Condensate removal from the outdoor unit of the air conditioner: methods of organization and the best technological solutions

The split system consists of internal and external parts. The process of operation of the device in cooling mode is accompanied by the release of liquid.Is condensation from the outdoor unit of the air conditioner not the most pleasant substance in this design? And bringing it into the premises is generally extremely undesirable, right?

There are no special technical difficulties in installing a drainage line to remove moisture. A special tube for collecting condensate is usually installed together with the outdoor unit of the split system. We will tell you about all the popular options for further arrangement of the drain.

Useful recommendations may be useful to you when monitoring contractors. Perhaps you will use our tips for making your own system for draining and recycling condensate.

Where does unnecessary liquid come from?

The air in the air conditioner is cooled by circulating refrigerant. The element of the flow pattern in which the temperature decreases is called the evaporator.

The device received this name because droplets of moisture, that is, “perspiration,” appear on its body during operation. The resulting liquid is the same condensate that requires removal from the split system unit.

Moisture is released from warm air at the moment of sudden cooling. One operating unit can accumulate up to 15-20 liters of liquid per day

Draining accumulated moisture is important for proper operation of the air conditioner. The climate control unit operates from the electrical network. As you know, water is a good electrical conductor. At high humidity there is a risk of a short circuit in the device circuit. Breakdown of expensive electrical equipment can be prevented by proper condensate drainage.

How does drainage occur in practice?

A small sociological survey conducted among air conditioner users showed interesting statistics.

To the question where do you drain the condensate, the following answers were received:

1. Just going outside – 68%;
2. To the sewer by gravity - 16%;
3. To a special drainage system – 8%;
4. What kind of condensate is this? - 8%.

Let us explain the essence of fluid dumping for the unenlightened last category of owners split systems. For those who do not know where the condensate formed in the air conditioner goes, it is useful to read the instructions for the device. It gives clear instructions for installing the drain outlet from the air conditioner unit.

The problem requires special attention in large private houses with several air conditioners in different rooms. An organized solution for condensate collection should be made at the design stage of the climate system

You should remember the peculiarities of climate control equipment that produces liquid not only during design and installation. It is also necessary to monitor the process of moisture removal when operating the air conditioner.

What is condensate?

The risk of harm to health from improper removal of evaporated moisture is much more dangerous than the threat of a split system breakdown. Although, in terms of its chemical composition, condensate is just ordinary water. But the fact is that pathogenic microbes accumulate in stagnant warm moisture.

The consequences of not draining condensate can be:

• unpleasant musty smell from the air conditioner;
• reproduction of Legionella pathogens;
• formation of various forms of mold.

It is a mistake to consider air conditioning to be the main cause of severe Legionnaires' disease. A dangerous microorganism lives in the soil, swimming pools, and decorative fountains. Wherever there is stagnant water, even in medical physiotherapy equipment, there is a risk of encountering Legionella.

Removing excess moisture from the split system is necessary for the health of your family. Constantly draining condensate will not give a chance for water stagnation to develop

The drainage system is designed to drain excess moisture. Correctly performed condensate drainage and timely maintenance make air conditioning equipment completely safe.

What methods are there for discharging water?

The cheapest option is to remove the by-product by gravity. But even in this fundamental implementation there are variations. They are located at the point where condensate is received.

The main methods of draining liquid:

1. Just take the drainage pipe outside and leave it on the wall with condensation dripping. This standard technique is used in most installed split systems.
2. Connect a long drainage hose to the outlet and collect the condensate in a container. In hot weather, you will have to monitor the filling of this drain tank, which is not entirely convenient.
3. Drain pipes can be routed into a nearby sewer pipe or sink. Such a gravity system requires strict adherence to the slope of the highway during installation.
4. Install a circuit for forced removal of moisture into the sewer using a pump. A pump is used at a considerable distance from the air conditioner to the point where condensate is released.

Air conditioning is not the cheapest of modern technological advances.Therefore, you should not skimp on proper design and installation of a drainage system waste moisture.

Collecting condensate in a plastic bottle does not require material costs. The main thing is to drain the accumulated liquid into the sewer in a timely manner.

