AC drip pan (internal) poor design?
 

While fixing a clog in the internal drip pan drain of my
home's AC, I noticed that the drain is not on the very
bottom of the pan. Even when the pan is fully drained
there is about 1/8 inch of water in it, and this water is
(just barely) in contact with the bottom of the cooling
fins. Is there any reason to have water in the pan at
all times, or is this an idiotic design, as I suspect? The
pan is PVC, so I'm thinking of adding a drain to the
bottom of the pan by drilling a hole and gluing a flanged
pvc end to the bottom, if there is no good reason not to.

AC drip pan (internal) poor design?
 

"Larry Barowski" MElarrybar-AT-eng_DOT_auburnANOTHERDOTeduEND wrote in
message . ..
While fixing a clog in the internal drip pan drain of my
home's AC, I noticed that the drain is not on the very
bottom of the pan. Even when the pan is fully drained
there is about 1/8 inch of water in it, and this water is
(just barely) in contact with the bottom of the cooling
fins. Is there any reason to have water in the pan at
all times, or is this an idiotic design, as I suspect? The
pan is PVC, so I'm thinking of adding a drain to the
bottom of the pan by drilling a hole and gluing a flanged
pvc end to the bottom, if there is no good reason not to.

I like for drain pans to drain completely but many don't. It is usually not
a problem as the slight amount of water that does not drain will evaporate
fairly rapidly if no water is draining into the pan. I would not modify the
pan drain.

Don Young

AC drip pan (internal) poor design?
 

I'm no expert, and I don't know if this is universal, but at least some
AC units (like the one I bought) are specifically designed so that the
water that condenses on the inside coils is held in the pan below the
outside fan, which picks it up and flings it onto the outside coils
where the evaporating water increases the cooling efficiency. The drain
is only to make sure the water level doesn't get too high...

AC drip pan (internal) poor design?
 

On 17 Oct 2006 09:32:04 -0700, Larry Fishel wrote:
AC units (like the one I bought) are specifically designed so that the
water that condenses on the inside coils is held in the pan below the
outside fan, which picks it up and flings it onto the outside coils

Until I read your response, I was exclusively thinking of central air or
split A.C. units. Your response didn't make any sense to me until I
remembered window A.C.'s. Different perspectives. :)

Obviously in the case of a split unit, the condensation pan is designed
to be a long way away from the outside (hot) coils so such a design
optimization is unlikely.

Though it can work well when the evap and condenser are close enough!

sdb

--
Wanted: Omnibook 800 & accessories, cheap, working or not
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AC drip pan (internal) poor design?
 

"Don Young" wrote in message
...
I like for drain pans to drain completely but many don't. It is usually
not a problem as the slight amount of water that does not drain will
evaporate fairly rapidly if no water is draining into the pan. I would not
modify the pan drain.

I was thinking maybe some water in the pan prevents crud from building
up, or something like that. If there is no real use for it, then I plan to
make the modification.

AC drip pan (internal) poor design?
 

"sylvan butler" wrote in message
rnal...
On 17 Oct 2006 09:32:04 -0700, Larry Fishel wrote:
AC units (like the one I bought) are specifically designed so that the
water that condenses on the inside coils is held in the pan below the
outside fan, which picks it up and flings it onto the outside coils

Until I read your response, I was exclusively thinking of central air or
split A.C. units. Your response didn't make any sense to me until I
remembered window A.C.'s. Different perspectives. :)

Obviously in the case of a split unit, the condensation pan is designed
to be a long way away from the outside (hot) coils so such a design
optimization is unlikely.

Though it can work well when the evap and condenser are close enough!

I can feel a big change in AC temp when rain hits the coils,
even when there is no outside temperature drop (here in SW
Florida, it often rains with no temperature drop). I wonder
what the difference in efficiency would be? Since my drip
drain comes out near the outside unit, I'm tempted to try to
rig something up.

AC drip pan (internal) poor design?
 

On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 08:17:40 -0400, "Larry Barowski"
MElarrybar-AT-eng_DOT_auburnANOTHERDOTeduEND wrote:


"sylvan butler" wrote in message
ernal...
On 17 Oct 2006 09:32:04 -0700, Larry Fishel wrote:
AC units (like the one I bought) are specifically designed so that the
water that condenses on the inside coils is held in the pan below the
outside fan, which picks it up and flings it onto the outside coils

Until I read your response, I was exclusively thinking of central air or
split A.C. units. Your response didn't make any sense to me until I
remembered window A.C.'s. Different perspectives. :)

Obviously in the case of a split unit, the condensation pan is designed
to be a long way away from the outside (hot) coils so such a design
optimization is unlikely.

