10 Methods to Clean Condensate Drains/Traps on Air Conditioners!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ส.ค. 2022
- In this HVAC Training Video, I Show 10 Ways to Clean Out Drain Lines and Condensate Traps on Air Conditioning Systems in under 1 minute! Supervision is needed by a licensed HVACR Tech while performing tasks as Experience and Apprenticeship garners Wisdom and Safety. #shorts
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Our Related Articles/Videos
• Video
• Does a Wall Mounted MI...
• HVAC Condensate Safety...
• Why a Condensate Trap ...
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Our HVACR Educational Books, E-Books, Workbooks, Cards, Posters, and PowerPoints:
All Our Educational Products on Our Site: www.acservicetech.com/store
All Our Educational Products on Amazon: amzn.to/48pDd82
Mini Split Book and E-Book on Our Site- www.acservicetech.com/mini-sp...
Mini Split Paperback on Amazon- amzn.to/3ytHJSs
Mini Split Paperback on TruTech Tools- www.trutechtools.com/BooksGui...
Refrigerant Charging Book and E-Book: www.acservicetech.com/ac-book
Refrigerant Charging Paperback on Amazon: amzn.to/46xTeHf
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Our HVACR Online Resources!
Our HVAC Calculators: www.acservicetech.com/hvac-ca...
Our Newest Articles: www.acservicetech.com/articles
Try our HVAC/R Quizzes! www.acservicetech.com/quizzes
Our Other Resources: www.acservicetech.com/resources
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Tools Used in Our Videos!
Tool Links on Our Site: www.acservicetech.com/tools
Our Tool List on Amazon: www.amazon.com/shop/acservice...
Support the Channel by purchasing tools through TruTech Tools!
Use this link www.trutechtools.com/?aff=8
Save 8% at checkout using code "acservicetech"
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Follow Us On Our Social Media & Podcasting Channels!
Patreon: / acservicetech
Facebook: / acservicetech
Instagram: / acservicetech
X: / acservicetech
LinkedIn: / ac-service-tech-llc
Tiktok: / acservicetech
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/74KXLz5...
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Information in this video is intended for educational purposes only. Any work related to the topics in this video should be performed by licensed technicians or by apprentices under the supervision of licensed technicians. AC Service Tech LLC is not responsible for any possible damages or injuries caused by the use or misuse of any information provided.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
#worklife #life #hvacwork #hvactraining #hvacstruggles #hvaclife #hvacadvice #hvacr #smallbuisnessowner #smallbusiness #christmas #holidays #holidaywork #struggle
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Shop through Amazon! Your Purchases through Amazon provide a means for channels such as mine to earn advertising fees from all purchases after clicking through. Prices are the same as normal.
Thanks for not wasting time talking about your daily life and sponsors. Thumbs up
I don't know who you are, but I cannot thank you enough for this short video
So glad it was so helpful for you!
Finally an HVAC tech who understands physics!
FINALLY a video that is quick, concise and provides the needed info to get the job done! THANK YOU!!! (info demonstrated without hours of blah, blah, blah) NICE WORK !!
I'm glad it helped!
Very Informative! 30 PSI for the win!
This fixed my problem AFTER I told the hvac dude something was not right , he said that's not it you need a thermostat
I am not a happy customer & and he's coming back to find out .
I really like the shop vac methods. I gotta make me one of those 90° attachments
Really GOOD Video
This video is AWESOME! So simple and SO MANY PEOPLE forget to clear that line. Thank you for sharing this info (especially noting the PSI when blowing out the line!)
Regular flushing of drain lines usually minimizes stop ups
Who else in from Florida?
Me
😝
This guy is not in Florida! Ours is so clogged it is like rubber. The entire line is full of this rubber like fungus. We need rotor router. It is usually thick, like snot, but we can suck it out with our shop vacuum outside.
GREAT INFORMATION!!!!!!!!+
THANKS!
