The principle of operation of the air conditioner, and any other refrigeration machine evaporative type, based on the physical property of a gas (or an easily evaporating liquid such as freon, ammonia) to cool its volume with a sharp expansion. This process constructively takes place in a special evaporation chamber that cools the air.

At the same time, another phenomenon of physics comes into play, more often known as "reaching the dew point". In nature, it looks like the appearance of the smallest dew droplets on a cold surface and is called condensation.

In essence, it is a by-product of the air conditioner and needs to be removed from the

Where does condensate come from and where does it go

Where it comes from has already been told a few paragraphs earlier, and now we will open the topic about condensate drainage from the air conditioner and why it is needed:

1. - this is water, and since air conditioners are complex electromechanical devices, water can cause their premature breakdown.
2. Up to 20 liters or more of atmospheric liquid can run from one unit per day - with a large number of devices in a building, a whole ton can easily be collected. Such a volume can already be called the risk of flooding the basement floors.
3. Standing water is an excellent shelter for the growth of mold, bacteria and other pathogens.

Even these three arguments are enough to be convinced of the need for implementation. The main purpose of such a system is to remove excess moisture outside the premises.

Impact on health

The main danger of clogging the drainage is not in the consequences of flooding of neighbors or the breakdown of an expensive device, but in the threat to the life and health of the inhabitants of a cool room. If there is dirt, water and heat, then this automatically creates the risk of creating a whole incubator in a split system of a various infection:

• Molds... Some strains can cause respiratory diseases, including lung cancer.
• Bacteria. There is a certain variety that causes "Legionnaires' disease" - pneumonia of a bacterial nature. At the same time, the mortality rate is very high.
• Bad smell the least possible evil. At the same time serves as a kind of final warning - it's time to clean the drain.

It should not be forgotten that prevention drain system should be carried out at least once every three months. Even if the air conditioner did not work all this time, then nothing prevented the accumulation of dirt and the development of pathogenic organisms in all its nooks and crannies.

Self-service drainage system

To purge the drain hose and not resort to the expensive service of calling a specialist, you will need three things:

1. A wish . And it will appear necessarily after the room starts to smell very unpleasant.
2. Instruments . A screwdriver, pliers, and a knife are usually sufficient to remove the housing cover, hose clip, and mounting screws.
3. Disinfectant... It will help get rid of stubborn plaque on walls and in places of bends. Most best result show concentrated chlorine preparations for the dirtiest surfaces.

To carry out cleaning, you just need to remove the top cover of the device, disconnect the tube and blow strongly into it with your mouth. If the installation was done correctly and there is no break on the pipe, then all accumulated dirt will fly out from the opposite end. After that, it is necessary to fill in the disinfectant there and let it work with internal surfaces about twenty minutes. After the specified time has elapsed, just flush the tube clean water and assemble everything back, observing the assembly sequence.

Please note that this is an incomplete set of hygiene measures that must be carried out quarterly.

• It's better to do it right right away than to redo it later. It all depends on the installers who will perform the installation. The degree of professionalism can be judged by the equipment of the brigade. If they are dressed in overalls, use personal protective equipment, then we can say with a high degree of confidence that they are professionals and know the intricacies of work.
• In the event of a problem with the equipment already put into operation, it makes sense to invite a specialized organization. Hardly anyone has a compressor at home. high pressure and powerful chemicals, so to speak, "in reserve" - ​​they cost a lot of money and are sold, most often, by kilograms, with a consumption of 100 grams per cleaning.
• In addition to cleaning the drain, it is also necessary to clean the air filters, impeller, outdoor unit and. For this procedure, cleaning units of the Karcher trademark are used. You can do it yourself, but it will take several days for an unprepared person.

An air conditioner is a unit with the help of which optimal climatic parameters are maintained in the premises. Working in automatic mode, it provides cooling and heating of air, cleaning from dust, and in some cases, air exchange with environment... The principle of operation of the air conditioner is to change the state of aggregation of the refrigerant depending on the temperature and pressure in a closed loop. This process is accompanied by the formation of condensate, for the removal of which a special drainage system is provided in many models.

Drainage system functions

Education and accumulation a large number condensation inside the air conditioner units leads to the flow of water on the facade of the house, as well as on the walls and furniture in rooms. In addition, the presence of excess moisture inside the device can cause a short circuit in the electrical wiring, which will disable it.

Depending on the selected operating mode, condensate 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, a special condensate drain system is provided in the design of the device. It includes a container (tray) for collecting moisture and drainage pipes, with the help of which condensate is removed from the air conditioner.

