# 6,000 btu AC with no drain hole



## blufford

Several years ago a bought a small window unit that didn't have any drain hole. I thought maybe they forgot to drill it but I left it alone.

Today I read where most of water that accumulates in the bottom of these type ACs is caught by a slinger on the fan which throws the water up against the hot condenser coils where it evaporates. The remaining water that doesn't evaporate will drain out the rear.. Apparently this helps cool the air conditioner's coil and in turn makes the unit run cooler. 

It has been slinging water out the back for 4 years now with no problem. I wished the owners manual had explained this process to me. Mystery solved. Of course I could have asked someone here, lols.


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## Harry Chickpea

Yep, that is a major reason why window units can be more efficient than central air. What impresses me is that the weep holes rarely get clogged and the coils don't seem to get coated with crud. Simple engineering done properly can be very impressive.


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## Ray

alot of window units are water cooled so to speak and use some of the water by means of a fan to fling it for cooling purposes, and if the water drains the unit wont cool properly, I have been told. They use a slinger fan and utilize the water.


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## Belfrybat

The instruction leaflet that was package with my window unit explained that, and in bold print said not to drill a hole to drain water.


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## Stephen in SOKY

How close does this make the tolerances on mounting the unit level? It's been years since I installed one but we used to play it rather loose how level the unit was mounted, especially in second story applications.


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## Danaus29

I had a window unit with instructions that didn't say anything about water slinging fans or drain holes. The unit was pretty tightly sealed (sides and bottom) and every time it rained the water wouldn't drain out. Then you'd run the unit and it would sling water all over the inside of the house. Pretty lousy design IMO. Dh took the cover off and drilled a drain hole in it.


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## Harry Chickpea

Danaus29 said:


> I had a window unit with instructions that didn't say anything about water slinging fans or drain holes. The unit was pretty tightly sealed (sides and bottom) and every time it rained the water wouldn't drain out. Then you'd run the unit and it would sling water all over the inside of the house. Pretty lousy design IMO. Dh took the cover off and drilled a drain hole in it.


Oops. IIRC, ours does have a weep hole, but it is fairly high. As far as how level - by guess and by golly seems to work. If it looks a little off level, tilt a little to the outside.


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## Ray

Some have a drain hole, but the hole is not in the bottom but rather the side, up a prescribed distance from the bottom, to allow water to puddle up just the correct amount for the proper operation of the slinger fan, in the unit, then drain out the side hole to maintain level. Sometimes these become plugged with cobwebs, bugs etc and need cleaned to avoid overfill. I've seen some run a hose from this hole out a ways to help prevent plugging. I don't know that it helped?


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## Danaus29

I'd have to look at it again but I don't recall any holes except the screw holes and the vent fins on the top. It was tilted to the back and when I saw it was holding water I tipped the back end down and waited and no water came out the back. It did run out the front and all over the floor inside when I tried adjusting it. Thank God we had the carpet pulled up.


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## Esteban29304

I have an a/c like that but it still drains some. Florida humidity causes it.


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