Water? In the condensing unit? First thing that comes to mind is condensation coming off the suction/low side of the system. Can you somehow get a look at the compressor for me? If so, is it wet, or is it frosting up?
I've had the coil inside freeze when the blower motor shut off but the compressor kept running. Flipped the breaker for the unit and ran the furnace fan only. Man, that was some COOL air! Inside filter changed once a month and the outside unit is cleaned at the start of every season. Never cleaned it after running, always at the start of the season. Also, vacuum the vents on the side for anything that might attach to it.
The compressor sits at the back side of the unit. Maybe peering thru the vents will give a glimpse of it. Will give that a try and let you know.
Tubes are sealed but after 30 plus years maybe they have lost there insulation ability. In your picture, the closest unit and at the corner pointing at us is where the water is coming from on mine. I thought it was oil also but when rubbing between your fingers, it disappears. Will check later after it starts up again, maybe get a paper towel sample swipe.The only place water can come from a condensing unit is that
1...If it's been raining or if you have heavy dew at night, there might be some pooled in the lower pan and then dribbles out.
2....Otherwise the only possible sources is from the suction tube. That tube should be covered with SEALED INSULATION all the way from the evap in the house, the full length of the tube, and to just before the condensing unit. If that insulation has any looseness where it ends, water can condense up inside the insulation, and then drip out particularly on the off cycle.
Water will also condense on any length of the suction tube that is uninsulated between the house and the outdoor unit.
Have you touched the "liquid" and felt it? Does it seem to be water, or is it oil. If oil, you have a refrigerant leak.
Random photo shamelessly stolen off the dubya dubya dubya
Good man!
That happened at work. Each room had furnace and A/C. Either the drain tube would plug or the motor on the pump would go out. Telltale water on the floor. Ours is to old for that fancy stuff.
No. The condensing unit is on the high side of the system, and always hot. (Well, when everything is working properly….) The only thing that should feel “beer can cold” outside is the suction line from the house and going into the compressor.
I think that you have a good maintenance plan for sure. Have you ever cleaned the A coil? I clean mine ever other year, I use one of those one gallon yard sprayers with warm water.
It was cleaned when we moved in....27 years ago. Plugged solid with dog hair/lint/fuzz whatever. The tech was able to unscrew the panel where the tubes come out, swing the whole assy. out and hose it down. The option was to try this or cut it out, clean at the shop, reinstall and recharge. Went with the at home cleaning. Not sure I want to try this again. Maybe at the end of the season i'll get brave and take the two panels off that are screwed on and see what I can get at.
Yes, it is like the system pictured. Fan motor sounds normal, air filter replaced once a month, no vents blocked or shut down and all returns are open. (as a side note, I would like ceiling returns for the summer but I'd probably never get the job finished). Yes, it is humid here. T-stat is at 76 or 78 and it gets to that fairly quickly. By that I mean that I had it set at 78, turned it down to check the tubing outside, got sidetracked and what "seemed" like 20 minutes, it reached the temp and was shut-off.
It's easy to do, those service technicians want to charge you for a cleaning service that you can do yourself
How do you do the cleaning? I was thinking at first the water is going everywhere but I'm picturing a fine mist that just accumulates in the tray and out the condensate line. Did I get that correct?
It will come out in either a light stream or a fine mist, depending on how much you pump up the sprayer. It should drain into the tray and you can vacuum it up with a wet or dry vacuum or just let it run out. Hope this helps you.
Yes, thank-you. Now to clean the sprayer out well. I think the last stuff thru it was vinegar to try and tame the weeds.
When we moved in, we had the furnace/A/C checked out and it would go off on "hi limit"? That is when the A-coil was cleaned first. Figured try and clean it here first, if it doesn't leak, I save a bunch by not having to recharge the system with R22.