In any case, drainage must be done correctly from the very beginning of installation of the split system. Whatever option you choose for removing condensed moisture.

Requirements for installation of drainage pipes

Air conditioner manufacturers do not recommend using electrical wiring corrugations or garden hoses in condensate drain lines. The route of the gravity condensate drainage system should not have bends or sharp turns.

Special smooth and corrugated pipes for condensate drainage have the required strength. They are made of polyethylene, polystyrene, and metal-plastic.

The drainage line parameters are as follows:

• Horizontal sections have a slope of about 3%; on turns, the maximum permissible angle is up to 45^O;
• The standard inner diameter of pipes is usually 16 mm, hoses cannot be inserted into each other;
• Tight connection of the hose to the split system unit is ensured by fitting adapters.

At the bottom of the housing of the external unit of the air conditioner there is a special hole for connecting a flexible drain pipe.

Errors when installing the drainage line are costly for the owner of the air conditioner. Improperly equipped drainage from a split system can cause flooding of the basement and lower floors of the house

For laying connecting cables and condensate drain hose between outdoor and split system indoor units a hole is made in the wall. It must be made with a slope towards the street. Even with a scheme with forced removal of liquid. After all, the pump may fail and for some time the moisture will be removed by gravity.

Discharge into the sewer system

The optimal solution is to drain the condensate into the sewer. The problem with this type of drainage is that air-conditioned residences usually do not have a drainage section.

He will tell you what to do if condensate from the air conditioning unit flows into the room being treated. next article, which we recommend reading.

The solution is one of the following options:

1. Laying a drainage pipe observing slopes to a sewerage system in another room.
2. Installation of a sewer pipe to the room in which the air conditioning unit is installed.

Choose a condensate drainage method that is acceptable to you. As a rule, labor intensity and cost of materials are lower in the first case.

Diagram of the drainage line inside the house

The outdoor unit does not produce condensate in cooling mode. Water dripping on the heads of passers-by in the hot summer from the air conditioner is collected in the indoor module. And then it is removed from a special storage bath through a drainage pipe to the outside.

But it is not at all necessary to remove the liquid to the external module of the system. The condensate collected in the room can be directed from the air conditioner into the sewer system to the nearest riser indicated in the piping diagram inside the house. The shorter the length of the drainage system section between the internal module of the split system and the sewer, the easier it will be to maintain and repair the main line.

During design and installation, a large number of turns of the condensate drain line should be avoided. It is better to make a hole in the wall when laying a line into an adjacent room

Connecting the condensate drain line to the sewer system requires knowledge and experience. If you are going to do such work yourself, consult with craftsmen who have practical experience in this field.

Installing a condensate siphon

A water seal serves as protection against the penetration of unpleasant odors from the sewer into the room. This function is performed by a conventional sewer siphon. The device is mounted at the junction of sewer and drainage pipes.

Moisture from the air conditioner first accumulates in the siphon. At a certain level of the device there is a shutter that releases liquid into the sewer. Siphons are equipped with a protective valve that protects against the penetration of odors.

According to installation methods, siphons are classified into:

• closed built into the wall;
• external open design;

Structurally, they are conventional with a water seal, ball with a rubber locking element, dry with a jet break and without this function, etc.

Built-in closed siphons have different depth dimensions. To install them in the wall, you should select a model that corresponds to specific dimensions.

External siphons made of transparent plastic are convenient, allowing you to monitor their overflow and contamination

The efficiency of a device is characterized by its throughput. Different models of siphons differ in the type of thread. Please consider this point when purchasing equipment.

Why do you need to drain into the sewer?

Connecting the drainage system with the sewer system is the most expensive option for removing condensate from a split system. But experts recommend choosing this method, despite the costs. Because he is the most correct in all respects.

The feasibility of a complex option

The first air conditioners were installed without much thought for the environment. But today environmental issues come to the fore in the technical development of society.

Expensive climate control equipment is purchased for a long service life. Your caring care will prolong his life

The health of humans and their smaller pet friends requires care. Illnesses take away energy and money for medicine. Therefore, the most expensive method of diverting the drainage line into the sewer will pay off over time due to savings on treatment.

