The drainage system consists of connected air conditioner tubes through which condensate is collected in a drainage tray and then directed out of the housing. The entire water removal system is hidden in the housings; only the air conditioner condensate drain pipe is attached to the outside.

Condensate drain options

There are several types of condensate drainage through the air conditioner drain pipe:

• to the street;
• in a special tank;
• using drainage pump(forced);
• into the sewer.

Depending on how the water will be removed, you need to purchase consumables: propylene air conditioner condensate drain pipes, drain hose, drain siphon, adapters and seals for discharge to the sewer.

The standard diameters of the drain tube are 16 and 20 mm; it is produced in the form of a flexible corrugated pipe. To drain condensate into the sewer system it is used polypropylene pipe with a diameter of 20 or 25 mm.

Cleaning air conditioner drain pipes

At long-term operation the tubes gradually become clogged, and mold appears in the drainage basin. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically clean the condensate drain pipes of the air conditioner. The procedure is quite within the capabilities of the owner of the air conditioner. There are several ways to clean drainage pipes:

• washing with water or grease solvent. The products are very suitable household chemicals. Flushing agent is poured through the evaporator and drains through the drain hose;
• With drainage disconnect. The pipeline is blown out, sometimes this can be done with an ordinary powerful vacuum cleaner;
• With disassembly indoor module. The indoor unit is disassembled; in this case, the hose can be thoroughly blown out and rinsed.

But it is possible to completely clean the air conditioner tubes only under conditions service center. However, if you periodically flush or bleed the system yourself, it will be maintained in normal operating condition. For the condensate drainage system to become severely clogged, it takes more than one year of operation. Therefore, such deposits of dirt cannot be cleaned out with just one vacuum cleaner. But if calling professionals is not possible, you need to clean the drainage yourself. Otherwise, condensation will spoil not only the air conditioner, but also the decoration of the room.

Drainage system repair

If the air conditioner drain pipe system has failed for some reason and cleaning is ineffective, repair is needed. The pipeline may be crushed or severely clogged or ruptured. If the air conditioner operates year-round, the drain pipe is equipped with a heater. Otherwise, an ice plug will form in it and the drain will not work.

An air conditioner is a unit that helps maintain optimal climate parameters in rooms. Working in automatic mode, it provides air cooling and heating, dust removal, and in some cases, air exchange with environment. The operating principle of the air conditioner is to change the state of aggregation of the refrigerant depending on the temperature and pressure in a closed circuit. This process is accompanied by the formation of condensate, for the removal of which many models have a special drainage system.

Functions of the drainage system

The formation and accumulation of large amounts of condensation inside the air conditioning units leads to water leakage onto the facade of the house, as well as onto the walls and furniture in the rooms. In addition, availability excess moisture inside the device may cause short circuit electrical wiring, which will damage it.

Depending on the selected operating mode, condensation forms on the surfaces of the condenser or evaporator, which gradually accumulates inside the air conditioner. The reason for its appearance is the temperature difference between the refrigerant circulating through the tubes and the air passing through them. In order to avoid excessive accumulation of water, the design of the device provides a special condensate drainage system. It consists of a container (tray) for collecting moisture and drainage tubes, with the help of which condensate is removed from the air conditioner.

Place of withdrawal:

• Going outside is the simplest method, implemented in budget air conditioner models. Drainage pipes simply exit through openings intended for other communications. The disadvantage of this method is the formation of puddles near houses, water leaks on the walls, etc.
• To the sewer - more difficult option devoid of shortcomings budget option. In this case, the drainage of the air conditioner into the sewer requires the mandatory installation of a water seal (siphon), which will prevent the appearance of an unpleasant odor.
• Using special drain pump. This method is used in cases where it is impossible to provide the required slope along the entire length of the pipeline. The pump allows you to “raise” the condensate to the required height, from where the condensate from the air conditioner will drain by gravity.

