Why do they do this????

[west_seth]

Every air handler I have ever owned has a sheet metal condensation pan. Which rusts and looks pretty nasty. Eventually leaks.

Why do manufacturers do this?

Is this the norm?

[dash]

Several brands have had plastic for years,check some manufacturers websites.

[fat eddy]

great observation

The galvanized coil pan although tends to rust out usually outlasts the expected lifespan of the rest of the system, most manufacturers have gone to plastic in the last fifteen years. But I don't beleive that rust was the reason, because more pans melt than ever rusted. I just think it costs less to provide plastic than metal.

[gbfromsd]

It's a form of guaranteed obsolescence, usually at about the 15year mark. Pretty ingenious if you ask me. Well beyond the time where you'd trade in your old car, these old A/C units just kinda melt away.

[docholiday]

If you're melting plastic drainpans there is something wrong. Most are rated to 400 degrees.

Who jumped out the limit switch because it kept tripping?

[fat eddy]

Thats the fir erating not the melting range

[mo-flo]

Originally posted by gbfromsd
It's a form of guaranteed obsolescence, usually at about the 15year mark. Pretty ingenious if you ask me. Well beyond the time where you'd trade in your old car, these old A/C units just kinda melt away.

are you saying that equipment is engineered to fail?.........now you tell me.

[frank shelley]

Originally posted by mo-flo

Originally posted by gbfromsd
It's a form of guaranteed obsolescence, usually at about the 15year mark. Pretty ingenious if you ask me. Well beyond the time where you'd trade in your old car, these old A/C units just kinda melt away.

are you saying that equipment is engineered to fail?.........now you tell me.

IMHO engineered to fail, don't think so, manufactured cheesy to compete for the consumer demand for cheap cheap cheap pricing... ya I think so.

[condenseddave]

If the pan is above an oil-fired appliance, a lot of mfgs are still using galvanized pans.

As far as a gas appliance, most have gone to plastic.

[ct2]

have one made out of stainless steel