt insulation is the issue. More likely the drain line from the drain pan under the condenser is either clogged or the drain pan has deteriorated and formed a leak.

If the former, the line is easily cleaned out. If the latter, depending on the degree of deterioration, you may be able to repair it with liquid solder or bondo. If the deterioration is extensive, you may need a new draiin pan.

FWIW, I once lived in a condo where the drain line clogged with some frequency. I usually cleaned it out at least 2-3 times each cooling season.

HTH

[Doug Miller]

Too much humidity in the basement. Run a dehumidifier, or add a cold-air return in the basement so that some of that humid air is sucked through the evaporator and dehumdified.

[HeyBub]

Mine, too, gave it up. I got one of those PVC pans you put under washing machines. Works swell and it&#39;ll last forever.

[Stormin Mormon]

If your condensor is sweatting, there is definitely something wrong. You really need to call a HVAC pro.

[Stormin Mormon]

If your condensor is gathering water from the air, you need to call a priest, immediately.

[Stormin Mormon]

Hmm. What? Someone who knows something? How strange.

[Stormin Mormon]

I&#39;ve done that kind of thing.

[Phisherman]

To do an exorcism on my ac. But seriously, I put an insulation foil-backed blanket around the evaporator housing this morning and sealed all edges using foil tape. So far, everything is dry, no sweating at all.

[Stormin Mormon]

Sounds totally effective. Way to go, chief!