Drain pipes for air conditioners

It is easier to lay a drainage route using corrugated pipes

The drainage tube of the air conditioner, with the help of which the condensate formed inside is removed from the air conditioner, is made of polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride. These materials are resistant to water, and products made from them are highly durable. In practice, manufacturers equip air conditioners with two types of reinforced tubes - smooth and corrugated. Smooth tubes are most often found in budget air conditioner models. Their installation is impossible without special fittings.

Fittings are an element used to form bends when laying pipelines for various purposes.

Usage smooth pipes with fittings for laying a drainage pipeline is advisable in the case when the air conditioner is located in close proximity to the sewerage system. If the connection point of the tube to the sewer is at sufficient long distance, the use of fittings significantly complicates the installation of the pipeline.

Corrugated tubes are highly flexible and the drainage pipeline can be installed without fittings. The drainage hose for the air conditioner, assembled from corrugated tubes, can be bent at any angle, which greatly simplifies the process of laying the pipeline.

Installation of a condensate drainage system

Getting started with installation drainage system air conditioner, you must first design the entire pipeline route. This is especially true in cases where a decision has been made to drain condensate into the sewer or it is impossible to provide the required slope along the entire length of the pipeline.

When laying a pipeline to drain condensate from an air conditioner, it is necessary to ensure that the angle of inclination of the horizontal sections is at least 3°, and the rotation angles of the pipeline are no more than 45°.

In addition, it is advisable to make all connections using fittings, installing them on sealant.

When installing a water seal at the entrance to the sewer, it is necessary to take into account that there must always be standing water in it. Otherwise, an unpleasant odor from the sewer will seep into the room.

Air conditioners often have a drainage pump built into them. It is one of the most important components of the condensate drainage system. Its design depends on the type of air conditioner and location in the room. If the pipeline route is characterized by a large difference in height between the air conditioner and the condensate drain point, it is necessary to install an additional pump. The choice is made based on its ability to draw water from the pump located below.

Basic faults

One of the most common malfunctions of any air conditioner is its leakage. This defect most often occurs due to clogging of its drainage system. In this case, the hole in the pan, intended for draining condensate, becomes clogged with dust and debris brought by the water flowing into it. As a result, the pan overflows and water begins to flow out, bypassing the drainage system.

Disruption of the drainage system also occurs for other reasons:

• If there is insufficient refrigerant in the system, the temperature of the heat exchanger decreases, which leads to the appearance of ice on its surface. The flowing water does not fall into the pan, but flows out onto the floor of the room.
• If the air conditioner does not have a pressure regulator or is faulty, when the outside air temperature drops, the pressure in the system drops. At the same time, the temperature of the refrigerant in the evaporator also decreases and icing occurs.
• When using the air conditioner in the cold season, the outlet of the drain pipe may freeze, which will cause the drain pan to overflow with water.
• Errors when installing the drainage system: lack of slope when laying the pipeline, “dry” water seal, poor-quality drainage pipes, depressurization of connections, “pseudo-siphon” device, etc.
• Failure of the drainage pump or clogging of its float chamber, causing the pump to stop working.

If problems arise related to a drop in refrigerant level, a decrease in pressure, failure of the drain pump and other malfunctions, the right decision will contact a specialized service department. Their qualified specialists will quickly and efficiently eliminate faults.

Cleaning the drainage system

The user can eliminate water leakage from the air conditioner, which is caused by a clogged drainage system. In this case, you need to clean not only the drainage system, but also the heat exchanger filters. Otherwise, dust accumulated on the evaporator will clog again. drain hole drain pan. To clean the drainage system you must:

1. Disconnect the air conditioner from the power supply.
2. Remove the cover and coarse filters.
3. Carefully remove the pan where the condensate collects. To do this, you need to disconnect the drain hose.

Next, you need to thoroughly rinse the pan, clearing the drain hole of accumulated debris and dirt. Then check the condition of the drain tube. If it is clogged, blow it out with a stream of air. If the tube is severely clogged, it is necessary to pour a special liquid for cleaning air conditioners into the tube. Then, after waiting 20-30 minutes, remove the dirt using a vacuum cleaner.