Though it can work well when the evap and condenser are close enough!

I can feel a big change in AC temp when rain hits the coils,
even when there is no outside temperature drop (here in SW
Florida, it often rains with no temperature drop).

Water conducts heat much better than air.

I wonder
what the difference in efficiency would be? Since my drip
drain comes out near the outside unit, I'm tempted to try to
rig something up.

--
68 days until the winter solstice celebration

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"God was invented by man for a reason, that
reason is no longer applicable."

AC drip pan (internal) poor design?
 

"Larry Barowski" MElarrybar-AT-eng_DOT_auburnANOTHERDOTeduEND wrote in
message ...

"sylvan butler" wrote in
message rnal...
On 17 Oct 2006 09:32:04 -0700, Larry Fishel wrote:
AC units (like the one I bought) are specifically designed so that the
water that condenses on the inside coils is held in the pan below the
outside fan, which picks it up and flings it onto the outside coils

Until I read your response, I was exclusively thinking of central air or
split A.C. units. Your response didn't make any sense to me until I
remembered window A.C.'s. Different perspectives. :)

Obviously in the case of a split unit, the condensation pan is designed
to be a long way away from the outside (hot) coils so such a design
optimization is unlikely.

Though it can work well when the evap and condenser are close enough!

I can feel a big change in AC temp when rain hits the coils,
even when there is no outside temperature drop (here in SW
Florida, it often rains with no temperature drop). I wonder
what the difference in efficiency would be? Since my drip
drain comes out near the outside unit, I'm tempted to try to
rig something up.

Won't have any significant benefit and likely to cause problems. This has
been discussed many, many times. Do a Google search for the discussions.

Don Young

AC drip pan (internal) poor design?
 

On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 21:46:52 -0500, Don Young wrote:
"Larry Barowski" MElarrybar-AT-eng_DOT_auburnANOTHERDOTeduEND wrote in
message ...
I can feel a big change in AC temp when rain hits the coils,
even when there is no outside temperature drop (here in SW
Florida, it often rains with no temperature drop). I wonder
what the difference in efficiency would be? Since my drip
drain comes out near the outside unit, I'm tempted to try to
rig something up.

Won't have any significant benefit and likely to cause problems. This has
been discussed many, many times. Do a Google search for the discussions.

Funny, those discussions have left me with the opposite impression. Of
course, there is the caveat that the unit may not work properly with
significantly improved cooling...

sdb

--
Wanted: Omnibook 800 & accessories, cheap, working or not
sdbuse1 on mailhost bigfoot.com

AC drip pan (internal) poor design?
 

Condensate removal is important and to prevent mold or algae build up is
also important. But so are mechanical limitations. If it's a small package
window air conditioning unit we're talking about, then all the postings are
correct. The condensate is removed from the living area's and drained back
to the condenser to aid in efficiency [evaporative condenser cooling.]

Perhaps you could check and see how level the unit is? Generally most are
installed with a 1/4 bubble lean [from level] to the back so the condensate
drains easily. That way, when the unit is idle, the evaporator is not
exposed to excessive water storage.

--
Zyp

"sylvan butler" wrote in message
rnal...
On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 21:46:52 -0500, Don Young wrote:
"Larry Barowski" MElarrybar-AT-eng_DOT_auburnANOTHERDOTeduEND wrote in
message ...
I can feel a big change in AC temp when rain hits the coils,
even when there is no outside temperature drop (here in SW
Florida, it often rains with no temperature drop). I wonder
what the difference in efficiency would be? Since my drip
drain comes out near the outside unit, I'm tempted to try to
rig something up.

Won't have any significant benefit and likely to cause problems. This
has
been discussed many, many times. Do a Google search for the discussions.

Funny, those discussions have left me with the opposite impression. Of
course, there is the caveat that the unit may not work properly with
significantly improved cooling...

sdb

--
Wanted: Omnibook 800 & accessories, cheap, working or not
sdbuse1 on mailhost bigfoot.com