Salon A/C air handler drain stopped up with catch pan overflowing

[Dune]

which results in water dripping thru the ceiling onto the salon floor on humid days. I've poked some wire into the drain connections at the pan and that doesn't help so presume the clog much be further down the hose somewhere.

I could locate where it all is supposed to drain at the boat hull fitting and perhaps back flush with garden hose/nozzle.....but oh what a mess that would make once it clears. Any other ideas ?

Just occurred to me while in there (a PITA just to get to that air handler) I should have at least disconnected the main drain line where it connects to the manifold of 4 overflow pan drain hoses coming together, to see if any water drains from the manifold, as that would pinpoint the issue better.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Clean out your drip pan thoroughly, blow out your drain line with compressed air, flush it with a water hose or shop vac it out.

Once you've done that and it's draining well, add these to your pan:

Nu-Calgon 4296-60 Pan-Treat Scum 200 Tablets - A C Pan Tablet - Amazon.com

And you could place one of these near the pan so if it overflows in the future you will know before it starts dripping from the ceiling:

The Basement Watchdog Water Alarm at Blain's Farm & Fleet


You can use one of these to blow out your drains as needed:

DiversiTech GG-1 Charles Gallo Drain Gun for A/C Condensate Lines: Compressor Drain Cleaner: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

 

[Dune]

Clean out your drip pan thoroughly, blow out your drain line with compressed air, flush it with a water hose or shop vac it out.

Once you've done that and it's draining well, add these to your pan:

Nu-Calgon 4296-60 Pan-Treat Scum 200 Tablets - A C Pan Tablet - Amazon.com

And you could place one of these near the pan so if it overflows in the future you will know before it starts dripping from the ceiling:

The Basement Watchdog Water Alarm at Blain's Farm & Fleet


You can use one of these to blow out your drains as needed:

DiversiTech GG-1 Charles Gallo Drain Gun for A/C Condensate Lines: Compressor Drain Cleaner: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Wow...interesting stuff I didn't know about. That watchdog thing reminds me the air handler for my office has a pivoting float switch that will turn off the handler if the pan level gets too high. But unless there appeared a specific alarm for that on the Cruisair SMX control one wouldn't know if that is the reason the system cut off or not.... plus there are times when it's so hot one just lets it keep going with the drips and puts out a bucket to catch them.

But the tablets and the CO2 thing sound like great ideas.

 

[meridian]

How about bromine tablets.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

How about bromine tablets.

What does bromine smell like?

 

[Shoalwaters]

If the drip-tray and louvres are well coated with accumulated crud, then the chances are the blades of the squirrel cage fan are too. Old tooth brush and spray bottle of soapy water will make the blower work much better.

 

[Dune]

If the drip-tray and louvres are well coated with accumulated crud, then the chances are the blades of the squirrel cage fan are too. Old tooth brush and spray bottle of soapy water will make the blower work much better.

Actually my squirrel cage fans are quite clean. Two units in that same box.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

If you keep a filter on the coils and keep it clean, your fan blades should stay clean as well.

 

[what_barnacles]

I would bet the a/c just drains into the bilge but regardless, rather than blowing it out and blasting everything just hook a shop vac up to the end of the line and let the vacuum pull it out.

 

[Deckape]

X2 with the shop/vac. The line has alge in it and a wire will not get it. Take the vac to the pan at the handler clean all you can then to that manifold and each line ,then to the main drain. Then take bleach 1/4cup and pour into the pans and drains follow with a cup of water. That will kill the growth and as you make water that will flush it out. Tabs will work better once you clean the system. If it drains into the bilge you might want to drain it into a shower sump or overboard and keep that bilge dry.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Read/re-read the OP, the drain lines go to a manifold then over board apparently.

 

[Deckape]

Sorry

 

[Clayton]

You can get some anti bacteria/algae tablets to keep it clear. put one or two tabs, in the pan, as far from the drain as you can.

For about $20 us you can get a device that uses a co2 cartridge to blow out the line. has a cone shaped rubber gasket you press against the drain in the pan or the drain hose and press a button.

Pick one up at any HVAC supply company.

 

[what_barnacles]

Read/re-read the OP, the drain lines go to a manifold then over board apparently.

rather than blowing it out and blasting everything just hook a shop vac up to the end of the line and let the vacuum pull it out.

Better?

 

[Forkliftt]

I would bet the a/c just drains into the bilge but regardless, rather than blowing it out and blasting everything just hook a shop vac up to the end of the line and let the vacuum pull it out.

Ditto again.


1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Twin Lehman 135's

 

[Capt.Bill11]

As I suggested in my first post, a shop vac can work just fine. But in some cases it takes more umph than a shop vac can muster to get the clog out. Plus a blast from a water hose can dislodge stuff that a shop vac might not. Also clearing with a water hose you can see that the line is clear by observing the water flow coming out the discharge end of the line.

In the end sometimes it takes a combination of methods to clear the line.

 

[Forkliftt]

Clean out your drip pan thoroughly, blow out your drain line with compressed air, flush it with a water hose or shop vac it out.

Sorry Cap'n
Missed your first mention due to "skimming, nor reading" as I should have done.


1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Twin Lehman 135's

 

[Dune]

I would bet the a/c just drains into the bilge but regardless, rather than blowing it out and blasting everything just hook a shop vac up to the end of the line and let the vacuum pull it out.

I have 5 condensers and 7 air handlers on this boat (4 of the handlers are dual systems in 2 large boxes that share the same drain pans)

I had a different one clog up recently...the one for the master stateroom....that is probably the only handler on the boat that is mounted at floor level....i.e. Below the waterline on lower level stateroom. Therefore suspect that one drains into bilge but all others are overhead and drain overboard via the hull outlets.

Anyhow, I did clear that one on Friday via shop vac as it's probably a short run of hose....the salon system is still overflowing on occasion even after shop vac action.

My question is, is the Diversitech CO2 blow gun good for more than one shot per cartridge ? Alternatively, have any of you figured out an easy way to add a hose small enough to fit in a drain opening to the end of a typical garden hose nozzle ?

================================

(on edit) Guess the below might do the trick....
http://www.amazon.com/CLOGGED-DRAINS-Simply-faucet-Powerful/dp/B00B1E12F6

 

[Capt.Bill11]

The CO2 gun is only good for a couple of good blasts or so per cartridge.

They do make female garden hose thread to male hose nipple adapters. You can also put an adapter on the end of the type of garden hose nozzle that has a threaded nose on it. That makes for a convenient on/off valve.

 

[Dune]

Yesterday I created the below for about 12 bucks, including the nozzle, from parts at Lowes. Worked great, problem solved. Only caviat is to have a shop vac handy in case the clog doesn't free up right away as the new water introduced may make matters worse temporarily.

More hose (1/4"OD) length would be 19 cents per foot, but 2 feet was plenty long for my situation.

After I was pretty sure all clogs were free I locked the nozzle in "on" position and it was nice to then walk to the exit point outside the hull and see water pouring out for final confirmation.

And of course this is mostly good for drains you know are exiting outside the boat rather than in the bilge. I knew this one was, as the AC drain fittings are labeled in the engine room.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. C. Atta boy! Necessity is the mother of...and all that.

 

[Forkliftt]

Great solution!


Forky
1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Twin Lehman 135's