Do not use wire or similar objects to clean drainage pipes. This way you can only get a short-term effect. After some time, the blockage will be restored and water flow from the air conditioner will resume. In addition, the wire can damage thin-walled plastic tubes. Repairing these damages will require time-consuming and expensive repairs.

Chlorhexidine disinfects air conditioner parts

The removed coarse filters are also thoroughly washed and then dried. The evaporator is cleaned of dust using a soft brush and a vacuum cleaner.

When completing the process of cleaning the drainage system, many experts recommend disinfecting it. To do this, use a solution of chlorhexidine, which is used to treat the tray and coarse filters. In addition, a small amount of the drug needs to be poured into the drain pipe, wait 15-20 minutes, it is washed running water, at the same time removing remaining debris and dirt from the drainage pipeline.

Today we will look at one of the most important materials for installation - air conditioner drain pipe. A very common malfunction during the operation of a “split” is when water begins to flow from indoor unit. To minimize the possibility of such a malfunction, I will tell you a few nuances when installing drainage. Today we will also look at what tubes and hoses are used by air conditioner installers.

The main cause of leakage from the indoor unit is a clogged drain tube. The second reason that I have encountered, which is less common, is factory defects in the condensate collection system on the indoor unit. But I will try to talk about them in other articles, and today we will analyze the first reason in detail.

Very often we have to deal with the problem of clogged drainage. From our practice, there are two most common cases:

• when the drainage tube becomes clogged during “natural” operation (contaminants accumulate in the indoor unit);
• when the drainage becomes a favorite habitat for insects (bees or bumblebees fly in, spiders make nests).

The likelihood of each situation occurring largely depends on the type of drainage hose used. Yes, yes, it is the choice of the “correct” drainage that will reduce the likelihood of a leak.

Types of air conditioner drain pipes used by installers

Rigid drainage tubes:

Soft drainage hoses:

I have seen air conditioners equipped with other drainages (electrical wiring corrugations, hoses from washing machines and others), but I don’t even see the point in discussing them in our article.

Which air conditioner drainage is best to use?

As you can see, there are many types of hoses, each with its own pros and cons. Metal-plastic drainage and garden hose bends can bend, narrowing the hole for draining condensate.
Thin-walled soft drainage (as well as various corrugations) can be damaged when pulled through the hole. Hard plastic drains are more attractive to insects. But flexible a specialized hose for air conditioning has more advantages than minuses. Because it does not compress when cornering and has a rigid protective braid that does not fray.

The most common breakdown of split systems that our compatriots encounter is leakage. It is quite unpleasant when water drips from the indoor unit onto equipment and pieces of furniture. It is much worse if an air conditioner leak leads to a short circuit in the electrical wiring and failure of the road. household appliances. The main reason for "crying" climate control technology, as a rule, is a clogged drainage system. How to clean the drain pipe of a split system on our own and will be discussed in this article.

Why does the air conditioner cry?

As mentioned above, the air conditioner is leaking, most likely due to a clogged drainage system. When a split system operates, condensate inevitably forms on the heat exchanger of the evaporator unit, which flows into a special pan, and from there, through drainage pipe, is removed outside the premises.

But during the operation of the air conditioner, dust, particles of pet hair and other contaminants that are not retained by the filter stick to the wet heat exchanger. Contaminants, along with condensate, fall into the pan, and from it into the drain pipe. The problem is that the diameter of the drainage tube is only about 10 mm. Dust and dirt from the air conditioner very easily clog the drain holes, the condensate has nowhere to go and it simply flows out of the pan.

This is the most common reason for air conditioning leaks. But in some cases, leaks in climate control equipment indicate more complex problems, for example:

• Freezing of condensate on the heat exchanger. Frost appears on the evaporator if the air conditioner's performance decreases. The reason for this may be a decrease in the volume of refrigerant in the system, clogged filters and the heat exchanger itself. When thawing, moisture will not enter the pan as expected, but internal elements block to drain onto the floor.