Place of withdrawal:

• On the street - the easiest way, implemented in budget models air conditioners. The drainage tubes simply go out through the openings for other communications. The disadvantage of this method is the formation of puddles near houses, water drips on the walls, etc.
• Down the drain - more difficult option flawless budget option... At the same time, the drainage of the air conditioner into the sewer provides for the mandatory installation of a water seal (siphon), which will prevent the appearance of an unpleasant odor.
• Using a 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".

Drainage pipes for air conditioners

It is easier to lay a drainage line with corrugated pipes

The drainage tube of the air conditioner, with the help of which condensate formed inside it is removed from it, is made of polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride. These materials are not susceptible to water attack, and products made from them are highly durable. In practice, manufacturers equip air conditioners with two types of reinforced tubes - smooth and corrugated. Smooth pipes are most often found in budget models of air conditioners. Their installation without special fittings is not possible.

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

The use of smooth pipes with fittings for laying the drainage pipeline is advisable when the air conditioner is located in the immediate vicinity of the sewer. If the point of connection of the pipe to the sewage system is at a sufficiently large distance, the use of fittings significantly complicates the installation of the pipeline.

Corrugated tubing is highly flexible and drain piping can be installed without fittings. The drain hose for the air conditioner, assembled from corrugated pipes, can be bent at any angle, which greatly simplifies the process of piping.

Installation of the condensate drainage system

Getting started with installation drainage system the air conditioner must first of all design the entire route of the pipeline. This is especially true in those cases when 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 for draining condensate from the air conditioner, it is necessary to ensure that the angle of inclination horizontal sections was at least 3 °, and the pipeline bends were no more than 45 °.

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

When installing a water seal at the entrance to the sewer, it must be borne in mind that there must always be standing water in it. IN otherwise will seep into the room bad smell from the sewer.

A drainage pump (pump) is often built into air conditioners. It is one of the most important components of the condensate drainage system. Its design depends on the type of air conditioner and the location in the room. If the pipeline route is characterized by big drop height between the air conditioner and the condensate drain point, an additional pump must be installed. The choice is made, guided by its ability to draw in water from the pump located below.

Major malfunctions

One of the most common malfunctions of any air conditioner is its leakage. Such a defect occurs most often due to clogging of its drainage system. At the same time, the hole in the sump, intended for draining the condensate, is 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 drain system.

Disruption of the drainage system occurs for other reasons:

• If there is not enough refrigerant in the system, the temperature of the heat exchanger decreases, which leads to the appearance of ice on its surface. In this case, the flowing water does not fall on the sump, but flows out onto the floor of the room.
• If the pressure regulator is missing or out of order in the air conditioner, when the outside air temperature drops, the pressure in the system drops. This also lowers the temperature of the refrigerant in the evaporator and icing occurs.
• If the air conditioner is used in cold weather, the outlet of the drain tube may freeze and cause the drain pan to overflow with water.
• Errors during installation of the drainage system: no slope when laying the pipeline, "dry" hydraulic seal, poor-quality drainage pipes, depressurization of connections, device "pseudosiphon", etc.
• Failure of the drain pump or clogging of its float chamber, due to which the pump stops working.

In the event of problems related to a drop in refrigerant level, a decrease in pressure, failure of the drain pump and other malfunctions, the correct solution would be to contact a specialized service department. Their qualified specialists will quickly and efficiently eliminate faults.

Cleaning the drainage system

The user can eliminate the water leak from the air conditioner caused by the clogging of the drainage system on his own. In this case, it is necessary to clean not only the drainage system, but also the heat exchanger filters. Otherwise, dust accumulated on the evaporator will clog up again. drainer drain pan. In order to clean the drainage system, you must:

1. Disconnect the air conditioner from the power supply.
2. Remove cover and filters rough cleaning.
3. Carefully remove the drip tray that collects condensation. To do this, disconnect the drain hose.

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

Do not use wire or similar items to clean drain pipes. So you can get only a short-term effect. After a while, the blockage will recover and the water flow from the air conditioner will resume. In addition, thin-walled plastic tubes can be damaged by the wire. Repairing these damages will require time consuming and costly 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. For this, a chlorhexidine solution is used, which is used to process the pallet and coarse filters. In addition, a small amount of the drug must be poured into drain pipe after waiting 15-20 minutes, it is washed running water, at the same time removing debris and dirt from the drainage pipeline.

