Forum Discussion

Dusty_R's avatar
Dusty_R
Explorer
Jul 22, 2017

condensate from AC

Has anyone ever tried to catch, control where the condensate drains to from the roof top AC on a class C mh?

I'm working on an idea. It would be removed before driving down the road.


Dusty

7 Replies

  • Mine runs across the roof into a gutter. The gutter has 2-3" drains that stick out and don't allow the water to run down the side of the RV.
  • It might be beneficial to utilize the same system new high(er) efficiency residential Window A/C and Portable A/C units have.

    Condensate is collected in such a manner that it can be "sucked up" and sprayed out on the condenser coils to increase their efficiency. In the case of the residential units, especially the portable units, this is done so that there is less likelihood the condensate collector pan will fill up except in incidents of extreme humidity. Window units are doing so to prevent annoying drips on apartments or people below. The condensate evaporates when it hits the condenser which enhances heat transfer to the atmosphere. I have two such units in my house that never have to be emptied or drip. The window unit accomplishes this in the design of the fan shroud that directs cooling air across the condenser. A low pressure area is created at the bottom of the shroud where condensate from the evaporator is collected and is drawn into the fan where the blades "atomize" the liquid and then through the condenser.

    Sure would be nice to no longer have the "dribble" across the roof and down the side of a coach or trailer. I just bought a 2018 Flagstaff Micro-Lite so I'll look at how they deal with the issue.

    I have noticed that they do a much better job of dealing with the water resulting from defrosting in the refrigerator. An outside drain for a change rather than a collection pan near the heating element.
  • Our A/C unit recently took a dive and we bought a unit at Home Depot that sets on the floor and exhausts out the window through a large tube. It has been a life saver until we can get our A/C fixed but it dumps a lot of water so you need somewhere for it to drain. It was so much that I got curious and thought I would measure the water output. Well, this 10,000 BTU unit in the humid East Coast is putting out 8 gallons of water per day! I suspect a roof top unit would do the same. If you could capture this water and add it to your fresh water supply it would be an awesome addition to for dry campers.
  • Old-Biscuit wrote:
    One only needs to tilt rig slightly to left and rearward so condensate drains off roof towards left rear corner


    Not too much though, or there will be another thread about "Fridge not working properly"..lol
  • Chris Bryant wrote:
    Dometic makes a drain kit for their Penguin, and many new low profile units have provisions for condensate pumps.


    Those are for thru the inside of the roof drain tubes. I guess you could reverse the Dometic cups and then route 2 hoses across the roof to where you want to drain. BTW, the RVP(Coleman) units that have the 120 volt drain pumps, that pump the water thru the inside roof tubes. They are great until you turn the AC OFF or the Compressor stops. Once the drain pump stops, you WILL get a lot of run off, off the roof, since the drain pump stops. Dometic units use gravity and no pump so all the drain water goes thru the roof even when the system shuts off. Doug
  • One only needs to tilt rig slightly to left and rearward so condensate drains off roof towards left rear corner
  • Dometic makes a drain kit for their Penguin, and many new low profile units have provisions for condensate pumps.