• Failed pressure regulator. A drop in pressure in the system leads to a decrease in the temperature of the heat exchanger of the evaporation unit. hence the ice and leakage as in the first case.
• In some air conditioner models, a special pump is used to remove condensate from the pan. When it fails, moisture is not pumped out and overflow occurs.
• Damage to the condensate level sensor.

There are also more commonplace reasons for leakage, such as icing and incorrect installation split systems. How to clean air conditioning equipment at home will be discussed below.

If problems arise with pressure, pump and amount of refrigerant, they can only be solved with the help of a service center technician. Only a specialist can accurately diagnose the cause of the malfunction that led to the leak.

Instructions for cleaning the drainage system

First of all, you should know that clearing a clogged tube using wire or other folk remedies, gives a positive result, but not for long. Most often, before a person has time to rejoice at the solution to the problem, the dust accumulated on the heat exchanger again clogs the drainage system and the air conditioner begins to flow again. That is why experts recommend cleaning the drainage system and at the same time cleaning the filters and the heat exchanger of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.

The last step in cleaning is to disinfect the system. To do this, it is necessary to treat the condensate collection tray and coarse filters with chlorhexidine, which is sold over the counter in any pharmacy. It’s a good idea if you pour a certain amount of the drug into the drain tube to disinfect it. After 15 minutes, rinse the tube with plain water. It will remove any remaining dirt and medication, and you will also be able to make sure that the drainage system is clear of blockages and will operate normally.

Next, using a soft brush and a vacuum cleaner, clean the heat exchanger from dust and assemble the split system. As you can see, in some cases solving the problem of “crying” climate control equipment is not at all difficult. In this article, you learned how to clean the drain pipe of your air conditioner at home if it is dirty.

There are many reasons why climate control equipment leaks. It is better if professionals undertake diagnostics and troubleshooting.

Air conditioning, like any refrigeration unit, works on the basis physical properties refrigerant - to cool with a sharp expansion in volume. This process occurs in special device, which is called the evaporator. It got its name only because droplets of liquid (evaporation) appear on the body of the device, also known as condensation from the air conditioner, which is collected in a special bath and discharged outside the household appliance.

Functions of the air conditioner drainage system

- This is, in fact, ordinary water. An air conditioner is a complex electromechanical device. That is, condensation can cause the air conditioner to fail. Moreover, in one day, up to 20 liters of moisture can be released from a working device. And she must be taken away.

Condensate drain options

There are several ways to drain air conditioners. The simplest one is to make a hole in a wall or window and pass a hose through it to the street, which at one end is connected to the pipe of the bath located under the evaporator of the indoor unit of the unit. It is the simplicity of the operations performed that is considered a big advantage of this method.

But it also has negative sides:

• a hose hanging from the side of the wall does not increase presentability in any way appearance buildings, especially for private houses;
• Water will constantly drip from the free end of the hose while the air conditioner is operating, which, if it gets onto the adjacent window sill (lower), will lead to a scandal with the neighbors.

The second option for draining condensate is to connect the drainage pipe to the sewer. The method is ideal for many rooms, but it has one big problem - the lack sewer section in the room where the indoor air conditioner unit is installed. Way out:

1. Carry out installation sewer pipes into this room with a slope of up to 3%.
2. Install drainage pipes to the nearest sewerage section with the same minimum slope.

Which option for draining condensate from the air conditioner into the sewer system is up to everyone to decide for themselves. But it is necessary to point out that lowest cost both in terms of finances and in terms of the labor intensity of the work carried out, they belong to the second method. Firstly, drainage pipes can be laid both inside the wall along the grooves made, followed by sealing with repair solutions, and along the floor base, followed by finishing.

Secondly, any sealed hollow products can be used as drainage tubes. Most often they buy for this corrugated pipe small diameter.

