Trane Air Handler Leaking Condensate

The air handler is a vertical install, on a stand, with free air return, in a closet equipped with louver bi-fold doors. The install is about 4-years old. The owner is using 1" thick pleated filters, installed in the air handler filter rack (not in the stand rack); he is also using Web-brand filters behind the face of all supply grills. I first answered a "water leaking from air handler" complaint a couple of days ago, but the customer has now called stating the air handler is, again, leaking water... the water leak is from the right hand side, about half-way back from the lower edge of the cabinet. The condensate safety switch is installed correctly, with the switch chamber residing lower than the air handler overflow outlet; the system is NOT collecting water in the switch chamber. During the first service, I cut the drain line adjacent to the air handler and wet vacuumed in both directions (towards the air handler and towards the drain outlet... the drain is absolutely clear. I'm going back later today to recheck everything; I'll be pulling the male adaptor, from the AH main drain outlet, to verify no buildup at pan outlet; I will also recheck the leveling of the air handler; look from underneath for a cracked pan, and re-verifying there is no double-trapping going on (there IS a P-Trap correctly installed). I'm wondering if the owner's handy-dandy grill outlet filters can be messing with the static pressure within the air handler, thus preventing proper drainage. Other ideas?

upflow or downflow?

Sorry, it an upflow install.

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Originally Posted by Mike M2

The air handler is a vertical install, on a stand, with free air return, in a closet equipped with louver bi-fold doors. The install is about 4-years old. The owner is using 1" thick pleated filters, installed in the air handler filter rack (not in the stand rack); he is also using Web-brand filters behind the face of all supply grills. I first answered a "water leaking from air handler" complaint a couple of days ago, but the customer has now called stating the air handler is, again, leaking water... the water leak is from the right hand side, about half-way back from the lower edge of the cabinet. The condensate safety switch is installed correctly, with the switch chamber residing lower than the air handler overflow outlet; the system is NOT collecting water in the switch chamber. During the first service, I cut the drain line adjacent to the air handler and wet vacuumed in both directions (towards the air handler and towards the drain outlet... the drain is absolutely clear. I'm going back later today to recheck everything; I'll be pulling the male adaptor, from the AH main drain outlet, to verify no buildup at pan outlet; I will also recheck the leveling of the air handler; look from underneath for a cracked pan, and re-verifying there is no double-trapping going on (there IS a P-Trap correctly installed). I'm wondering if the owner's handy-dandy grill outlet filters can be messing with the static pressure within the air handler, thus preventing proper drainage. Other ideas?

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Yup, time to break out the manometer. Don't worry because it won't be long and it will stop leaking due to bad valves in the compressor!:whistle:

Seriously check your static and compare it to the AH specs and I'm sure you will have your answer.

PS, give a model number and I'll get those specs for you.

Sorry,coil in supply or return if in supply take trap out don't need it.

you sure you dont have a negitive vacume in the trap the trap has to be full of water to stop it from sucking air in and causing water to splash over the side of the drain pan, thats why we ut traps in the air handlers and they need to be wet ie full of water if they are not the system won't drain , if this person just started useing there ac the trap may have dryed up during the winter. if the pan is plastic and onley a few years old it may not be cracked id may be just a dry trap check it out ,,

Went back and pulled made adaptor: drain outlet cracked allowing water to leak from around pipe threads. Air handler slightly tipped backwards and leaking water draining backwards along filter rack, then leaking about half way back along side of air handler. Shimmed back legs of stand, then refitted new male adaptor applying #2 Permatex to socket and threads; tightned adaptor in barley hand tight... waiting to see if the fix holds... otherwise: new drain pan is next. Thanks for all the responses.