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Old 07-10-2007, 11:18 AM
 
11 posts, read 161,511 times
Reputation: 28

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my A/C unit seems to be working overtime, when I set it to a certain temperature, it keeps running at that temperature all through the day and night

i checked the unit in the attic and the drip pan underneath the unit has about an inch of water collected...it doesn't overflow since there's a drain that goes out the side of the house

this is the first time i've noticed water collecting in the pan....i don't know if this is normal and i just haven't noticed it before until now.

anyone have any experiences? if there is a problem, any recommendations for repair services? thanks
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Old 07-10-2007, 11:38 AM
 
9,680 posts, read 27,101,356 times
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See if the drain line from the pan is clogged. Snake it out if so.

If system is always running, that's not good. Our heat pump cuts on and off.

You may need service and the drain line can be addressed too.
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Old 07-10-2007, 12:43 PM
 
275 posts, read 1,112,940 times
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Ours wasn't leaking, or at least not that I noticed, but running constantly last yr. It was a freon leak...ended up having the coil replaced. You will know if the air upstairs is not really cool (thats why it never turns off). We had a home warranty that covered it.

I would get it checked quickly since the electric meter keeps running whether its cool or not!
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Old 07-10-2007, 01:30 PM
 
11 posts, read 161,511 times
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i turned the unit off this morning and went up to the attic just now to check it and there's condensation on the outside of the unit and water dripping down the sides of the unit

ohhhh i better call for service
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Old 07-10-2007, 01:31 PM
 
9,680 posts, read 27,101,356 times
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Definitely a good move. Should save a big hit from Progress-Energy.
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Old 07-10-2007, 01:33 PM
 
Location: Fuquay-Varina
4,000 posts, read 10,811,165 times
Reputation: 3303
There is a problem with the main condensate drain line. Have an HVAC repair tech look over the system and unclog the line. You want to find out the reason it is clogging. Is the termination point for the condensate line outside the house buried? Do you change your filters regularly? Expect to pay between 75 and 100 bucks for the service call, but they will also inspect your system and clean your coils as well. HVAC maintenance should be performed every couple years without fail. (every 6 months that they recommend is overkill and a nice revenue stream for the HVAC company)
Just as an fyi, I am a home inspector and pretty well versed in HVAC.
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Old 07-10-2007, 01:37 PM
 
Location: Fuquay-Varina
4,000 posts, read 10,811,165 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peikoh View Post
i turned the unit off this morning and went up to the attic just now to check it and there's condensation on the outside of the unit and water dripping down the sides of the unit

ohhhh i better call for service
if the unit is in the attic, condensing on the unit is relatively normal due to the high humidity in the attic condensing on the lower dew point of the cool air handler casing. If the condensation is excessive it typically means clogged filters or coil keeping the air in the system too long. This causes it to drop the dew point even lower. ps...no furniture blocking the air returns right? (the filter housings) The returns need a good 6-8" of clearance. good luck!
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Old 07-10-2007, 02:55 PM
rfb
 
Location: Raleigh, NC
2,593 posts, read 6,330,726 times
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If your unit is like mine in my previous house, there will be a float shutoff switch that gets triggered when the water level in the pan reaches a certain point to keep the water in the pan from overflowing. When triggered, the blower will continue to run but the condenser shuts off until the water level drops below that level. The net result is you get (mostly) recirculated air blowing through your house, which does little to nothing to cool you off.

We had an HVAC person come out and fix our unit. In our case, the drainage line was getting clogged with ice. I can't remember the root cause actual problem, though.
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Old 07-29-2015, 07:23 AM
 
2 posts, read 30,091 times
Reputation: 11
My AC appears to operating correctly but their is water in the drain pan. The water appears to be coming from the upper part of the heat pump and dripping down to the pan. I removed the cover from the lower part of the heat pump and water has been collecting in the pan. Do you think the drain return pipe may clogged up.
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Old 07-29-2015, 07:54 AM
 
3,227 posts, read 3,515,243 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pbrownlee View Post
My AC appears to operating correctly but their is water in the drain pan. The water appears to be coming from the upper part of the heat pump and dripping down to the pan. I removed the cover from the lower part of the heat pump and water has been collecting in the pan. Do you think the drain return pipe may clogged up.
Check your drain pipes, I know at times my primary one has been impeded by dirt/rusted coil debris and required a catheterization. The HVAC guys say to never shoot compressed air down that drain as they dont want the pipe snapping in the wall, instead either mechanically clean the outlet or vacuum using wet dry vac.
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