Attention! To prevent unpleasant odors from penetrating into the premises from the sewerage system, at the junction of drainage pipes and pipes sewer system a water seal is installed in the form of a conventional sewer siphon. If it is not possible to install a siphon, then the corrugated tube is bent in the shape of the letter “S”. Also an effective option.

And one more thing. If the air conditioner for a long time is not used, the water seal dries out, which leads to penetration unpleasant odors from the sewer. Therefore, periodically it is necessary to pour a little water into the drainage system. And this is probably the only disadvantage of this method.

The third option for condensate removal is the installation of a special pump. This drainage method is used only in two cases: the drainage system is long and there are differences in it. IN household air conditioners pumps are not included in the package, although they are sold as a separate item, and purchasing it and installing it will not be difficult. In almost all industrial units, drainage pumps are installed at the factory.

Pumps are necessarily included in the standard package of cassette and duct air conditioners. There are pumps that are installed in external blocks, but more often they are installed internally. They are usually equipped with an additional container in which condensate is collected. And the pump pumps out liquid from it.

Drain pipes for air conditioners

The condensate drainage system from air conditioners includes drainage pipes, which are modern market are represented by two positions on raw materials. These are tubes made of polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene. And two positions according to the form of manufacture: smooth and corrugated.

The former are most often used if the drain itself is short; in other cases, corrugations are used. At the same time, the second type has one big advantage - the high flexibility of the hose. Therefore, during the installation process there is no need to use additional fastening fittings, as is the case with smooth tubes.

Installation of a condensate drainage system

This process is very simple.

1. It is necessary to remove the lower fasteners from the air conditioner body so that it can rise.
2. In the lower part, under the fan that blows the evaporator, there is a tray for collecting condensate.
3. There is a pipe on its side, and it is to it that you need to attach the drainage pipe for removing condensate from the air conditioner using a clamp.
4. The housing of the indoor unit is lowered and installed in place. In this case, it is very important that the corrugation passes through it through a special hole made in the side wall.
5. The fasteners are screwed into place.

Now all that remains is to remove the attached corrugated hose either to the sewer or to the street. If the withdrawal process is associated with the installation of a drainage route, then you must first decide how easier and more convenient it is to carry out the entire process. As mentioned above, best option– make grooves in which to lay the hose. The most important thing is to maintain an inclination angle of at least 3%.

Basic drainage problems

The most common malfunction of the condensate drainage system from the air conditioner is a clogged hole in the bath. Dust and dirt with condensation settle to the bottom of the pan, where sludge forms. It grows and covers the pipe. The consequence is the flow of water over the edges of the bath. The liquid begins to drip onto the floor and leak down the walls.

And other malfunctions:

1. If the air conditioner works for heating in winter, then often the drainage pipe on the street simply freezes.
2. The slope of the drainage route was set incorrectly.
3. If the pump fails.
4. If the amount of refrigerant in the system has decreased, which leads to icing of the evaporator and supply pipes, so the ice begins to melt along the entire length of the route, pouring water onto the floor.
5. The evaporator may become covered with ice if the pressure regulator stops working. If the temperature outside the window begins to decrease, this can lead to a decrease in the freon temperature due to a drop in its pressure.

Cleaning the drainage system

You can clean the condensate drainage system from the air conditioner with your own hands only if the bathtub pipe is clogged. To do this you need:

1. Remove the filters located on the device body in front of the evaporator. They must be washed thoroughly.
2. The air conditioner housing is raised.
3. The drainage tube is disconnected from the pan.
4. The latter is removed and washed. Special attention exactly the hole.
5. If the tube is clogged in the same way as the drain hole, then it must be blown out. If that doesn't work, you'll have to replace it with a new one.
6. All other steps for assembling the condensate drain system are performed in the reverse order.

For other malfunctions associated with the failure of one or another device or part, it is better to call a specialist. Independent actions can lead to irreparable consequences.