Clean air without harmful vapors from dripping condensation is useful both in a country house and in local areas in multi-storey urban areas.

What do the rules dictate?

Discharging liquid into the sewer is only recommended, but is not prohibited by the instructions for climate control equipment. It’s just that this method is the most gentle for proper long-term operation of the device. It eliminates the dangerous consequences of the accumulation of large amounts of moisture on the air conditioner evaporator.

Constantly slipping statements about the legal requirements to install a condensate drain only in the sewer system are unfounded. Those interested can verify this by reviewing the judicial practice on claims against owners of air conditioners with gravity street condensate drains. The courts refuse to satisfy such claims as they are not justified by legislative norms.

There are local bans on the release of condensate into the atmosphere as part of decisions made by housing developments. We will not discuss the legality of such documents. As they say, the collective farm is a voluntary matter.

Building codes require condensate to be discharged into the sewer system. But compliance with SNiPs is mandatory only for new premium-class residential buildings put into operation with an installed air conditioning system

And yet there is one general prohibition that applies to any condensate drainage systems.Do not drain moisture from the air conditioner into a storm drain. This is dangerous for the equipment. Due to increased pressure during rain, water may flood the air conditioner through the drain pipe.

Disadvantages of gravity drainage to the street

A simple accessible method is used for reasons of saving time on installation and money on paying for the services of craftsmen. However, this method of removing condensate has a number of unpleasant nuances.

Water flowing out of the drain pipe:

• pollutes the facade, windows, and sometimes gets on passers-by;
• disrupts the silence of the night, spreads dangerous germs;
• slowly but surely destroys the structural elements of the building.

The sight of dirty puddles under the module does not cause aesthetic delight. The sound of drops at night may not bother you at all. But it is unknown how your sensitive neighbors in an apartment building or townhouse will react to noise.

In a private house, a hose with dripping water hanging on the wall spoils the appearance with its sloppiness. Steam particles carry organic harmful components of condensate throughout the local area

The water itself, formed from collecting condensate, is an undesirable product and requires disposal. From the point of view of hygiene, ethics, and the safety of people and pets, it is best to dispose of such waste liquid into the sewer system.

We read: Unpleasant smell when turning on the air conditioner

Causes of Drain Line Failure

The consequence of improper installation or the use of low-quality materials is condensate leakage from the drainage system. In such cases, you have to pay for additional work by specialists to eliminate defects.

The causes of the malfunction are the following:

• The hole in the wall for the drainage pipe and other connecting conductors between the outdoor and indoor units is drilled parallel to the floor, and not with a slope towards the street;
• Weak insulation or its complete absence on the freon tube causes moisture to collect on its surface and condensate to drain outside the drainage system;
• Kinks and damage to the laid drainage pipe block the path to the free or forced flow of moisture, causing overflow and leaks from the condensate drainage line.

Due to poor-quality rolling, a freon leak may occur. Then the heat exchanger freezes and moisture drains from it when the air conditioner is turned off.

The split system should not be used to heat a room when the outside temperature is below zero. With the exception of air conditioners equipped with heated drain pipe and compressor

In winter, when the air conditioner is turned on for heating, moisture from the hot air forms on the external module of the split system. The drainage tube freezes at low temperatures, and a leak appears on the entire surface of the outdoor unit.

The reasons listed are not exhaustive. Breakdowns of the drainage system and condensate leaks can also occur due to improper care and contamination of individual parts of the split system. With rules and specifics cleaning of climate control equipment The article we recommend will familiarize you with it.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Correct installation of a siphon for the drainage system for discharging condensate into the sewer system:

How not to drain condensate into the sewer system, analysis of errors in installing an air conditioner drainage system:

If the system for draining moisture from your split system does not suit those around you, think about changing the way you remove unnecessary liquid. You can independently drain condensate into the sewer system from the air conditioner drainage system or have specialists install it.

Have you already completed this task and are ready to share your practice? Tell us about the important points missed in this review of the problem of condensate drainage? We look forward to publishing your photos, questions, comments, and useful tips.