HVAC Why AC Sytems Have Condensate Traps

This video I explain why AC systems need Drain traps when Evap coil is on the negative side of system meaning before blower motor. I show how the negative pressure holds water in the drain pan instead of draining.I even explain priming a trap.

[@nightmareperdomo1313]

That's you bro, my neighbor told me something wrong about my ac drain ,and now I discovered why,thank you for your video

[@mr171009]

Took me 10 other videos until I watched this one to figure out how a p trap actually works. Very well explained Thank you sir

[@rayjackson4547]

Bill, I am a home inspector and contractor for the past 40 years. I know why the trap is there, but you are the first guy on YT to explain it in layman terms. Nice job

[@johnporter5828]

Just spent $400 on a visit from an a/c guy for 10 min. work cleaning out my p trap. Expensive knowledge...

[@watertiteman]

Helpful video. Simple and to the point. As a roofer, I can't believe how often i'm called out for 'roof leaks' that end up being caused by a missing or improperly installed condensate line. Easy money though, so I'm not complaining.

[@Moondoggy1941]

I have a vertical FAU in the garage and my system has been changed out for the second time in 33 years, my system has never had one of those P Traps, and yes I get overflows and clogs, that is why I am watching these videos so I can do it correctly. Thanks for showing and explaining what and why.

[@Steven_Falcon]

My Carrier Infinity runs all day long here in FL and your video carefully explains why my pan holds water and I get the “stinky sock” smell. Thank you for the video.

[@PrideFitnessandMMA]

I literally just put down all the extra PVC fittings that I thought I needed. This video just saved me time and money thank you so much.

[@Pyridox]

That was a nice explanation. I found this out a while back, when I had my AC installed the guy just ran a pipe directly from the condensate pan to the condensate pump with no P-trap. The pipe was sucking air (gurgling) from the condensate pump, after I installed the P-trap the water drained properly into the condensate pump. My AC fan coil unit is negative pressure, if the unit is "positive pressure" I believe you don't need the P-Trap.

[@charlesmcneiljr5170]

Oooh thanks for the explanation because I wanted to know if the pump can act as a trap

[@falconxlc]

Thanks for this. Opened the p trap for cleaning but forgot to close the opening before the trap. Got water in my drain pan. What a nightmare. Now the opening before the p trap is closed and also created a vent after the p trap. Also secondary has a p trap as well. Please do more videos on tricks and tips like this.

[@petesingh292]

That's one of the best explanation on condensate draining .I am HVAC contractor in Northern Cal and one job so many techs came and gone , they just clean the lines and thinking they fixed the water leaks . I had to go and to check this job out , sure enough the installer did not install P trap and water was leaking in the ceiling ( this was on negative side of the air handler ) . Once I installed the trap the problem solved . Thanks for the vid

[@tpgeraghty]

Thank you. This was a great explanation.

[@bkameka69]

THANK YOU!!! Very good explanation! I was seriously considering cutting the P-Trap out of my system after it got clogged recently. Saw some videos and a guy at my job said he cut the trap out and made it straight to prevent future clogs. Thought it was a good idea till seeing this video explaining why its important to have the trap!

[@thehvachacker]

Only time you can get ride of trap is if it’s after the blower motor. If not the unit will hold water in pan until fan shuts down. Yet many times when hot and humid the pan will over fill before blower stops

[@foreverwood1963]

@@thehvachacker This video is very interesting. I get clogs like anyone else, but it usually lasts about 3-4 months before I need to clean the drain again. My system does not have a p-trap. I read where you say it's not needed if it's after the blower motor. I am not 100% certain if mine is, but it does normally drain and I don't get the float shut offs until after approximately 4 months. ( I just went to the drain to see and it's blowing cold air out so I suppose it after the blower ) I just hope they haven't neglected to place what should be there. I read on one site that all AC drains should have a p-trap. Although my drain outside I has a short hose connected so that it doesn't constantly drain near the foundation and that hose at the end does go up through my fence then drains into the back yard. Essentially what I saying is it's a faux trap but far down the line. The water does actually drain all day though ( I'm in hot South Florida ) although I recently had that clogged with slime at the opening from the pan and it wouldn't drain at all and kept triggering the float to shut off the condenser. What are your thoughts on this and how can I prevent that slime from blocking that in the future? I can't unscrew my connector from the drain because it's in such a tight space. I was wondering if I could somehow drop in condensate tabs through the opening so that it can fall into the pan. Sorry this is long but I've been having cooling issues and aside from the usual things like dirty filters or coils, would the fact that there's no p-trap mean I'm losing all that clod air through all the drain to the outside and could be an issue for me? Or would it not change a thing since it may push the water and air through?