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

Condensate drain options

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

• outside;
• in a special tank;
• using drain pump(forced);
• down the drain.

Depending on how the water will be removed, it is necessary to purchase Consumables: propylene air conditioner condensate drain pipes, drain hose, drain siphon, adapters and seals for drainage into 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, it is used polypropylene pipe with a diameter of 20 or 25 mm.

Cleaning the drain pipes of the air conditioner

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

• rinsing with water or grease solvent. Means work very well household chemicals... A flushing agent is poured through the evaporator, drains through the drain hose;
• With drainage disconnect. The pipeline is purged, sometimes this can be done with an ordinary powerful vacuum cleaner;
• With the disassembly of the indoor module. The indoor unit can be disassembled, in this case, the hose can be thoroughly blown out and rinsed.

But it is possible to absolutely clean the tubes of the air conditioner only under conditions service center... However, if you periodically flush or purge the system yourself, it will keep it in good working order. For the condensate drainage system to become heavily clogged, it takes more than one year of work. Therefore, such deposits of dirt cannot be cleaned with just one vacuum cleaner. But if calling professionals is not possible, you need to clean the drain yourself. Otherwise, condensation will spoil not only the air conditioner, but also the decoration of the room.

Drainage system repair

If the system of drain pipes of the air conditioner for some reason has failed and cleaning is ineffective, repair is needed. The pipeline can be pinched or heavily clogged, broken. If the air conditioner operates year-round, the drain pipe is equipped with a heater. Otherwise, an ice plug forms in it and the drain does not work.

The drainage system of the air conditioner is designed to drain the condensate formed during the cooling of the air flow. This system must have an outlet outside the room where the air conditioner is installed.

What is a drainage system?

The drain is essentially a tube that is designed to transport condensate. And the drainage system consists of a network of tubes connected to the device block.

In this case, all connections must be tight. Typically, drain pipes are polystyrene hoses with the required strength and other technical characteristics.

Organization of drainage to the street

Consider the withdrawal of drainage to the street, as the most common and simplest way.

The required length of the drain hose is connected to indoor unit system using the appropriate size of the adapter fitting.

Hoses should not be inserted into each other - such a loose connection will be unreliable.

Air Conditioner Drainage Installation Requirements

The requirements that the drainage system of the air conditioner must meet, basically, repeat the requirements for laying the sewage system:

• The slope of the horizontal sections is about three percent.
• Turning angles are no more than 45 degrees.
• In the case of connecting the drainage to the sewage system, a siphon with a water seal must be installed in front of it. The water standing in it will prevent the penetration of miasms from the sewer into the air conditioning system. This requirement does not apply when draining condensate outside.

Installation of the drainage system of the air conditioner

Most often, a joint route is organized between the blocks, where, in addition to drainage, other communications are laid.

If the drain hose is not made of frost-resistant and wear-resistant material and has a small diameter, then it is useful for street plot hide the drain line in a corrugated pipe. It makes no sense to do this indoors.

Upon completion of the installation of the drainage system of the air conditioner, or rather the drainage pipe, the communications of the joint route should be fastened together with electrical tape in several places, if the insulating winding does not serve corrugated pipe from large diameter... Communications should not be connected in advance to the indoor unit of the air conditioning system.

Drainage external block in the case of the exit to the street, it is simple: a flexible hose is connected to the drainage hole at the bottom of the block, the outlet of which is positioned so that condensate does not fall on the windows of neighbors, protrusions of facades and other air conditioners.

When the installation of the drainage system of the air conditioner is completed, all its parts will be connected, a common communications route laid along outside wall at home, you should not forget to wrap with electrical tape, or use another method of insulation in the form of a corrugated pipe.

Wrap insulating tape from bottom to top. The same procedure should be subjected to copper tubes on the open areas and electrical wiring to protect them from corrosion. The hole made in the outer wall must be securely filled with silicone sealant.

Video about the installation of the drainage system of the air conditioner:

Leave your feedback on the article in the comments - it is important for us to know your opinion!

All evaporative devices, including the air conditioner, operate based on physical properties gas - with a sharp expansion, cool your volume. This process takes place in an evaporation chamber, the purpose of which is to cool the air.

But upon cooling, another law of physics comes into force called "reaching the point of growth." In simple words, it looks like the appearance of small drops of dew on a cooled surface, these drops are called condensate.

In fact, they can be called a by-product of the functioning of technology, and for the normal operation of the device, it needs the timely removal of condensate from the refrigeration systems.