I don't like to add pressurized to the drain lines in case a fitting wasn't glued between the walls. Although I will try a pump down sprayer with water through a copper liquid line and a cone stopper from the top and a Shop-Vac from the outlet. Because if that doesn't work it needs to be ran outside anyways into an ac French drain with the pea pebbles
I've successfully used a drain snake (as used by plumbers) to clear out the AC drain line.
Cool!
Sometimes that forces bad PVC connections out of joint and to disconnect. Glad to hear you didn't experience such! Thanks for sharing!
@@algallegoreally? It’s so small . Almost like the one he uses in video.
Amazon sells an attachment for your shop vac that has a series of steps to fit various hose and pipe sizes.
Link to amazon’s?
@@FernandoRodriguez-ds5ri ... search "vacuum attachments" and pick the one you like. As I recall, they are $10 - $20.
I rigged up a couple of ball valves and a quick connect fitting, so I could hook up an airhose, isolate the condensate pan in the a/c, and blow out the line.
Make your own video and post it here
Do u have to poor back clean water into the trap?
Great idea 💡👍
Thank you!
Why add water back in the p-trap?
That blocks the air. Look up "acservicetech condensate" for videos on the subject of why!
Nice job.
Method 10 is my nemesis. Can’t seem to fit anything in there because the coil is in the way.
vent needed after the trap
I do 7 it works most the time
Like an episode of project farm. I love it.
Master!!!
Method 1 is the only one you need
What clogs condensation pipes is it hard water or dirt ?
I do not have a cleaning trap, but there is a safe T float that is parallel that does not connect to the condensate drain but rather is right in the side of the air handler. Can’t find any videos on how to clean…
My line doesn't have any access points on it so I just pull it out of the pump and either use the vac.... Or if it's buried in the garage I use a 2 liter pop bottle. Either fill with water and squeeze or squeeze and slip on the end and let it reexpand.
Or you can use a gallon of hot tap water and pour it in the drain while your vacuum is connected outside. The hot water breaks up the algae. Then lastly be sure to clean the drain pan.
What if my unit doesn’t have a “p trap” but has a bunch of 90 degree elbows? I don’t know who put the plumbing together for the drain on our ac unit, but it’s a doozy and I’m having trouble clearing the clog. I do have some tools coming that I ordered from Amazon. The person who installed the pvc drain line glued it all together VERY well, so I’m not able to take it apart to clean the pipes by hand. Oh, and I already did/tried the shop vac method…didn’t budge the clog. 🤷♀️
Thanks you ! You just saved me from calling a technician
Hey wat if that doesn't work I tried everything????? Please help 🛑
Why do you need to do that and how often should it be done?
My drain doesn’t have a cap. Should i buy one?
Most important and basic one for any technician that's been in the field over 20 years the Gallo gun compressed CO2 in a little cartridge creates roughly 300 to 600 psi instantly, that's first also traps don't get filled on furnace it's positive pressure only heat pump with negative pressure get water, there shouldn't be a trap on a furnace positive system
What in the fk are you talking about? A furnace always has a trap. If not it can mess with the pressure switch cause it to open and fault out. You must be a southern tech. Obviously don't know jack about a gas furnace.
Code here still requires a trap. Nc
I just turn off the unit entirely, pour white vinegar into the tube and let it sit for 30+ minutes. Then I just pour some hot water in the tube and clear it out. Works like a charm and for sinks too instead of using Drano or anything like that
Air compressor is definitely the fastest and easiest.
nice!
AC fixed. Damn that was so quick and so satisfying.
I was just wondering if there’s another way to clear condensate drains instead of using CO2 cartridges. Thanks bud 👏
I love my mini nitrogen blow gun if I'm not using a vac. Just more use time than a Gallo gun, and cheaper than co2 cartridges
Can any smell get in? Mine is high, but room smells a slightly chemical. The ones I used to clean dog pee in the room. I'm wondering if the humidity caused by this entrance line can be making it worse.
When cleaning a clogged Ac drain line inside the house ,do i connect my Wet/Dry Vac to the Safety T Switch or connect to the pipe where i pour my monthly vinegar. Thank you, Blessings to you and your family.😊🙏🏾
Monthly vinegar? As an algae beater? Where do you put it?! I’m SUPER excited to hear this!
I notice the pump's opening are covered, all those pvc vents are covered as well. Sadly to say 3 technicians and nobody has offered to the maintenance, nor even $$.
Nice methods! Yeh nitrogen. Same people that fill their car tires with it
What about if it's a metal p trap
I tried using compressed air throttled down to what said was 30psi.. well it was 30psi to open air but when it pushed the crap into one spot and stopped the line up it went up to 90psi and ended up painting the neighbors house with what looked like a highly pressurized taco bell shart.. the drain is also penetrates the exterior wall at 2 stories up in the air. That 90 after the penetration apparently was not glued so it came off.. and the shart stain is 2 stories up in the air which makes it even more visible to anybody who looks up:. Luckily my neighbor doesnt ever look up or at least hasent in a year.. or they just dont want to say anything.. lol. Picasso..
I like to refill the trap with 20 ounces of
Nu-brite for good measure
I don’t think I have ever seen a p trap on a unit. Just straight draining in the yard.
P-trap is important in the case blower is pulling air across the evaporator because in this case air will be sucked inward due to negative pressure and condensate cannot drain while the blower is running. This will cause condensate water spillage from the air handler.
P-trap is unnecessary if blower is pushing air across the evaporator, creating a positive pressure in the condensate drain.
The p-trap is usually located indoors directly next to the air handler so it's not damaged in freezing weather.
Bro blow it out with the nitro tank with the proper hose. Easy less than a minute. The vacuum doesn’t work all the time and the pressure from the tank will provide more than enough
Agreed
I watch this video three minutes later my AC drip pan stop dripping
last guy that was here for this work said I can use hydrogen peroxide + half cup water and pour it inside to keep it clean. how often do I gotta do that if its a good idea?
Too bad that only two of these would partially work on our system, and the other one that does is impossible to reach around the access door
If there is lots of thick build-up, how to you get them completely clear? Hydrojet?
Get some drain solve
@@jamarrrr I searched and found two brands; Nu-Calgon and Nyco. Which one?
Nu-Calgon
You don’t need a lot, it’s very concentrated …and wear gloves
Great job, thank u for share your knoeledge😎🙂👍😎
100 psi of nitrogen
So, you see how he keeps specifying 30psi on the blow out pressure? And you see in the comment section how they're saying to get the capsule gun that goes up to 300+ psi... lol
Also notice how there's a thread questioning if you even should glue the drain lines? Lol
This is why I don't blow out systems. Too many bad installers which can cause internal water damage from pipes coming apart.
You got it!!! Thats why I don't ever say to use those drain guns! You would be asking for trouble, thanks!
My condensate lines are open before and after the p trap via 12” risers. I always thought that was weird but the techs that put in the new system said its suppose to be like that?…
Good idea I think as long as the one between evap and trap is capped tight. Depending on positive or negative pressure don’t want cool air being lost or warm air being sucked in
does distilled vinegar work down the drain?
Swoosh cartridges?
The best
He just gave us a couple weird ways that he created lol
Nitrogen shop vac and bleach I believe is all it should take to clean most drain lines
Not in Florida lol
Lmao I’m thinking the same over here in Louisiana. Gotta blast that thing
What is your opinion on hoses being used instead of pvc??
This!
Hoses have the potential to sag and create an uneven drain line. PVC being stiff can still sag, but with the correct supports it will retain the downward pitch. You can do either as long as you install it correctly. Example, putting evenly spaced supports and making sure you are dropping 1/4" per foot. Just be careful using these drain clearing methods because not all hoses are pressure rated.
This usually fixes the problem but this time even though we did it it’s still leaking and it’s leaking pretty badly does anyone know why or anything I can do. It seems like my pipes are not in the open like this
Did you ever come up with a solution?
If you live in a 2 story home, the pipe will also drain to one of your sinks in the restroom. If so, maybe you have to unclog that drain/sink.
