Water inside air handler

[chadknight74]

I will try to explain my issue to the best of my ability so please read carefully as I have asked questions along the way. If you have any ideas or questions please notify me.

I have a Goodman 2.5 ton split system heatpump installed in my 67 year old 1100 square foot home. The air handler is installed in the basement wich is very damp. The basement has one exterior door wich remains open most of the time but there is no other ventalation down there so it is considered an unconditioned space. The air handler sits horizontally (level) on 4 concrete blocks and they are sitting directly on the dirt. The air handler has a trap and a place where you can prime the pipe with water (should this be capped?). The problem is there is water inside and on the outside of the air handler and the insulation inside the unit is wet. The water is dripping out of the pipe wich runs to a nearby sump where its pumped out. If I leave the air handler fan on all the time then switch it off the water runs out of the pipe quickly and it also runs out the end of the unit where the intake is attached. I think its running out of the front cover on the air handler. I leave the unit in auto mode most of the time but prefer it stay on since there are smokers in my home.
Any ideas where to start what to look for or just any help at all would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Chad

[freonjohn]

cap that pipe opening. you need the trap to not allow air to suck into the air handler. if you have an open hole on top it is basically bypassing the trap.

[big chill]

I had a similar situation, where the plastic drain pan inside the handler cracked and the water was leaking out all over the insulation and then out the edges of the unit. The water was never making it to the drain pipe.

Not sure if this is possible in your scenario, but maybe....

[beachwalker]

I just went through a similar situation with new high efficiency Seer 19 heat pump. You could check the following: make sure the condenstate is flowing into the correct channels and not missing the pan. In my unit there were 3 or 4 things, such as baffles that had to be repositioned when the unit was installed horizontally. Because the baffles were not changed, the water was drawn out past the pan by the blower and soaked the insulation.

Once the interior insulation gets wet, it loses its insulating ability and you will get condensation on the outside of the case.

also check to make sure the unit is level: again you want the condensate to go where it was designed to go.... to the drain pipe.

you have to get that insulation dried out.... I presume you have already made sure the condensate line was not blocked.

also make sure the evaporator coil is clean and you don't have dirt channeling the water in the wrong place.

good luck

[tinknocker service tech]

as said already
make sure there are no vents before the trap
if there is then close it up and let the trap do its job.
sounds like you are sucking in air before the trap and holding the water in the pan till the blower turns off

[drk]

Need to put a vapor barrier on the earth floor! Close the door and put at least a 50 pint dehumidifier in.

[chadknight74]

I want to thank you all for your help.
Here is my model number of my air handler and outdoor unit:
Goodman units inside and outside
Inside: ARUF 032-00A-1B
Outside: CPLJ30-1B
Is there a way I can post a picture of my installation? Since I have a horizontal install I am concerned about these baffles being repositioned etc as posted by beachwalker, The only thing that I see inside is the A coil sitting on its side with a pan below it as I think the unit was designed this way..
I will cap the opening that is before the trap and see where that goes.. The line is definately not clogged and the evaporator is clean as a whistle.. The drain pan is not cracked but I cannot otherwise pinpoint why the water is on the insulation and between the insulation and the outer cabinet walls but maybe after I cap this opening this will stop.. How would I dry this insulation up? I thought about runnig the heat but that would be crazy since it is summertime.. I am going to set the unit off the concrete blocks and put it on plastic feet like the ones that the outdoor unit sits on and make darn sure it is level and I will put a sheet of plastic under the unit since its just above the dirt. Instead of a dehumidifier could I put a supply vent down there and basically make it a conditioned space?
Again I thank you all for your advice and suggestions.
Have a great day!
Chad

[tinknocker service tech]

since you are going to reset the unit i would recomend calling a contractor and get a price to hange it from the beams with threaded rod and dexeon.this way you dont have to worrie abot it settleing in the sand. if you cut an outlet in the trunk when it is off the odor from the crawl will draft up in to the house and the humidity also. not recomemded. put a plastic vapor bearor down on the sand if will help you better in the long run. if you do hange it have issulation pads under the unit to stop vibration