Every owner of a home air-conditioner knows that while working a split-system produces water – condensate, which flows out through the drainage pipe from the inside unit to the street or to the sewerage system. More often the drainage pipe is led out to the street, and you can see how the water is dripping while the split system is working. However, sometimes the air conditioner cools as usual, but there is no condensation. What could be the cause and is it a breakdown?
Should water drip from the air conditioner tube
The water that drips from the air conditioner is the condensate that forms on the evaporator when the air cools quickly and flows out through the drain tube. If there is no water running from the tube, don’t worry ahead of time. Check out what you have:
The air conditioner is not running in fan mode. Otherwise, there will be no condensation at all.
The temperature set on the air conditioner is 4-7 degrees Celsius lower than the room. For example, if the room is 25 C, and you have set 23 C on a split system, then the condensate will be little, and it will not reach the end of the drainage way, it will simply dry out “on the way”. That is why you will not see how the water is flowing from the tube of the split system outside. On the contrary, if “out of the window” and in the premise is about 30 degrees, and you have chosen the temperature of 23 degrees, the conditioner can “cry” up to 14 liters of water during a day.
The conditioner cools for a long time. Even with a big temperature difference, it will take about half an hour for a split system before it will start to drip condensate from a drainage hose. At first, the water will collect inside the tray in the indoor unit, then, it will flow down the drain line. And only when there is enough water to fill the drain, will it finally start to go outside.
If the temperature, set on the conditioner is much lower than in the room, and the split system is cool enough long time, but water is still not dripping outside, it means that the reason is a breakage. And the condensate, most likely, will soon flow from the inside the unit straight to the room.
Possible malfunctions that cause no condensation when the air conditioner is running
Here are the most common breakdowns that SDAC Heating & Air Conditioning has encountered when a split system is working properly and cooling the air, but condensate is not dripping from the drain tube to the outside.
The air conditioner drainage system is clogged
Dust, dirt, or slime from microorganisms can collect in the drain tube. A clog occurs and water overflows into the condensate pan in the indoor unit and flows out into the room.
The filters in the indoor unit are clogged.
These are responsible for cleaning dust and dirt from the warm air that enters the evaporator. If the filters are badly clogged, the air conditioner can “suck” air in through the drainage duct from outside. The presence of a draft prevents the normal drainage of water, as a consequence – it accumulates in the sump and flows out of the internal unit of the split system.
Drainage pump malfunction
In this case, if the drainage line has a complex design (large length, height difference), a drain pump is installed for efficient condensate drainage. It helps to “run” the water through the route. If the pump fails, the condensate is not pumped out, accumulates in the collection tray, and begins to pour out of the indoor unit.
Incorrect installation
When laying the drainage route, the angle of the drainage pipe was not correct. As a result, the water does not flow out into the street but remains in the condensate tray and flows out into the apartment when the tank overflows.
To avoid such problems, we recommend ordering it only from specialists. For example, SDAC Heating & Air Conditioning has an air conditioning and split system installation service.
Call SDAC Heating & Air Conditioning if you suspect a clogged drainage system or book now.
SDAC Heating & Air Conditioning’s technicians have extensive experience repairing residential air conditioners from all manufacturers. We leave promptly, determine the cause of the problem reliably, and repair professionals.
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(858) 788-1777
info@sdac.com