Where does condensate come from and where does it go

Condensation is water droplets. Since the air conditioner device is difficult electrical connections and schemes, in some cases excessive moisture causes a malfunction or breakdown, and if the device is connected to the network, there is a possibility of a short circuit.

In one day, average household air conditioners can collect up to 10-15 liters of liquid that is in the atmosphere. And if there are a lot of air conditioners, for example, in office buildings, hundreds of liters of condensate can accumulate per day. Such a volume is dangerous due to the risk of flooding.

It also has a detrimental effect on health. Wastewater serve as a good breeding ground for bacteria and mold dangerous to humans.

These points are enough for making a decision to install a special drainage of the air conditioner for removal. The main task of which is to withdraw from excess condensation from technology.

Impact on health

The main danger of condensation is far from the risk of flooding something or equipment breakdown, it is a threat to health. If the device has several components for the comfortable reproduction of bacteria, namely water, dirt and heat, all this creates conditions for a whole incubator of dangerous diseases and other infections:

1. A foul smell is the least of evils. Such a "scent" serves as a warning that it is time to thoroughly clean the drainage.
2. Disease-causing bacteria - There is one type of bacteria that causes pneumonia. It is also called "legionnaire's disease", the mortality rate from which is very high.
3. Mold Fungi - Some types of fungi can cause disease, even cancer.

Drainage pipe clogged

How to properly drain condensate from the air conditioner

After the information received above, the question arises of how to properly drain the condensate from the air conditioner. An often used and financially beneficial way is to bring the drain pipe outside by drilling small hole in the wall. The main advantage is simplicity - I made a hole, extended the hose and everything works. But there is also negative side, it consists in the effect of "raindrops" that will fall on the windowsills and cause a lot of inconvenience to neighbors. The aesthetic side also belongs to the disadvantages. No matter how practical it is this way, not everyone likes the pipes hanging from the apartment; on a bare wall.

It would be much better to use a condensate drain into the sewer.

Drainage diversion to the sewerage system

This option does not have any drawbacks. Waste from the air conditioner is discharged into a dedicated system. It can be either a common sewer canal or a specially laid network of pipelines. All drains will be drained off without your help due to the inclination of the pipes.

But there are also subtleties of implementing such a system for draining condensate from an air conditioner:

• To prevent the nasty smell from the drains from entering the room, it is necessary to install a water seal - this is a curved part of the drain pipe in the shape of the letter S. The operation of such a shutter is similar to the operation of a siphon - it creates a barrier to odors that come from below.
• If the air conditioner is idle for a long time, the odor trap may dry out and the air coming out of it will begin to give off the drain. To avoid this, it is enough to pour several liters of water into the drain every 5-7 days.
• When using the gravity version, it is necessary to accurately calculate the minimum diameter and slope of the system so that all waste from the air conditioner can drain freely through it.

Manufacturers usually provide a detailed diagram to facilitate the installation process.

Condensate drainage scheme

Drainage pipes for air conditioners

Drain pipes from air conditioners belong to the drainage system and are represented on the market in two positions:

1. PVC and polyethylene pipes.
2. The pipes are smooth and corrugated.

The first option is most often used if the length of the drain is small, in other cases corrugated systems are used. At the same time, the second variety has another huge advantage - this is excellent flexibility. drain hose, due to which during installation there is no need to use additional fasteners, as is necessary when working with smooth pipes.

Drainage pipes for air conditioners

Condensate drainage system installation process

Despite the difficult descriptions of actions, in practice the withdrawal process is extremely simple and requires only your attention:

1. The first thing to do is to remove the fasteners from the air conditioner, which are located at the bottom.
2. A small container will be installed in the lower part under the fan to collect excess condensate. On the side of it, you can see a branch pipe, to it with the help of a clamp and attach the drainage pipe of the branch.
3. Then reassemble and install the air conditioner in place. However, it is important that the tube goes through the hole in the side of the air conditioner.

Now you need to bring the previously connected hose into the sewer or outside. If the hose is retracted correctly, you will see the first drops coming out of the pipe.

Drainage scheme to the street

Cleaning the drainage system

In a domestic environment, without the help of a specialist, it is possible to clean the drainage system only if only the bath pipe is dirty. For this you need:

1. Detach the filter located on the air conditioner housing and rinse it thoroughly.
2. After removing the lower fasteners, disconnect the drain tube and remove the tray.
3. Rinse these parts by giving Special attention holes.

For other failures associated with clogged drainage, you need Technical equipment, it is better to call the master. Self repair can damage expensive equipment.