Water in the supply duct.

[Adamscarpentry]

Customer:
Standard PM customer, 1/4ly. No major repairs recorded.

Unit:
2007,12 SEER
Carrier 4ton split.

Space conditions are harsh. The space is retail sales in Charleston SC. Hot and Humid. Customer leaves the doors open for ambiance. (Open breeze effect) I have told the customer to close the doors, they're not going to do it.

1st call out:
Secondary pan is full and leaking and water is blowing threw the supply duct.
I arrived to find the (2) two float switches wired together not in series. So the unit was still running and leaking everywhere. I fixed the floats, drained the pan, cleaned the condensation P-trap and adjusted the unit to drain a little better. I found the condensation line to be linked to a common drain and barely had 3/8 fall in the meek 7"s it had to travel. Charge is good, no ice.
Sat threw three cycles and everything appears to be fine.

2nd call out:
Secondary pan is full and leaking.
Same situation so I disconnected the condensation drain from the common drain and found the common drain to be holding water.(YAY!) Found the problem. Rerouted the condensation drain to the bathroom. Charge is good, no ice.
Waited threw three cycles and everything is fine.

3rd call out:
Secondary pan is full and leaking.
Pissed off and desperate now. Added drain to secondary pan, angled unit so all it can do is drain out the back, even if it overflows it will go into the secondary pan and out. Pulled the coil and checked the first stage pan for cracks.(Clear) Cleaned the coil and the tray at the apex. Found the drain tube from the apex tray to the pan to be clogged, however, I don't think that would have flooded the unit, maybe it would have? Charge is good, no ice.
Waited threw three cycles...ALL GOOD!

No call back yet. It's been one day.

What could I be missing?

[VTP99]

What could I be missing?

One more day

[Adamscarpentry]

Well yeah, but I would like to have a clue as to what to look for if it goes down again.

[VTP99]

I think you got it covered Remember third time is a charm

[R123]

You say customer is leaving doors open? Good luck.

[Kevin O'Neill]

Must be a beach wear store!

The extra humidity caused by the open doors is making extra condensate, that is blowing off the coils. Normal blow off velocity is 500 to 550 FPM at the coil surface. Sell them an air curtain for the door. Better yet, tell them the open doors are causing the problem! Truth!

[Air Movers]

I think the pan is holding water because with the doors open it cant handle all the humidity and therefore is condensating like a champ and might be where the installer threw out the splash guard and water could be leaking from bottom of plenum or coil cabinet, is it horizontal? is the unit level or pitched slightly towards primary?

[ar_hvac_man]

Is it trapped?

[dlove]

how far of a run is the condensate line? and what is the trap measurements. is it deep enough. My only other thought that may help is a condensate pump at the unit.

good luck with this one.

[techbill11]

"ditto" check to see if primary pan and unit are level slight pitch toward drain.and if it is horizontal there is a tube that if it missing i have seen that cause a problem.

[R123]

Also make sure if there is a vent line (which there should be), it isn't between the trap and unit. It should be on the side of the trap away from the unit.

[ken heroux]

Install a clear plastic panel in place of the metal panel and look inside with a flash light to witness what is hapenning. Done this before and it works very well.

[Adamscarpentry]

Must be a beach wear store!

Sell them an air curtain for the door. Better yet, tell them the open doors are causing the problem! Truth!

Tried both. They refuse to close the doors and an air curtain disturbers the cool beach'ie atmosphere. (Sun glass store)

is it horizontal? is the unit level or pitched slightly towards primary?

Yes it is horizontal. and I pitched it (Not slightly) way back towards the primary.

[Adamscarpentry]

Is it trapped?

Yes.7" run then trapped 6".

Install a clear plastic panel in place of the metal panel and look inside with a flash light to witness what is hapenning. Done this before and it works very well.

Love this idea! ken heroux

You say customer is leaving doors open? Good luck.

That's how I feel. So far so good. No call back yet.

[Adamscarpentry]

Solved it!

"A" coil was in backwards or wrong side. Whatever. I fliped it over and now we are all dry.

Carrier Rep said it was cool. "Also it is out of warranty so of course it's cool'