Heat Pump guys: dripping evaporator coil

[Bird]

Bird, You may have found your problem. Coil drains are required to drain to open atmosphere. The normally drain into a floor drain with an air gap or to the outside. You do not indicate if there is a trap or not or I missed it. The trap is essential. It must hold enough water to overcome the static pressure in the fan housing or it will not drain. Again; you need the manufacturer's recommendations on how to run the drain line and the trap dimensions.

Ron

Yeah, Ron, I didn't mention it before, but it does have a trap.

 

[boggen]

Ok, here's looking UP at the evaporator coil. You can see the black drip pan. The drain pipes, P trap, drip pan is all good. My problem is the condensate does not slide all the way down the coil, but drips onto the floor beneath (I have rubber mat to catch condensate). Surface tension. Seems to me lack of surface tension is the problem (wha' do I know?).

not completely sure of what i am totally looking at. beyond A coils, and a little drip tray. it almost seems like you are missing the actual pan, or a piece of sheet metal. the covers the entire bottom of the A coils. and the sheet metal acts like a funnel into the black drip tray.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

As there has been no feedback on my post about consulting the installation manual here is a sample. If the installer did not leave it with you as he is supposed to do you can search by your model # and get the one for your unit. http://www.carriercca.com/pdf/products_pdf/Installation%2040ru-05si.pdf

I have followed behind installers on service calls and found out they threw the installation manual in their truck and never consulted it. What a waste of the manufacturer's assistance and creating expensive service calls. Nobody ever knows it all or remembers everything.

I once went to a new office complex with 13 package units and every one had the same non-compliance with the installation manual. Two days later they were all working properly.

Ron

 

[Bird]

I have followed behind installers on service calls and found out they threw the installation manual in their truck and never consulted it.

Isn't that the normal thing with nearly all installers? I've had to ask them for the manuals on new toilets, new kitchen sink faucet, as well as the HVAC system.

 

[boggen]

As there has been no feedback on my post about consulting the installation manual here is a sample. If the installer did not leave it with you as he is supposed to do you can search by your model # and get the one for your unit. http://www.carriercca.com/pdf/products_pdf/Installation%2040ru-05si.pdf

I have followed behind installers on service calls and found out they threw the installation manual in their truck and never consulted it. What a waste of the manufacturer's assistance and creating expensive service calls. Nobody ever knows it all or remembers everything.

I once went to a new office complex with 13 package units and every one had the same non-compliance with the installation manual. Two days later they were all working properly.

Ron

there is one comment within that manual... if you goof up on were to hook up the air intake, it states the unit will not "drip properly"

 

[MacLawn]

Wow!! I mean, WOW!! Y'all are right about the installation manual! AC man is here right now, he asked me for the installation manual, he wasn't too proud! The P trap is too shallow! All the heat/ac boys who came out until now never knew how to do a P trap on my Carrier unit! It was installed wrong at the beginning! Leaked under my solid oak hardwood floor, etc. I'm calling the company that installed it to let them know. I don't expect them to do anything, but I'll let them know what sloppy work they did. Thanks to y'all boys here!! Here's how the manual says it should be done:

 

[outinthetalgrass]

Guess the question now is, After you run it a couple of days has it stopped dripping?
We will wait for that answer.

 

[MacLawn]

Yeah, that's it outin. I'll try to get pipes tomorrow and do it like the manual shows, then after a few days report back. I'll be one happy boy if that's really what causes the condensate to drip off the coil before it reaches the pan!

I've already got a plan B - dagnabbit, I'll sell a hind leg I reckon and have geothermal installed! I've already got estimate (it'll require at least one leg), and geothermal man said they put the condensate coil under the house, filter will be in same heat pump closet. I shall see...

 

[kenmac]

Been real busy due to the extreme heat we're having , and just saw this post.. Yes, the way the P trap is installed can cause problems.......If that unit was installed in a way that damage could occur in case of a leak... The unit should have had a pan installed under the unit with a drain and or a float switch to prevent damage to ceiling, floor, etc,.

 

[MacLawn]

Thanks kenmac. I just got off the phone with owner of company that installed this unit back in January '03, filled him in on all the leaking since that time, every summer, MANY service calls from his company and two other companies. EVERY summer - never, no one has been able to fix this dripping! He doubted that a shallow P trap could cause it to leak, but I just said all I know is the man yesterday, and the Carrier manual said it can! He's researching it now and is supposed to call me back... It's amazing how this kind of thing can ruin my summers! E V E R Y summer since I had this high dollar unit installed, I've been working on trying to get SOMEONE, any company, to fix this mess. I surely appreciate you TBN boys helping me out! I told the owner I researched these condensate problems on forums, and it seems to be a common issue. That was after he got a bit defensive saying he'd never had a problem with HIS two units leaking. Whew. Nene nene boo boo... to me too, I reckon.

Oh, here's the way the P trap is now: