HVAC help - drain line.

[Sikon]

I’ve never done much with hvac. Need a little help. 

Last night my sons room started leaking water out of the vent. I went into the attic and the ac drain line was blowing a LOT of air and a little water out of the T break. The T break does not have a cap on it. I’m thinking it should? Not glued, but something? And how much air normally blows through this? Seems like more than it should be.
 

Also, from what I’ve researched so far.. it looks like the installed the P trap after the T break.. is that wrong? Bad install maybe? 
 

I had the system replaced maybe 6 years ago. I haven’t noticed this issue until now. 

 

In the picture below, the P trap is at the bottom of the 2nd line, near the plywood. Then below that is my sons ceiling, which had a good amount of water on it.. also the vent is just right of this picture.. hence the water leaking from it.
 

 

Edited June 2, 2022 by Sikon

[bds1961]

You don’t want to cap that   It’s the breather for the drain. More than likely you have a build up of slime mold or some other crap in the drain line from the constant water that pass’s through it keeping it moist for growth.  Take a wet dry vacuum and go to where it exits the house and use the vacuum to suck it clean.   After that there are some treatments just for that issue.  Also another way is to use compressed air with a short burst blowing back up into the line from where it exits the house.  Don’t do that to hard though all the built up water in the line will blow back into the pan and attic.  This is a very common problem 

[BUDMAN]

little bleach every time you replace the filter. You can also install a cut off switch to prevent the AC from running when the drain stops  up

Edited June 2, 2022 by BUDMAN

[Sikon]

So, this happened a month ago as well. From what I read I assumed it was just clogged too. I have a cheap 4hp 10-gallon shop vac and made it airtight on the outside drain. a small amount of water came out. Tired it this time and nothing came out. I used a makeshift drain snake, then stick it down the T break. fished it well passed the P trap.. pulled out and it wasn't even wet. 

It seems like the amount of air blowing out of the T break is so fast.. it just blows the condensation right out of it. 

After I pick my kid up from school I'll go up there and make a video..

Edit.. As far as the compressed air.. I seen there was a $45-$55 Co2 tool that helps break things loose in the pipe. I kind of want to go pick one of those up in the future. 

Edited June 2, 2022 by Sikon

[bds1961]

37 minutes ago, Sikon said:

So, this happened a month ago as well. From what I read I assumed it was just clogged too. I have a cheap 4hp 10-gallon shop vac and made it airtight on the outside drain. a small amount of water came out. Tired it this time and nothing came out. I used a makeshift drain snake, then stick it down the T break. fished it well passed the P trap.. pulled out and it wasn't even wet. 

It seems like the amount of air blowing out of the T break is so fast.. it just blows the condensation right out of it. 

After I pick my kid up from school I'll go up there and make a video..

Edit.. As far as the compressed air.. I seen there was a $45-$55 Co2 tool that helps break things loose in the pipe. I kind of want to go pick one of those up in the future. 

Chance are the lateral run as it exits the house has a dip in the pipe allowing the water to build up. Over time it also collects a bit of dirt eventually plugging it up.  One of the last things to check s to see if you have a air tight house that is creating a vacuum in that area and just flat out sucking the water back up through the pipe.  Can always shut the system off and pour hot water into that tee and see if it makes it all the way out of the pipe to the outside 

[Sikon]

It’s kind of hard to hear with the rest of the system running.

 

 

[Sikon]

Also, I covered the hole and had my son check to see if there was air coming out of the drain outside and there was. I dunno how much being I was in the attic tho.

[bds1961]

1 minute ago, Sikon said:

It’s kind of hard to hear with the rest of the system running.

 

 

It sounds like the line is plugged up down stream.  That’s just the air from the plenum escaping through that pipe.  

[Sikon]

1 minute ago, bds1961 said:

It sounds like the line is plugged up down stream.  That’s just the air from the plenum escaping through that pipe.  

So would I just run a snake through the drain line then? 
 

I seen one video where they cut it a few feet after the P trap, then ran a snake both way?

[bds1961]

4 minutes ago, Sikon said:

So would I just run a snake through the drain line then? 
 

I seen one video where they cut it a few feet after the P trap, then ran a snake both way?

In some of my problem facilities we would cut the line and put a union in that could be opened any time needed.   

[bds1961]

I didn’t catch the one post where you said you plugged the tee and your son heard the air coming out down below.  If it’s clear and blowing through like that extend that tee pipe up and increase it’s diameter so the water can separate out   Also it almost sounds like the plenum is at a higher pressure than a typical system.  Make sure all the vents in the House are open and not restricting the air flow and creating to much back pressure in the system.  

[Sikon]

2 hours ago, bds1961 said:

I didn’t catch the one post where you said you plugged the tee and your son heard the air coming out down below.  If it’s clear and blowing through like that extend that tee pipe up and increase it’s diameter so the water can separate out   Also it almost sounds like the plenum is at a higher pressure than a typical system.  Make sure all the vents in the House are open and not restricting the air flow and creating to much back pressure in the system.  

Okay, thinking about it.. about 6 or 8 months ago I replaced the dampers. One went out and just moved freely. So, I replaced both of them. I made them open and close according to what zone we wanted to come on. So one open, one closed at any given time that the air is one.  (Upstairs/downstairs)
 

Should I just make it so they both open to reduce the pressure until I can have someone come out and figure out what’s going on with it? Theoretically that should reduce the pressure enough to fix this issue?

[bds1961]

I would open them up and see if it helps.   In my house I have some tight rooms, if there doors are closed it throws off the air balance in my house big time.   It makes the heating or cooling un even 

[McGrim]

13 hours ago, Sikon said:

I’ve never done much with hvac. Need a little help. 

Last night my sons room started leaking water out of the vent. I went into the attic and the ac drain line was blowing a LOT of air and a little water out of the T break. The T break does not have a cap on it. I’m thinking it should? Not glued, but something? And how much air normally blows through this? Seems like more than it should be.
 

Also, from what I’ve researched so far.. it looks like the installed the P trap after the T break.. is that wrong? Bad install maybe? 
 

I had the system replaced maybe 6 years ago. I haven’t noticed this issue until now. 

 

In the picture below, the P trap is at the bottom of the 2nd line, near the plywood. Then below that is my sons ceiling, which had a good amount of water on it.. also the vent is just right of this picture.. hence the water leaking from it.
 

 

Hi more than likely its clogged with sludge (slime) best ways to mitigate this problem are the following 

1. a little chlorine on a regular scheduled will help keep clean 

2. Compressed air blown directly into pipe always works

3. High pressure water hose jet nozzle attached to standard garden hose using a rubber sleave hose section over PVC as a coupling also works well you should see a lot of slime come out somewhere in the yard.

4. They sell a float sensor that goes attached to Tee that prevents the leaking and flooding issues by shutting down AC

If you need instructions or pics I can always send them to you 

Edited June 3, 2022 by McGrim

[Sikon]

I opened both zones. Seemed to still have enough pressure to blow out the condensation. That’s just with zone 2 turned on for upstairs. Was kind of funny.. I was about to say turn it off, then my wife says, ‘what if we turn both zones on?’. Before I could respond it kicks on.. I just smiled and asked her to shut it down. 🫣

I’ll try and get a snake tomorrow and see what I can do. 
 

I just looked up the warranty information and have one more year left. May give them a call tomorrow too.

[KaptCrunch]

sounds if  2 problems 

1)clogged drain

sagging pipe making a trap. go to black poly pipe 1" drain for can make more slope ...straight down 

2)air pressure / balance

in plenum  for dampers are shut , may have to install a 2 speed motor, full when dampers open  and closed  slower speed

note:  if compresser running and no  air flow  through plenum will make lots of water

Edited June 3, 2022 by KaptCrunch

[KaptCrunch]

another note 

3) system may be over charged frosting up or dirty Evap needs cleaning for the air is going around not through Evap

Edited June 3, 2022 by KaptCrunch

[KaptCrunch]

@Sourtap 

I think Sikon  needs your finger at his house to stop the leaking A/C 

hope you not mind cold water   

[Sikon]

So, I called the people that installed the system and they outsource med the work to another company. Which is fine.. but they can put and only looked at the drain line and said I should cap it with a small hole drilled in it. Didn’t charge me and left. Judging from what he said, all he did was look at the drain line.

where as they might work, doesn’t explain why it just started after 4.5 years of the system being installed.
 

Think I need to call a more reputable company.

[KaptCrunch]

the hole should  been there when they installed unit.

looking  towards a dirty Evap if water pissing out of drill hole or cloggrd drain  .  monitor   drilled hole with a container/dish below to collect any signs of water. if a inspection hole is on plenum, can rent a cam on a wire to inspect Evap condition 

 

[KaptCrunch]

if were me i make a self siphon drain 

with the 1/8th hole on top of T  6 inches above holes out of plenum

Edited June 9, 2022 by KaptCrunch

[Sikon]

I went and got a cap I’ll drill out.. see if that will solve the issue even if it’s temporary until I have someone else come look at it.