[@buckwilson4167]

I work at a movie theater with 11 RTUs... One time some filter monkey came along and pulled off all the traps for god knows what reason, so of course all the pans filled up, and started leaking out of every side of every one of the friggin units... It was so beyond satisfying to go around putting the traps back on, holding my hand over it for just a couple seconds, and then marvel as the entire pan drained and gushed out at once.

[@thehvachacker]

It happens if someone doesn’t realize the only way Water can drain on the negative side of the blower is using a vapor barrier

[@joeldivincent6970]

Once again, your video has helped me out. Just had to repair my drain and did it right.

[@thehvachacker]

Glad it can help, understanding how stuff works helps make repairs easier

[@GregoryGuay]

@@thehvachacker I have a P-trap but no clean out! I tried to vacuum it from outside the house below, but I think I’ll put a little cleanout tee in there. I see some people adding vents, but I don’t think I’ll mess with that.! I have about an 1/8th inch of water in my secondary pan - not enough to drain out of the secondary. Sincerely Mr. clueless, but determined

[@abegelb4370]

Thanks for the video the p-trap solved my drain problem

[@francisbriggs76]

Good explanation of the trap!

[@keithextance6993]

Very well explained! Thanks!

[@kevinfelix3303]

Great stuff Billy.

[@chriseh09]

Great video!

[@kennethlopez9436]

Thanks for sharing sir, you made me a little wiser 👍👍👍

[@thehvachacker]

It’s why I put out vids

[@chrisgormley5751]

Very informative. Good job bro.

[@thehvachacker]

Best way to explain is with video

[@rbrothers6308]

That was clear and helpful!

[@drodriguez394]

Really good video

[@larryholloway8970]

Great stuff!!

[@thehvachacker]

Thanks

[@kyle998cc]

Thank you! I didn’t know it needed to be primed.

[@condor5635]

I think it’s only when it’s negative pressure meaning the air sucked over the coils instead of pushed as in positive pressure. A positive pressure trap does not need to be primed

[@thehvachacker]

Yes only negative pressure does it need a trap to make a vapor barrier. If not it will pull air through the drain line. Preventing the water from draining. Possible overfilling the drain pan.

[@condor5635]

@@thehvachacker well positive pressure I believe still needs a trap. I just don’t think it needs to be primed. They typically self prime. Isn’t that correct?

[@thehvachacker]

Yes they self prime. Inspectors in many municipalities require the trap on positive pressure drains. Even though it doesn’t effect how the system drains

[@deep_fried_midget]

​@@thehvachackerSo when you start running AC after the months of having it off, should you make sure water is in the trap before you turn it on again?

[@rodgraff1782]

Yea, everything over here has to be connected to a condensate line leading to a roof drain so water doesn’t pool on the roof. We mostly use copper, as PVC turns to crap in the sun. We start with a copper union at the outlet of the unit then 90 down at least 4” 90 over to a T which we install a female adaptor and plug in the horizontal for a clean out. The rise on the T continues up about 2/3 of the depth of the initial drop of 4”. Here we place another T, the top of which is a vent and the horizontal continues into the condensate line. This way there is enough head on the trap to push out crud. If crud does accumulate the trap can be disconnected at the union, and the cleanout pulled to flush it out. We always used pan pads to break up any biological growth or other smegma and slime that forms in the pan. Also to combat any possible legionnaires bacteria. Trolls in the area started stealing the copper on these installations so we had to lock down all roof hatches.

