Rheem Central A.C. is leaking water.
Checked the 3/4" drain pipe, its clear. Turned off A.C. for a few days, water dried up.
poked a coat-hanger up the pipe toward the coil, but there were no obstructions or algae.
Where is the water coming from ?
The part of the unit that houses the Coils is closed up, no panel to remove and look around.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks
...
On a unit had before, the fins collected enough dirt over time the condensation wouldn't run along the collection bend to the lower end to get caught in the catch tray but just drop directly into the lower plenum. When it filled up and ran over, you can imagine the result...
If you can't get to them, that's a problem...
I think I can get to them, but I have to remove the panel in front of the burners and poke my hand up to them. Thanks for the suggestion, I will take a look tomorrow and see how dirty the coils are.
My Rheem furnace/AC started leaking water last year. Removed the back panel and found the drain pan overflowing. Cut off the 3/4" PVC and blew into it. It's plugged up somewhere between the A/C coils and the sump it drains into. I taped a plastic hose to the cut PVC and led it to the sump. The coils are surprisingly clean, given the unit is 19 years old. I'm going to replumb with new PVC in a couple weeks.
PS On mine I had to remove the exhaust vent to get at the panel.
IDK, it would sure help if we knew where the water is coming out. And if condensate is running out the line you tried to clear. Typically evaporators have a slightly higher overflow drain connection which may or may not be used. If it's there but not used, open it and see if water comes out. If it does, then you have blockage, If not, then something else, eg a rusted out pan.
I may have to remove the exhaust on mine as well to see the coils, but it is all so nicely taped up with foil tape. Didn't want to disturb it unless I absolutely have to.
You can try cutting the drain line first. Just have some fittings ready. I could gave avoided removing the panel if I had done that.
The OP apparently determined his drain pipe was clear. However it may just be a matter of time before blockage becomes a problem. About ten years after my system was installed, the drain clogged.
I cut the plastic pipe and added a union. I disconnected the union and connected the drain side to a compatible union with a coupler for an air hose. I discharged 100psi from a small pressure tank through the drain, which cleared the blockage.
To keep it from happening again, I repeat the process once a year.
Fred
Different type unit but a few weeks ago mine was leaking too but I could see condensate dripping into the French drain where it was supposed to go but the furnace floor was wet. I took the cap off the top in the am when it was running less and there was no stoppage there. But later when it was running more and leaking I checked again and it was partially blocked and poking with a hanger wire cleared it. No problem since.
Yeah, the rate at which the water goes thru the drain line is very important.
Be sure to read my answer to the OP.
P&M, please reply by post
First, don't forget the humidifier.
Second, and the point of my post: I had the same problem you have.
For the first 5 or 10 years I lived in this house, 4 years old when I bought it, the AC was fine, but then the floor started getting wet.
Like yours, no easy way to look at the A-coil but I cut off the condensate drain (right outside of the A-coil area) and checked if it was clogged. I had no trouble blowing through it, but that didn't seem like a decent test. So I connected a hose to the basement sink and ran a lot of water through it, pouring into the sump. It was clear, no doubt. There are no insects in the basement anyhow.
Glued it back together and it was no better! Cut a hole in the duct to see the A-frame, not dirty after 10 or 15 years, tray not dirty, put up with this for another summer iirc.
Finally: The condensate pipe came out an inch, made a right turn to run down an inch or two, then sideways (downhill a trace, definitely not uphill**) to the wall, then down to the floor, then along the wall to near the sump, then from the wall to the sump itself. **But even if it *had* gone uphill, water should find its own level and as long as it didn't get as high as where the pipe started, it should have drained. But it didn't go uphill.
Maybe with a new right angle or union, but I rearranged the same pipes so that instead of going down an inch, right away it went down 18", and then it turned horizontal to the wall, and down to the floor.
That solved the problem. Why it worked the first 10 years I do not know.
I've also seen plenums drip water from condensation from the ambient air which hits the cold metal on the outside. New ones are insulated, but still some spots can get cold and develop condensation if the air is humid enough. In other words sometimes there could be some water and it's not coming from the normal condensate drain water.
This is a much more common problem than you'd think, especially in commerci al work.
The pressure inside the air handler is lower than outside (the fan is pushi ng it into the house, sucking it from the air handler.)
Water can't seek its own level with a vacuum on top of it. If you make the drop leg long enough it can run down hill. Commercial setups always have that drain in a loop to provide a trap, but the first down leg has to be lo nger than the pressure drop inside the air handler. There is a formula for how long, you could look it up if you needed.
hing it into the house, sucking it from the air handler.)
IDK how your system is setup, but on every AC I've seen, the evaporator is on the positive pressure side of the blower, ie it's in the plenum after the furnace. If you have a hole, air comes out, it doesn;t go in.
he drop leg long enough it can run down hill. Commercial setups always hav e that drain in a loop to provide a trap, but the first down leg has to be longer than the pressure drop inside the air handler. There is a formula f or how long, you could look it up if you needed.
Shoot, I think you're right.
But if so, his fix doesn't make sense.
I know I'm right for commercial, when you open the door you're pulling against suction. I know you're right for the typical furnace plus A-coil. I was thinking heat pump though. I gotta go look.
mmercial work.
pushing it into the house, sucking it from the air handler.)
ainst suction. I know you're right for the typical furnace plus A-coil. I was thinking heat pump though. I gotta go look.
Okay, I just found a good google image for a heat pump air handler. The ev aporator and condensate tray are on the suction side. The fan is downstrea m of that. That part of the air handler will be at low pressure; air will leak in not out. That's the way mine is set up.
I did find some images the other way, too.
Yes, I don't think it does make sense, especially considering it worked fine for 10 years or more (I'm counting the 4 years before I bought the house.) There was no fungus, no mold, no insects. I've seen insects in other parts of the house but never in the basement and I've spent a lot of time there.
Alas, unless I didn't get enough sleep last night, that doesn't apply to me. The air comes in at the bottom where there's a fan, then goes up to the burner and then there's the A-coil, and then the air goes up and out.
It's an upflow furnace. They made very similar models in downflow, horizontal, and lowboy. Does that mean that in a downflow furnace, the A-coil is at the floor? I guess that woudl be fine if not placed in a basement. I don't think I've seen one but most of the homes I go to are built like mine.
Okay, that is different from mine. Return enters, then it hits the coil, t hen it hits the fan, then it hits the supplemental electric heat, then it g oes out to the supply vents. So the fan sucks vacuum away from the coil, b ut pushes it through the heater. It is horizontal of course, it is in the attic.
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