Window A/C Unit Drain Question

[sciphi]

I got a Kenmore (Frigidaire) 5200 BTU window A/C unit recently, and it does not appear to have a drain. I see condensate coming outside the unit and pooling in the designed collection area, but no water is draining outside the unit. Is the water supposed to collect and evaporate during the day? Or did the factory forget to drill a drain hole?

The unit is cooling about 200 square feet at night, and it's typically very humid during the summers.

 

[Lead Shoes]

We recently bought a new window A/C and it did not have a drain on it, first run on it the water didn't drain outside, it drained inward... onto the floor... I drilled a hole in it less than 10 minutes later, haven't had a problem since..

 

[Carbon]

Newer units throw the condensation water up to the hot condenser coils outside to help cool down the coils.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: Carbon
Newer units throw the condensation water up to the hot condenser coils outside to help cool down the coils.


+1. It will work fine if you drill a hole, but works better without.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: Carbon
Newer units throw the condensation water up to the hot condenser coils outside to help cool down the coils.


That appears to be the case.

On some days, one of my office window units will overflow with condensation though. Most of the time there's just a little water in there. You can hear it splashing around by the condenser fan the water all stays in.

 

[sciphi]

Thanks for the information! The A/C will stay as it is. I didn't know that modern A/C units used the water to help themselves cool. Sounds like a slick bit of engineering, when it works as intended.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: Brenden
We recently bought a new window A/C and it did not have a drain on it, first run on it the water didn't drain outside, it drained inward... onto the floor... I drilled a hole in it less than 10 minutes later, haven't had a problem since..

As mentioned..not a god idea. The water is sloshed up on the condenser coils which aids cooling. Also the compressor discharge line runs in the water and aids in subcooling the freon gas. This line is actually called the subcoolong line. Your unit is gonna lose a lot of efficiency by drilling the hole.

Have a slope slightly down at the outside and if it is too humid to evaporate let it either overflow and go where ever or route an overflow to where it needs to go.

I recommend you make a plug for the hole and/or tape it shut. That way you can remove it to get a drain and some cleaning action

 

[JHZR2]

Interesting info... Didnt realize that is how they work. Makes sense, always wondered why it sounded like so much water was sloshing around my Freidrich window unit...

 

[Schmoe]

Originally Posted By: Carbon
Newer units throw the condensation water up to the hot condenser coils outside to help cool down the coils.


+2. My experience as well when we bought one of the same size to put in our bedroom running off a generator when we lost power when that tornado hit Chickasha OK.