[@powerpooch2000]

you ought to do a video to show how to do it

[@joselbazcom4221]

Thanks a lot for the excellent explanation. I wonder if there is a way to prevent the sediment stuff from building up? I've seen a video about putting some sort of pills into the pan and another of an AC Line Build up Remover liquid. Thanks again.

[@mattok5528]

Yes had a clog and had to prime it to start it draining correctly again thanks

[@timc5827]

Good explanation.

[@gattosanto1]

Any ideas on patching rot holes on a drain pan of a 12 k commercial rooftop unit ? holes are near the drain hole. thanks.

[@jarvisjg700]

Wow traps are absolutely genius!

[@OrcTV]

That actually helped thanks bro

[@poellot]

In a few months, my father wants to put in a furnace and air conditioner. He currently has a wood stove and window air. He got a unit cheap only 1 year old after a tornado totaled out the house it was in. We have a guy that does ductwork and insulation professionally and said he would do it for him. He going to have me plumb it, i have my 608 certification and recovery unit so i should be able to handle it. I think the furnace was set for propane, although i will need to check to make sure it wasnt on natural gas. Is there any tips you could give me for the drain? I suggested to him that we put in a float switch because it will be in a room that will most likely never be entered unless there is a problem, and it seems like a good way to prevent water on the floor if the drain ever plugs. He thought that would be a good idea no matter the cost because he may not be home for 5 days at a time and would be a mess if it plugged. Is there any brands of float switches you have seen fail frequently that i should avoid?

[@williegillie5712]

Another thing a trap does is keep the outside air out of the unit and bugs of course and like the traps inside the house you get none of the sewer like smells that can come from the pipes inside the house. It was a great idea

[@WalterKnox]

my package unit had that trap clogged and somebody just removed it, it has been like that for a couple of years and i have never had an issue, there is positive air pressure blowing cold air out the drain and is draining just fine. is that okay?

[@justinhyatt6654]

I have a unit in my attic that is holding all of the condensation inside until it shuts off and then all the water drains out of the condensate line and also leaks out of the unit into the emergency pan underneath. I noticed my condensate line does not have a p trap but I wasn't sure exactly what I needed to buy to put one on it. The drain pan inside the unit underneath the evaporator is plastic and has no sign of cracks or leaks so I'm guess the blower motor is sucking all of the condensation out of the line and back into the unit?? Any input would be appreciated!

[@jeffcoolhd]

Thanks for the tech tip. Peace brother

[@thehvachacker]

Should I do more videos like this or stick with just my repair jobs

[@jeffcoolhd]

@@thehvachacker I love what you're doing with your videos but yeah it would be nice to stick in a couple of tech tips every now and then that would be awesome. Keep up the great job you're doing. I found your Channel about 3 weeks ago and I really enjoy what you're doing. You keep videoing and I'll keep watching. Thanks for everything. Peace brother

[@GhettoWagon]

Ahh my condensate line clogs up every few months in FL. I did not have a trap in originally from a crap install but made one outside.

[@theveteranrvr3732]

I have a roof mount, too. Brand new and new duct work. It failed the HERS test. I went on the roof and did a homemade smoke test. With the condensate facing me, positive air leak not from the system to flange seal, but toward the bottom where another metal flange meets....left and right sides. Also, a great deal of positive air pressure coming out of the condensate pipe location panel and the pipe itself. Is this something the AC system installer needs to revisit?

[@Hvacmania]

Hi thank You for teaching this stuff . Most pros don't want you knowing this stuff . Does the vent go before the p-trap on a negative pressure system?

[@calvinmitchell6381]

I don't have a trap on my 12 foot drain line. It's a rooftop combo furnace/AC unit with a slight drop of maybe 2 inches on the 12 feet of drain. I am in Southern Arizona with very little humidity. It drains just fine. Is it working because the unit doesn't have to remove humidity?

