a/c question

[Dorot29701]

Last year we had to call the repairman because a/c froze up and stopped working. He showed me how to clean out drain which fixed the problem. Today it happened again. I cleaned the drain and it started working again. What causes the problem in the first place. We are in FL with high humidity and we've kept the thermostadt on 82 to try and save energy. That's usually comfortable temp. From time to time I put Clorox in drain ... but what would cause this to happen and is there something I can do to prevent it happening again. The outside unit was running but the inside air handler was not. Thanks.

[Duane Bozarth]

Preventive maintenance more frequently sounds like the cure...in humid climates w/ mold spores everywhere, "stuff" grows.

You don't say which drain where, but possibly the drain line is long and doesn't have sufficient slope to drain well?

[Stretch]

Clogged condensate drain should not cause the coil to freeze. Perhaps there is a float switch shutting the outdoor unit off? I suggest that the drain may not slope continuously downhill, that will make it clog more often. Use heavier pipe, not the lightweight "SDR" thinwall PVC. Make sure the drain terminates above grade outside.

Stretch

[TURTLE]

This is Turtle.

What you say does not click or suppose to be.

Drain plugs up -- Unit does not freeze up./

If out side unit is running and the inside unit is not -- That will freeze up the coil.

If you pour a cup of Clorox in the drain 3 or 4 times a year during the cooling season. You should not plug the drains at all.

If the inside units is not running anmd the ouitside is running. You have a mechnical problem and not a drain problem.

TURTLE

[Stormin Mormon]

Frozen indoor coil has several possible causes.

Low air flow (indoors) low freon level in system

Anyhow, it's a good idea to call the repair guy back (or get a different one) and ask him to adress the freezing issue.

[hvactech2]

I didn't see the original but it sounds as though they wired the overflow safety to the fan only. this should be corrected as soon as possible.

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