Solving Portable Air Conditioner Filling Too Fast

Is your portable air conditioner filling up too quickly? It seems to be one of the things that annoys people the most about these devices.

If you always draw yours it has it in your last vein; the following should help.

Portable air conditioners can quickly become waterlogged for a number of reasons, including high humidity, improper drainage, improper installation, inadequate ventilation, overcooling, and more.. The good news is that there is an easy fix for almost every reason why your air conditioner produces too much water.

So read on, and we’ll fix it as soon as possible.

What you will need

There is a good chance that you will not need any of the tools or accessories for the repairs listed below, however, depending on your problem, you may need or want one of the following.

• Condensate pump
• Bottle brush
• Bubble level
• Spray the bottle with warm water and a mild soap, such as dish soap or hand soap

Why Your Portable AC Charges So Fast

As mentioned above, there are several reasons why your air conditioner can fill up with water very quickly. The following is a list of each and a description of what you need to do to fix the problem.

#1 High Humidity

Do you live in a high humidity climate?? Or maybe there is a reason for it the home is too humidmaybe because of a fish tank, or even everyday things like washing, cooking, bathing, or showering.

The process by which an air conditioner cools your indoor air includes removing moisture from the air. The more moisture in your air, the more water your air conditioner will collect.

All that moisture adds up and creates more dullness than you probably want to deal with.

So what to fix?

Step 1

This is probably not what you want to hear, but it’s an easy fix to increase your reservoir emptying schedule. Although most manufacturers recommend doing this every eight hours, you may need to do it more often.

Step 2

To save yourself from draining your air conditioner too often, you have the option of setting up a continuous drain. Take a look at the video above, but be aware that you will need your unit to be near the floor drain.

Step 3

If you don’t have a floor drain, you have the option of using a condensate pump. The pump works against gravity to push water up the drain in the sink or tub. They can usually be placed about 20 feet from the drain—meaning you have 20 feet of pipe.

#2 Improper drainage

If the drainage system of your portable AC is malfunctioning or blocked, water can accumulate quickly.. This can be caused by a clogged drain, a faulty drain, or a disconnected drain.

Some portable air conditioners have more than one drain hole while others have no water tanks at all. So some will have a drain line or tube and some will have a spout. However, it is important that the water can flow freely.

Step 1

Remove the drain plug or remove the drain line.

Step 2

Use a long tool like a screwdriver or a small bottle brush to clean the inside of the line. Then continue draining it until it flows freely.

Step 3

Replace the line.

Step 4

If you just have a spout, make sure it’s not clogged. Also, you can try a bottle brush or use a paper towel or cloth.

Step 5

If your unit has one or more sumps, clean them thoroughly and make sure there is no build-up of soil or debris – anything that can move into the spout or line and clog it.

Step 6

If you use a condensate pump, make sure it is working properly. Otherwise, it will fail to release your air conditioner.

#3 Improper Installation

Your portable air conditioner needs to sit on a level surface . Otherwise, the water cannot flow freely towards the drainage system so it will accumulate quickly.

Make sure the floor of the air conditioner you are sitting on is level. If necessary, use a bubble level.

#4 Adequate Ventilation

It is important that your air conditioner has adequate airflow around it. Many manufacturers recommend it at least two to three feet of open space around the unit.

Air flow helps condensation evaporate, so without it, more water will accumulate in your unit.

Check your owner’s manual for specifics on recommended clearances for your air conditioner. Otherwise, just make sure there is at least 2 or 3 feet between the ducts/sides of the air conditioner and any walls or furniture.

#5 Overcooling

What’s the first thing you want to do on a really hot day? You may want to turn the thermostat on your air conditioner even lower to make the air even colder.

This is a bad idea as very low temperatures can cause the evaporator coil to become too cold. Then, when the warm air from the room meets the cold coil, condensation occurs very quickly, which leads to the rapid accumulation of water.

A general recommendation is to set your air conditioner thermostats at 75°F (24°C) or 78° (25.5°C).

#6 Dirty or Clogged Air Filters

If the air filters in your portable AC are dirty or clogged, they can interfere with air flow and reduce the efficiency of the unit.. As a result, as in the case above, the coil may freeze, leading to rapid winding and water accumulation.

This may surprise you, but a dirty air filter can cause a number of problems with an air conditioner. One of them has more water because the density increases.

Some portable air conditioners have more than one filter, and depending on your unit you may need to clean or replace your filter. You will need to refer to your user manual if you have a filter that needs to be replaced.

Step 1

Open the grill of your air conditioner, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Step 2

Check your filter – or filters – and if they are dirty, replace or clean them as needed. You can clean the filters using warm water and a mild detergent, such as dish soap or hand soap.

Step 3

If your filter is the type that needs cleaning, it’s important to make sure it’s completely dry before reinstalling it.. If there is any moisture left in it at all when you reinstall it, you are almost certain to get mold growth.

#7 Large Unit

As with any type of air conditioner, if your portable unit is too large for the cooling area, it will cool your breath quickly, but it will not be able to remove moisture from your area. This can cause excess moisture to accumulate, leading to your water reservoir filling up quickly.

Step 1

See the table below, which is a buyer’s guide provided by Lowe’s for the combined area and BTUs required.

If the room with your air conditioner is too small for the recommended BTUs, unfortunately, there is not much you can do except open doors or expand the area where the air conditioner will cool.

#8 Malfunctioning Parts

Finally, there may be something wrong with your air conditioner. Faulty components inside the unit such as a thermostat or sensor can interfere with the cooling and dehumidification process – which can cause water to collect faster than normal.

Step 1

If you have access to the circuit board in the air conditioner, check for any visible damage. If something seems fried, check your manual for replacement parts.

The conclusion

As we have discussed, there are many reasons why your portable air conditioner may fill up too quickly. Some of them are natural problems that you may not be able to do anything about, but others require simple fixes.

To recap, here are the reasons we discussed.

• Too much moisture
• Improper drainage
• Incorrect installation
• Adequate ventilation
• On cooling
• Dirty or blocked air filters
• A large unit
• Malfunctioning parts

Hopefully, one of these addresses your problem and gives you the information needed to fix it.

While you’re here, why not check out our related posts below? Maybe we can help you with something else.