[@davidwhite8045]

Hi Bill in Florida this trap is A schedule 40 pipe comes out of the house and goes underground then pops up a foot or so away, my question is should there be a specific depth of trap the handler is on the second floor and I placed some stepping stones over the pipe and extended it and I’m worried it’s to deep

[@leilanignall7070]

I live in California and have an fau in my attic. On the back of the unit are 2 holes, one is connected to a drain line, the other has nothing connected to it, and it blows cold air. Is this right? The line connected to the drain line actually sheared off, and now just drips water into the drain pan, which is full because it’s 100 degrees outside and hotter in the attic. I’ve attempted to reconnect the drain line, but it does not have a good seal because of how it broke, and still drips. But I’m curious if the air blowing hole is supposed to have something connected as well? I’d send a photo if I could

[@sers499]

Excellent!!!!

[@jasonalexander6417]

This explains why I always here the a/c drain when it turns off.

[@rubensz0671]

Thank you!

[@tpgeraghty]

Are you in the NYC area? Do you do installations?

[@fstopPhotography]

So if I put a dehumidifier in the attic with my AC unit, the AC unit will not work as well because I've taken possibly too much moisture out of the air? Therefore, the P trap will not have enough condensation pouring into it to keep the AC working properly. Does that make sense?

[@stevem9603]

Plain and simple advise, but as I walk around my 12-unit townhome complex, I see a lot of people with it installed incorrectly and two or three of them with no p trap at all, just a condensation pipe running straight down the side of the wall from the third floor. Now I clean my A/C unit every 6 months with a shop vac and special fitting, this after finding a lizard crawled all the wall up my exterior drain line lodging himself on the interior line near the float valve. Must have ventured there in the cooler season when I didn't run the ac and the water dried in the P trap ( or he was one hell of a swimmer).Thanks!

[@jessetwo1]

Steve M the problem with your video is you have it backwards. The water is the by product of lowering the temperature of the air being drawn through the evaporator core. Which squeezes the moisture out of the air. The colder the air the less moisture it can hold.

[@dart6731]

Can you make a video how AC system works overall? Whole process of Freon, circulation, cooling, etc. Like an anatomy of whole HVAC at home

[@isithotmama]

Wow I really appreciate you explaining that . But my question is, my AC UNIT is on the left side of my house on the ground, why is the condensation coming out on the opposite side of the house from a water spout. That's what confuses me. I put a bucket there to fill up and use the water to water my plants🤷🏾‍♀️

[@condor5635]

Great video. Not the sewage, but the sewage gases!! I’m guessing you don’t have to prime, a positive pressure trap

[@garygonzalez3354]

Excellent explanation thank you

[@thehvachacker]

Happy to help

[@alicepet1994]

I have seen a Trane AC which has very strong blower which suck all the water in the trap inside. Water never came out, and flood everywhere, and burned some relays. The installer should install the behind the drain line, thus water will be blown out, but not suck in air (negative pressure at the drain line). I changed the blower from high speed to medium speed, and put a metal sheet around the drain hole and the issue was resolved.

[@thehvachacker]

Your fan speed wasn’t set correctly or ductwork is too small if the blower is sucking the water out of the trap. Or the trap was too shallow. I always do a static check when starting up a system. You will know if their is an airflow problem.

[@shanefrank3281]

I thought that many residential units were positive pressure or blow-thru units so there was positive pressure inside where the condensate pan was?

[@RiceRiceBaby54]

This was a perfect explanation, great for new techs..... or the guy (D-bag) who calls an HVAC tech even though he’s an engineer and knows everything

[@artolivares7573]

Great explanation. What about if the drain line is under positive pressure?

[@thehvachacker]

Trap really wouldn’t be needed. Yet most inspectors fail jobs without. Air pushed the water out the drain on positive pressure drains.

[@troymason4799]

Do you need a breather after the trap?

[@hollyvang2166]

Is it okay to attach a hose to that so it can drip on dirt?

[@zachosborne6577]

Depends on if it’s negatively or positively pressured.

[@dwayne0t]

When the unit is first run for the season, won't the unit (at least in most cases) shut off before filling the pan) thus allowing a dry trap to be filled?

[@thehvachacker]

Yes usually the trap can fill itself

[@analyst8258]

Can you show how to use easy seal then charge 410a.

[@sman5877]

Can the trap be used also to keep from loosing cold air out the drain. Both my ac units have positive pressure out the drains thanks for your help.