Good video. What happens if trap is not cleaned?
Water will start filling up in the drain pan and start leaking down into the space.
@@paulcrandall2534 Thanks for the clarification. Appreciate.
How warm should the air be coming out of vent of electric a/c in winter time?
Only going to get to 80's or 90's you are around 99 body temp, might feel a bit cool to touch for electric only heating.
Do you need to shut off ac power before doing this
It helps but not necessarily needed. If you leave it on the water coming out may complicate things I left my 90 deg pvc coming out of evap unglued so I can remove easily and blow or vacuum both ways. So leaving it on for me water would be coming out. No big deal.
Legionella.
On method #9 you used an air compressor nozzle with a nitrogen tank. What kind of adapter did you use to connect the two?
It's a air tip home Depot near air tools
Just buy a Gallo gun you don't need the nitrogen tank or buying all those after parts you can probably get one on Amazon for 15 to 20 bucks
The air blow gun is 1/4" npt threads, and it looks like the hose is an AC service connector, so it would need a service connector to 1/4" pipe thread adapter.
The regulator probably has a 1/4" npt port on it that the AC service fitting is screwed into, so you could also just put an air hose quick coupling directly into the regulator if you only used it for this sort of thing.
I have a 20 pound co2 bottle and a regulator set up for this sort of thing, running air tools, inflating jeep tires, etc. Quite handy!
But as an ac tech, he's going to have the nitrogen bottle in his van anyway.
Do you have any suggestions or a video on how to clean the drain pan before the pvc traps? Thank you
I just always use a hose with a spray nozzle and maybe a scrubby brush if it's really bad. They make drain pan tablets that help prevent the nasty build up. Just toss a few of those in and you're good.
why fill the p trap with water when ur done? someone please tell me
If the trap is on the return then it needs to have water or it will not drain properly, as for the supply idk it’s just how it is
What if you are on the 15th floor?
Put a firecracker down the pipe and quit put the cap on
Hit it with a Gallo gun charge from the outside. No need to overthink it.
So blow it all back in the drain pan?? Alright bud
I just get the water hose with a pvc fitting attached to it and blow the drains out with full water pressure.
But is your AC still running?
Fill back up with water 🤷🏿♂️
Why?
Why fill it with water ?
Back pressure. Also If it happens to be connected to the sewer, sewer gas will leakout. If you leave the trap dry, water will splash out-of the pan
I think I would fill it with vinegar and water on a strong side of vinegar
How much water should go in there?
TL;DR: it’s hot my 25 y/o apartment unit sucks. Just read it and help me please. lol.
I’ve lived in a 25ish year old apartment for my second summer. With the original AC unit inside and out. The tenants before us (here for 3ish year) apparently never changed the filter and when they moved “a lot of work was done to make it (the AC) work again” 🤨 I swear we are still dealing with the consequences in our second summer.
As soon as the temp hits 95° we start having issues. I shopvac the drip tray every couple filter changes (45 days max between changes cause, Life)
I still get clogs in the drain pipe and by 8:00pm it’s over 80° in here. Which isn’t pretty when one has hot flashes.🤬
What else can I do? where else can I shop vac from? I do the drip tray inside but can’t get to the outside pipe with the vac.
There's something clogging it further down. Try one of these methods in the video. If you don't have access to compressed air, you should probably call someone
How can we prevent drying water in drain pipe while unit is off? Very often my customers turn off their units and start its when water had dry. Don't ask my why do they do it...it's mystery.
Thanks for response.
You can't typically if it's a heat pump and they have a trap you want the water to stay in there to stop the air from getting sucked into the unit and preventing it from draining you could tell them to do a mixture of CLR or bleach and leave that in the trap to stop bacteria growth
It should be fine. When the unit satisfies, that water will fill the trap then. I always wondered this for RTUs that have been using heat all winter. And then in the spring when AC is used, the trap is initially empty.
What happens when u don't fill the trap back up with water
The AC will catch fire and burn your house down. No seriously, The weight of the water in the trap draws the condensation out or otherwise it might not drain right and you will hear gurgling in your condenser causing it to leak inside.
