Thread: What's wrong with this picture?

What's wrong with this picture?

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Could have used a diffuser to reduce the harshness of the front lighting and could use a little fill lighting to reduce the shadows.

No water pan and drain under the air handler, and I don't think the condensate waste line should have a cap.

Originally Posted by Jim Zborowski

Could have used a diffuser to reduce the harshness of the front lighting and could use a little fill lighting to reduce the shadows.

Thanks for the photography lesson Jim. How are things in Peru these days.

Jim

I can see an external drain pan. Looks like the unit is sitting on a wooden box inside the pan. What is puzzling is that it also looks like somebody made their own drain port in the cabinet of the unit. You can see the red caps on the primary and secondary drain line and then you have the drain coming out the corner of the unit. I don't recall ever seeing it this way.

I'm attaching a diagram of a condensation drain line, it should help. The vent should be after the trap and open.

Also looks like it is leaking or condensation is forming. If it is condensation that line needs to be insulated for several feet after it leaves the unit. I can't recall the proper distance, but for some reason 3 to 6 feet is stuck in my mind.

Have seen secondary plugs as in the photo. Very common at least in my area.

Most of the manufacture installations say that a drain line is to be connected to the secondary drain. Where is that water going to drain to if the primary drain line backs up? Its going to back up into the coil box and then drain out of the evaporator coil box and then drip all over Mrs. Jones ceiling and ruin that Baby Grand Piano that has been in the family for 100 plus years and has a sedimental value of a million bucks.

What would a drain pan and a secondary line have cost at the time of installation? Maybe 35. bucks.

rick

Scott, I have been told the vent in this pic is correct. My hvac guy told me the traps tend to build algea and become clogged, so the vent is there before the trap in order to pour bleach down it periodically to keep it clear.

Originally Posted by Chris Kynard

Scott, I have been told the vent in this pic is correct. My hvac guy told me the traps tend to build algea and become clogged, so the vent is there before the trap in order to pour bleach down it periodically to keep it clear.

Chris,

Your HVAC guy is kind of right, but also wrong.

That is capped (as it should be) and is 'not a vent', it is a 'clean out access' - just remove the cap.

Now, however, a 'vent' is required on the downstream side of the trap.

There is no pan 'under' the AHU.

There is no secondary condensate drain, that opening is plugged. That will lead to overflowing into the unit, which will soak and wet the insulation, rendering the insulation useless, and, in time, rust the unit out from the inside.

There is something metallic down there, it looks like an 'L' base flashing ... or ... is that the perimeter of the pan and all that non-treated wood is setting down in the pan?

If that is a pan, then it answers my nest question: What is that other condensate line near the top of the photo for?

Assuming it is a pan - there are many things wrong, which I covered above.

Originally Posted by Rick Hurst

Where is that water going to drain to if the primary drain line backs up? rick

The OSB's going to absorb all the water. Isn't that what OSB does?

Another question.....What is that PVC line farther towards the back? Do you think it's the drain line for the pan? Maybe!

You can see the red caps on the primary and secondary drain line and then you have the drain coming out the corner of the unit. I don't recall ever seeing it this way.

Scott, the three condensate ports are so the unit can be installed vertical or horizontal. You have to have installation instructions or look inside to determine primary & secondary.

Also looks like it is leaking or condensation is forming. If it is condensation that line needs to be insulated for several feet after it leaves the unit. I can't recall the proper distance, but for some reason 3 to 6 feet is stuck in my mind.

The trap is sweating and not above the auxiliary drain pan. It should be insulated either way (just the trap) but I only call it out if not over the pan. The trap is not deep enough by the pic to meet code as I remember it; I think it has to be 3" deep.

Jerry is right about it being a cleanout and needs a cap. The manufactures normally state that a vent is only required if local code requires it. If you think about it, the 3/4" drain line is never going to be full of condensate to siphon the trap so the only reason to vent is to comply with code. But then the only real reason to trap it in the first place is if it is a heat-pump. (negative pressure) Not sure but I think the manufactures began requiring all condensate lines to be trapped because so many of the installers could not figure out which was which, so just trap them all!

The wood support screams DIY job, as no HVAC installer would take the time to build it. Just use 4 4x8x16 blocks instead. This would make me look harder at the whole installation.

Pretty wet, actually......river is up 8' and rising. In fact, they're pumping water out of the power station, have water over the railroad tracks, and NOW they're saying flood watch. Go figure.

Originally Posted by Jim Zborowski

NOW they're saying flood watch. Go figure.

Jim,

I think you misunderstood what they were saying ... not "flood watch", "watch the flood" ...

Hope you stay dry enough.