# Way Too Much Condensation??



## Salty Dog (Oct 8, 2009)

My new/old house in SW Florida had all of the ducts replaced with returns in all of the rooms and also two in the main living areas. 

The existing air handler is above the garage and worked well. The first summer after there was excessive condensation and even though the drain was clear and running condensate still came though the ceiling. 

I had another Ruud unit that was newer and a half ton larger and we installed that in its place. Big surprise it's doing the same thing. I disconnected the drain and installed the trap close to the unit with 1' of pipe draining into a bucket. 

What's happening is the condensate is being held in the unit and when the fan kicks off it dumps too much and overflows the pan. My question is why?

Before I get my A/C guy back I'm looking for some advice on what to look for from you guys. 

Thanks


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Is it installed level?


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## Salty Dog (Oct 8, 2009)

Yes, that's the first thing I checked

Thanks


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Hmmm...well pitch it a little towards the drain so it holds slightly less water...reduces efficiency a tad though...


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## flashheatingand (May 3, 2008)

Is the coil on the return side? Can you temporarily remove the return duct so that you are eliminating any air flow restrictions. Just want to make sure you are getting enough air flow. A bigger unit would increase the amount of condensation.


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## Dr Heat (Dec 25, 2008)

You need a trap just outside the coil.


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## Salty Dog (Oct 8, 2009)

I did just put a deeper trap right next to the unit. Too cool out to test though.


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## beenthere (Mar 5, 2009)

Could be the return duct is not large enough, and that it is creating too much of a negative pressure. And is holding the water up. A larger air handle would not help in the case of an under sized return.


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## Salty Dog (Oct 8, 2009)

I was thinking the return might be small also. Of course the guy that put it in says its ok. 

Eventually I'll get another A/C company here but was looking for opinions first. The trap used to be outside and I just put a deeper one next to the unit so that may have helped.


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## beenthere (Mar 5, 2009)

Is your air filter bulged in when you change it.


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## Salty Dog (Oct 8, 2009)

It's 4" thick. I have a Lumilear UV with the 4" and 1" metal filter. 

Thanks


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## beenthere (Mar 5, 2009)

What size is the filter? Is it large enough for your system?


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## Salty Dog (Oct 8, 2009)

The filter system is made for this unit. I had the whole system up rite in a closet in my last house and it worked fine. 

The return plenum is a little smaller and formed to fit the filter I bet that's the problem.


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## beenthere (Mar 5, 2009)

In your first post you said you had a larger air handler put in. So was this filter with the larger unit, or the same one as the smaller unit had.

Next, as an upflow, the drain pan didn't hold as much water, and would not have shown the problem as quick.


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## Salty Dog (Oct 8, 2009)

Thanks beenthere

This filter came new with this unit and moved all together. 

The last unit had just standard filter, which by the was leaking out of the seams also. Must be something with the ducting but it all appears adequate to me. 

Ran it for a while today. Condensate runs pretty steady until the unit kicks off. Them it dumps. Once it kick back on condensate stops for a couple of minutes then streams again. Still dripping a tiny bit from the cabinet seams.


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## beenthere (Mar 5, 2009)

Return is too small most likely.


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## flashheatingand (May 3, 2008)

Off hand, it does sound like an air-flow issue. Can you, or the tech give the coil a good washing? It wouldn't hurt for the tech to check the static pressures, as well as checking out the charge.


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## Salty Dog (Oct 8, 2009)

Ok, got the condensate taken care of but it seems like the unit doesn't run long enough. I'll have to watch the t-stat and see what's what and maybe close some of the registers.


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## SLSTech (Sep 13, 2008)

Salty Dog said:


> Ok, got the condensate taken care of but it *seems like the unit doesn't run long enough*. I'll have to watch the t-stat and see what's what and maybe close some of the registers.


Excuse me for this, but... DUH :whistling


> had another Ruud unit that was newer and a half ton larger and we installed
> that in its place


Number one the unit is not sized properly for the house which falls in with number two

Number two the existing unit probably wasn't sized properly either but was hardly noticed due to duct leakage, etc...

You can try slowing down the fan speed allowing it to run longer & pull more humidity out of the air or better yet actually do a Manual J & D which will help make sure your return is sized properly, the unit is sized properly & the unit can actually handle said air filter


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## flashheatingand (May 3, 2008)

What was the issue with the condensation?


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## BadgerBoilerMN (Sep 10, 2010)

How about, we start with an ACCA Manual 'J' heat load, size the equipment to the load including the duct work and compare the proper system including air flow (velocity) and pressure drop to the specified system?


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