[@thehvachacker]

Very little air is lost through the drain tube. The trap does prevent air going through the drain

[@amsoiltek]

S man, I was going to ask the same question, seems my 20 year old Ruud R22 also has positive pressure. When put 90 ell with a short stub to another 90 ell and 20 feet of horizontal pipe, it would never drain. Maybe P trap is still needed. The HVAC Hacker what do suggest?

[@maquereautin]

Any reason it wouldn't drain even after priming the p-trap?

[@jianwang9223]

Why the draining speed is so slow? If AC running 24/7, is this draining volume is enough for condensate created from evaporation?

[@pulsedflowsolutions9058]

Thanks for the video. There is a air vent after the trap which is usually capped. Would capping it prevent the water from flowing since the cap would create a sucction?

[@TheWilferch]

No.... a vent located AFTER ( downstream-water flow) the "U"-tube trap is perfectly fine...... DO NOT put the vent BEFORE the ""U"-tube" trap ( air-handler side). Capping is OK especially if you want to clean the trap using a shop vac at the end of the condensate line....this method is sometimes used to suck out the gunk. When done cleaning, you can leave the vent capped ( making it useless as a vent) or open....but in either case will not affect the function of the trap or the draining that occurs while the unit is running.

[@tommytaylor7523]

@@TheWilferch you seem very knowledgeable on AC units I had a 3 ton unit installed 5 years ago brand new it's it's installed vertically. Even though it says 70° in my house it was really really humid. You did Humanity was really high.. it never felt cold. And it seemed like the unit was constantly running.. this is a smaller house. I still had my window units in it and just started using them as they kept it colder than the central AC. I had the superheat subcooling and all that checked on my unit and the freon level. It all checked out good. I took the access panel off of the coil and the insulation was soaking wet on the inside of the panel. I noticed there wasn't a P-trap on the drain line. Could this be my problem? Can't get anyone to really work on it they all want to replace my unit I bought the unit brand new it probably only has two weeks of use on it. Any help is appreciated.

[@TheWilferch]

@@tommytaylor7523 ...I am not an expert but by profession I was trained as an engineer. I had AC problems and decided to learn what I needed myself, because local techs were clueless. I can't help on all issues but for sure, let me say this about the wetness. Wetness can only occur 2 ways....1.) the coil inside the "Air handler" cabinet ( that piece that is inside your house....the other main piece is the condenser which is outside the house)....the coil inside the air handler creates the cold and condenses water on its surface that drains into a drain-pan inside the air handler unit. The pan could be missing , leaking, or damaged, or too-high air flow "carries" the water further downstream inside the unit to cause moisture accumulation. The other possibility is the problem I had....the air handler is located in my hot attic, and the "cold" was condensing on the outside surface of the air handler. I bought poly insulation sheets and glued this onto the entire outside surface of the entire air handler cabinet....to gain more insulation to the lousy 1/4" stuff they have on the inside of the cabinet. So far that works. Then there is this VERY important part. The air handler creates water as said....and it drains into the drain pan. IF THERE IS NO U-TUBE ON THE DRAIN LINE , THE PAN WILL FILL AND OVERFLOW, AND WILL ONLY DRAIN WHEN THE UNIT SHUTS OFF. FOR IT TO DRAIN "WHILE RUNNING", YOU NEED THE U-TUBE attached to the drain line....see here for a better description of how/why this works---> kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIiqfYmbYr1oa5I. I hope some of this helps.

[@tommytaylor7523]

@@TheWilferch thanks

[@thehvachacker]

Now a vent should not be before the trap. Vents are not always needed. Depends how the drain is ran and terminated. Yet a clean out tee like what’s in this video should be before the trap.

[@FrenchBeefCDN]

These traps can be self primed (sort of) if the FAN setting on the THERMOSTAT is set to AUTO as whatever water that builds up during the first cooling cycle will drain out when the blower shuts off, priming said trap. If the fan is set to ON and never shuts off, the trap might never self prime. I make it habit as a comm hvac mechanic to bang out and prime these traps at least quarterly if possible. They get washed when the coils get washed annually too, along with the drain pans. Very common issue as people don't understand why traps are needed until their customers space forms a "leak."