@@yorselrus1996 no lol that’s not a thing
@@yorselrus1996 the only time the trap helps with draining is when the drain is on the return side so it gets sucked back in
30psi. Oops my 120 psi might have been over kill
Should there be water in the drain pan? Should I drain it out?
You should not have any water in the exterior secondary pan. If you do, that signals that you have a problem, thanks!
What could be the reason for this? It’s not draining out and that’s why collecting in pan?
😂. Assuming the installer every added a trap must less a clean out.
Why all the AC drain lines are 3/4 inch?
I have replaced to 1 inch PVC pipe and that'll solve all the problems...as simple is that...
Doesn't really matter about the size as long as it continuously drains for the tonnage of the unit it's about the static pressure that's what the trap size is set for you need to know what your ducks static pressure is in over order to overcome that pressure and have the water run out you could run a half inch if you wanted my units that I work on typically or 4 in
@@keepthinking2666 could you put that in equation form? 😅
Does the condensate pump require maintenance?
Two shots of bleach or white vinegar every 3-4 months
@@DaCheapChimp So, do that at a filter change.
Just use a Mighty Pump. It's around $100.00 and you don't have to do all this.
I'm not carrying all that stuff up to a roof to clear out a p-trap on a rtu.
Why the water?
That blocks the air. Look up "acservicetech condensate" for videos on the subject of why!
Need to refill the trap to keep the seal.
What is recommended for homeowner to put in the drain. I hear bleach is bad.
Why is bleach bad?
Use rubbing alcohol, it’s easier on condensate pumps...
@@em4717 I am guessing the fumes and even back flow into the pan results in your pan rusting out.
@@johnwayne2260 I don't have a pump
But interesting
Got it 👍🏽
Why nitrogen?
Consider it to be a portable, high-pressure air tank - - small and no electricity needed. Any high-pressure gas would work the same.
Or just straight pipe it because traps on condensation lines make absolutely no sense whatsoever
Talk about many ways to skin a cat
Why do they glue the PVC pipes?? Is it necessary since there's no pressure on the pipes?
To prevent leaks…
To be honest you only glue certain sections the rest of it is so tight it doesn't really matter and on a lot of the systems you wanted to be unglued because you'll have to disassemble it in order to take the cover off and clean the evaporator coil as well as the drain seasonally also sometimes idiots that install units will drop the drain line right in front of the filter door
@@keepthinking2666 exactly my thought. I had to cut a bunch of pipes because it was glued for no real reason. There's no pressure so why not use couplers with rubber gaskets? Or drain hose with a clamp? Would save so much time
It should be glued so or doesn't come apart and flood the attic. Use a union for easy access..
Fill the trap back up? For real? Why?
Water will splash out the pan. Duh.
The trap is necessary for water to drain out of the pan if the evaporator is on the return side of the blower motor. The blower motor will pull air through the drain line and prevent water from draining.
Most of the time the system will satisfy the thermostat and shut off before the pan overfills. And then after the blower shuts off the water that was getting held back drains and will fill the trap. But it is possible for the pan to overfill before that it satisfies. Its good practice for a service tech to fill the trap. The last thing you want is to have a pissed off customer because they got water everywhere.
How do you know when it’s clogged BEfORE it becomes a problem? It leaks thru the wooden box in the garage all over the garage floor, the unit sits on and then I know it times to clear the condensation, how do I catch it before it leaks? Is there a sensor light I can buy they tells me it’s backing up? Once the water is all over the garage floor it’s to late..
Dam I forgot to put the cap back on duh 🙄
Those pipes will freeze and burst in the winter time
Not if they’re pitched properly
No they wont. I live in a state that frequently gets to below zero Fahrenheit. Its common on commercial applications for the trap to be completely outside and they never crack. Water expands when it freezes. As long as there is room for expansion it will not crack. The trap is open on both ends giving two places for the water to expand into.
Then add bleach
Call the plumber.