Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine May 2024

HVACR NewsMagazine May 2024

Tech News

plenum, soaking the insulation and causing water to drip .

Could the contactor be getting stuck closed, causing the system to freeze up on the off cycle? Water that has run down and dried up often leaves mineral stains or trails. Sometimes following these mineral deposits can help you find the source of a leak. Is the system old or brand new? Is the water issue constant or infrequent? What patterns or correlations are there between runtime/weather and the drain issues? Have any changes been made recently? Ultimately, you may have to make some changes to the system, such as leveling or setting the system up as designed, before you can find the root cause. Bizarre water drips and leaks can be frustrating. Communicate with the customer about your findings. I find it best to keep my recommendations for repair conservative unless I have a high level of confidence that I have found the root problem causing the water leak. As always we appreciate Brian Orr and HVAC School For Techs by techs for sharing their excellent articles and encourage our readers to subscribe to their site at https://hvacrschool.com/start/

Test the System Run the system under the conditions it was in when you arrived. Check the refrigerant pressures. Could the system have frozen up? Check the refrigerant charge and airflow. Coils with ice on them “grow” ice in places where the drain pan wasn’t designed to c atch the water. If there is a brand new filter in the unit, ask if it was replaced recently. Are the fins damaged, causing water to pool and drip off rather than run into the pan? Is the drain line cracked or not glued? Run some water down the drain line. It may be clear now, but it could have a partial restriction that drains on the off cycle. If the drain is backing up and there isn’t a float switch on the system, where is the water going to end up? Without a secondary drain, the water will end up filling the air handler or plenums. That could be the source of your problem.

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