[@1willubhave]

Now I know why my store is leaking, needs a new roof...thanks 😊

[@godisbooks]

can i ask a quaestion about the ahu's bottom base .is there any slope towards to drain ? if it is , does the trap still require

[@thehvachacker]

Yes the pan is slopes toward the drain. Only time a trap is when the drain is on the positive side of the blower. When on the negative side of the blower, (meaning blower motor is before the evaporator coil) the trap is a vapor barrier. The negative side is sucking in air before it pushes the air. The negative pressure creates a suction that holds water in the pan. Most towns want traps by code on both sides, yet positive pressure will push the water out of the drain without a trap

[@godisbooks]

@@thehvachacker is it necessary to make a trap on the fan coil unit pan ? i have never seen before

[@robderham1958]

Thanks!

[@matt_s1995]

The landscapers broke of the condensate pipe on my exterior ac... would that cause the ac to drain inside the unit and function less than optimally?

[@darkracer1252]

did you not watch the video??? YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@lightningsurvivor1432]

Why would water drip out of the corners of the right side, as you look at the trap,?

[@mdovideo1414]

Won't the water in the trap get sucked back in to the unit if the filter is dirty or the return is under sized

[@thehvachacker]

The return should not be undersized. Ductwork needs to be properly sized or corrected so it is. Or an air conditioning/ heating system will never operate correctly. Dirty filters won’t suck the water back in. The trap is a vapor barrier

[@mikefitz445]

If you wanted to drain from the condensate drain of your HVAC into a spigot connection to a drain line much like a dishwasher, what's the proper way to do this? Do I need to have a p-trap like this, than drain down to a condensate pump pushing to the spigot connection? I assume you absolutely can't just run a hose directly from the condensate to the drain spigot even if it slopes down to it correct?

[@thehvachacker]

Its not code to run a drain like that. Yet many just drain the water into a slop sink

[@user-ry2fi5mi5f]

Dear Sir, Is is possible to make PVC without condensate trap? we just make PVC pip directly without trap.

[@thehvachacker]

Depends on what side of the blower motor the drains on. Without on negative side it holds water in. On positive it will still push the water out. It’s not needed on the positive side yet in nj the inspectors want it

[@laoschild86]

I have a hvac package unit in my house and the thermostat display is blank.. I have 2 thermostat for bottom floor and top floor and it's not battery powered and i know the thermostat works cause i switched it to the upstairs to see if it comes on and it does. Do you think if i was to unclog or prime the drain that the thermostat display would come back on? Ive read that units have those safety switch drain when water is filled up or backed up. I don't have much knowledge of hvac as im trying to figure it out and learning DIY.

[@thehvachacker]

Do you have power at the unit the thermostat is connected to? It seems like a power issue not really a drain issue. Usually if the unit has a condensate pump then I could shut down the power to the stat. You need to see if you have power at the unit. Many variables yet I would start basics and verify line voltage. Also verify low voltage is also between r and c terminals in the unit. If so then look around the unit for a shut off safety. Where are 5e packaged units located?

[@laoschild86]

@@thehvachacker no power to the unit. I was thinking maybe it's a fuse. I haven't yet tried to locate where the fuses are yet.

[@thehvachacker]

You have no power to the stat or the actual package unit? Many times fuses are on the main control board

[@laoschild86]

@@thehvachacker I'll try to locate the fuses tomorrow when there is some light. I'll let you know how it goes.

[@laoschild86]

@@thehvachacker i located the fuse on the main control board. I pulled out the 5 amp fuse and it was blown. Then replace it and not even 5 mins it blown again and i replace it 1 more time and samenthing happened. What could be causing it? Oh yeah after replacing the 5 amp fuse twice the display on the thermostat came on and the unit turned on. But didn't last for 5 mins.

[@trencher7]

When you blow out the pipe for blockage reasons I assume it will fill itself after a few minutes?

[@TheSixStringGuy]

You can pull out the float switch inside the house next to the Air Handler Unit and pour around 1/2 cup of Vinegar (Not bleach, bleach can destroy copper tubing and glue on pvc) down the drain line and then flush with hot water (Hotter the better no need to boil though) put float switch back in and if you flipped the float you'll have to wait 5 to 10 minutes. If nothing is on thermostat, Pull out float and wiggle it till thermostat comes back on. Then wait for timer and you should be good to go with a primed clean drain line for months. Just know if you use a vacuum to suck out the line be sure to put water back in it to fill the trap.

