AC condenser drain. How to clean out?

[Texan-in-Training]

As a builder, I put that required outside overflow pipe in a location that can't be missed; often joking with the buyer that there will come a time when you will thank me for putting it over the front door, and dripping on your head when you walk out when there is a problem ... a lot less of of an unsightly inconvenience than replacing a ceiling.QUOTE]


Our auxiliary drain from the pan dumps out of the patio ceiling outside the back door. It's saved us more than once.

 

[karlac]

Our auxiliary drain from the pan dumps out of the patio ceiling outside the back door. It's saved us more than once.

Yep ... I was just joking about over the front door, but I do locate it where it's hard to miss if it's dripping - on the driveway side of the house, or like your's, over the back door, or above a kitchen window.

 

[Lunyfringe]

karlac nailed it- The right way to do this with a traditional air handler is the primary condensate line that drains somewhere at least somewhat noticeable, but not annoying or where it can cause damage... then a drip pan that drains somewhere VERY obvious, preferably with a moisture detection alarm wired on it... so when the primary is clogged, you get an alarm when water hits the backup... even if that's just the drips from the backup dropping on the front door mat.

Condensate drains should NEVER be plumbed into vent plumbing, they can be plumbed before a trap (like the overflow pipe on a tub, or into a sink with the P-trap below it would be acceptable) Otherwise, you have a direct path for septic gases to be drawn into the HVAC (yuck).

I'm finishing install of ductless mini-split on our guest house... these indoor units don't have a backup drain- the indoor wall unit would just leak into the room (obvious enough)... I plumbed the primary condensate drains to the outdoor unit, same place the outdoor unit will drain when in heating mode.