[@Froggability]

It will not self fill. So refill the water yourself, at least the "hand block" trick can work also. The video didn't give the perfect example.

[@Bob.W.]

Ok. In a typical upflow furnace the coil is after the blower. I assume a trap is not necessary in that case.

[@thehvachacker]

Yes it’s not necessary unless the job will be inspected. Most municipalities want traps on the positive pressure drains. It prevents bacteria and mold from getting into the unit through the drain. Even though bacteria and mold grow in an unmaintained drainline

[@Bob.W.]

@@thehvachacker ok, thanks. Have not seen these in Minnesota.

[@williamkay2247]

I just spent a whole day cleaning the condensation drain. It was blocked and dripping in to the drain pan. It was so bad I actually hooked up the pressure washer and had to blow it out as the garden hose and chemicals wouldn’t do it. I noticed that the unit has a sticker on it that says do not operate the unit without a trap. I will install one ASAP.

[@thehvachacker]

William Kennard check out some of my other drain issue vids. Put a clean out t on your trap. You can keep your drain line clear by flushing out the line every year

[@williamkay2247]

The HVAC Hacker I installed one. I also found a tablet (small brick) that I purchased and put in the a/c that supposedly eats the bacteria.

[@johnboykin3128]

Depends if drain is neg or POS side of blower

[@truthfiend6909]

i was just thinking about that.. could that be the reason why other indoor units do not have traps yet they drain smoothly or do they even need them on a positive pressure?...

[@thehvachacker]

Positive pressure drains don't need traps yet local codes requires them. I would guess to prevent odors or fumes from traveling into the drain line when the system is off. I never looked into why yet a positive pressure drain seems to drain better without the trap since it pushed the water out

[@truthfiend6909]

@@thehvachacker Thank you for the quick response sir!....will check out more of your vids in the future

[@balloney2175]

So, when it is dripping continuously, it means you have a normal A/C system?

[@TheSixStringGuy]

Means your ac is draining and water isn't collecting in your drain pan under the Evaporator coils.

[@Ozzie4Para]

I have a four ton HVAC system with negative pressure on my condensation connection. My air handler doesn't have a condensation trap and it's been draining flawlessly for years......

[@reggiereseller8252]

No context. What do you attribute that to?

[@mtbbiker6401]

@@reggiereseller8252 It depends on amount of humidity in the air and static pressure of the system.

[@hdz5763]

My condensation is not dripping, we already checked if it's clogged and it's not. What could it be? Is it normal for it not to drip? We live in PHX, AZ and noticed it stopped dripping about 3 days ago.

[@thehvachacker]

is it humid or dry currently where u live. Condensation is the humidity condensing back into water. Does the system cool?

[@hdz5763]

@@thehvachacker not humid right now. It got hotter this week hitting the 3 digit weather, 112 today. System is cooling. I am not sure if I was clear, I am talking about the drip line (I think that's what it's called).

[@jamesrogers9949]

Great

[@abdorakeebnaji1527]

Thank you for this great vedio 👍up and subscribe...if it's possible to make a video about multi zones thermostats for forced air furnace syste..will be great. Couldn't find any vs covering this subject...thank you.

[@craigewing1844]

Are you supposed to have a vent? If so isn't it supposed to be after the P-trap?

[@craigewing1844]

I ment that if it wasnt draining on roof but the drain was tied to the building drain. Thanks

[@TheJcrandazzo]

When the unit kicks off there is not negative pressure anymore and hence the pan will gravity flow out down and empty the pan.

[@thehvachacker]

Except if the drain pan might over flow while the system is running causing water to leak through ceiling

[@TheJcrandazzo]

@@thehvachacker And if the trap clogs the pan will overflow and drip onto the ceiling.

[@thehvachacker]

Yes why I clean them on all maintenances. To me the most important part of an ac maintenance is cleaning and flushing drain, checking temp split on evaporator and cleaning the condenser coil. All other test are a bonus and I still check everything else. Yet the three things I listed here are the main task for preventive maintenance

[@calebburns4346]

Unless the unit is on constant fan. Then there is no down time to allow drainage. In really humid climates the condensate will collect faster than the drain pan is designed to hold in its allotted run time for the most part. Drain pan want designed to hold water it was designed to shed water away.

[@TheJcrandazzo]

@@calebburns4346 Yes I agree and that is the scenario where a trap is indeed a necessary requirement in a drain, but normal residential units cycle where they will drain in between off and on. In those cases a trap might be a point of restriction and require more attention than a straight flow design with a good gravity pitch.It would depend on each scenario and vary accordingly for sure.

[@miguelh2481]

Oh man, since your company is a Lennox dealer, what about a video on those furnaces with the spark plugs and in them, crap, I think it's a Lennox Pulse

[@thehvachacker]

Yup the Pulse is the one with the spark plug and flappers. We don't have a lot of them still around since Lennox a few years ago had all Pulse Furnaces pressure tested heat exchangers and swapping furnaces for free under warranty. It was some kind of recall and Lennox paid for us to scrap most pulse. It was like a purge they wanted all pulse furnaces ripped out and replaced. I still have a few parts on my truck. I use to work on many pulse furnaces. The next time I work on one I will make a video. The plug was always a pain to pull. Usually, the flapper would wear out from vibration or just needed to be cleaned. There used to be a boiler Called the Hydro Pulse that operated on the same concept.

[@miguelh2481]

The HVAC Hacker oh man, I cringe when I see one. I have heard that Lennox doesn't even know the correct gaping for those plugs.

[@thehvachacker]

Here is a link of the recall. You might be able to sell the owner of a pulse a new furnace since the recall is over. inspectapedia.com/heat/Lennox_Pulse_Furnace_Notice.php

[@DanielHernandez-tp2tm]

Sir, you need a vent after after the trap. This will make it drain correctly and not a drip. Add a tee after and watch the real magic happen under negative pressure systems. Just sayin. ;)

[@honda02accord]

You need a costgard condensate drain seal by Trent technologies

[@thehvachacker]

What will that help me with? I mostly fix plugged drains don’t install many new drain lines. Except for a 4” underground downspout drainline

[@boneyfreak9197]

When I was in commercial construction we loved the guys that used those crappy P-Traps in this video. Especially on 3-5 commercial units that are EVERYWHERE. The amt. of $ we made repairing water damage from overflows was astounding. We actually made it a point to not schedule anything during the first 4 weeks of the cooling season keeping all those time slots open for HVAC overflow damage. Then we would charge $300 to install a P-Trap (sized properly, and worked most of the time or $800 for a air trap which for those that actually know the dynamics of fluid control is the only way to do it properly) install along with the 1k-10k water damaged electrical, acoustic ceilings, carpeting, wallboard ect...

[@thehvachacker]

We don’t have water leak issues with these traps. We don’t glue them to make it easy to clean out. These traps are sized properly for these units if not we would size them up or put a deeper trap if the system called for it.

[@shockingguy]

@@thehvachacker Have you seen this product, this is pretty interesting kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4SQfJeEaLKKfrc

[@charlesmcneiljr5170]

Can a condensate pump act as a trap?

[@thehvachacker]

If the end of drain is submerged in water. Not the correct way of doing it. But it makes a vapor barrier

[@blakewells4272]

Who knew apparently this guy

[@straat9066]

BACK TO THE TRAP GUCCi

[@jfrancis98]

It’s all about delta P

[@honda02accord]

Costgard condensate seal

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

6 min video when i get the answer on google in 30 seconds

[@strokerace4765]

I get about five gallons of water a day and use it to water my maters

[@thehvachacker]

Good way to reuse the water. If your doing that you might want to clean out your drain pan sometimes. Nasty ness may grow in the pan or drain line yet I doubt it would effect plants

[@murkyturkey5238]

I just suck on the trap when I’m doing a maintenance, you clear the drain and get a quick snack full of nutrients. I’m vegan so it’s getting two birds stoned at once