[mr.supervideogoodfd]

So this nice lady at work gave me her old air conditioner that she wasn't using. It's about a 20-year old Carrier. We fired it up and it seemed to pump out cold enough air.

Here's the thing, though. When we turned it off, after a couple minutes, all this water started pooling out from the bottom of it.

As someone who has never owned an air conditioner before, I must ask, is this normal? Is this a sign that the unit is buggered?

Need some quick replies because someone is coming tomorrow to properly install it in our window and I need to know whether this one will work or if I should buy a new one before this guy arrives tomorrow afternoon.

[Audi_z]

There should be a drain hole. Check and see if it is clogged.

Also..go ahead and buy a new one. If the unit is that old, a new one will pay for itself in just a few months with lower energy costs.

Figure out how large of an area you need to cool and then go online to find out how many btu you will need and to comparison shop. Get one with an energy rating of at least 10. Also be aware the units over 12K usually require a 220 receptacle.

[VEGLAS - SPB]

Another recommendation for an old unit is to run it on "fan only" for a while before shutting it down if possible. Maybe 10 minutes or more depending on the age of the unit and humidity. My parents have an aging unit and if you turn it off while it's compressing you'll hear a lot of water trickle through it, but if you run it on fan only for a little while before turning it off, no trickle.

[mr.supervideogoodfd]

I just had a look inside. This unit was built in 1982 and is rated at 5000 BTUs. The 5000 BTU model on sale at the store right now is $90 and it weight about 1/4 as much. I guessing it's also a bit quieter too. And it probably doesn't eject as much water.

I wonder.

[Adimos]

Water is normal for a/c to expel. Just make sure you setup the drain properly so it doesn't get inside your house.

If you pay for your utilities, you should probably get a new one, as the energy cost difference will be quite substantial.

[mr.supervideogoodfd]

Water is normal for a/c to expel. Just make sure you setup the drain properly so it doesn't get inside your house.

If you pay for your utilities, you should probably get a new one, as the energy cost difference will be quite substantial.

Even if I only run it for a few weeks of the year (the hot weeks)?

[agiopwer]

Well, 5000s BTUs is pretty balls anyway, unless your place is really small.

[Adimos]

Well when you buy an a/c, it lasts a long time, so it's a long term purchase. It's really up to you, as the old one still seems functioning.

[xochgtlm]

The water draining is water molecules accumulating on the evaporator coils when the fan stops pushing air across the coils. An AC is mostly an air de-humidier and those window units are more exposed to the hot wet air when they shut off. So yes, this is normal for a window unit in general, not to mention one that is 25 years old.

This unit is effectively a money drain, it will cost you alot of electricty, and eventually water damage/ parts repair problems. Your best choice is to install a highly efficient central a/c system that can handle the square footage of your abode, or if that is too expensive ( normally in the thousands of us dollars,) buy a brand new window unit.

[pavelChe]

Even if I only run it for a few weeks of the year (the hot weeks)?

yes, because we aen't talking about a 5 year old maching we talk about 25 years where a lot of progress was made

[Audi_z]

I just had a look inside. This unit was built in 1982 and is rated at 5000 BTUs. The 5000 BTU model on sale at the store right now is $90 and it weight about 1/4 as much. I guessing it's also a bit quieter too. And it probably doesn't eject as much water.

I wonder.

So basically this lady gave you her trash and now you will have to pay the recycling fee instead of her.

Good thinking on her part.

Try to give it back.

A new 5000btu is only up to cooling about 150 sq ft.

[mr.supervideogoodfd]

A new 5000btu is only up to cooling about 150 sq ft.

Well, my neighbour (we live in a condo complex) bought the $90 5000 BTU unit a month ago and swears it turned his bedroom into a freezer. Our bedroom is identical in size and construction, so I'm inclined to think that it should work well enough.

I think I'll go get a new one today. You've got me thinking a lot about energy costs. This beast weighs about 80 pounds while the new one at the store seemed to be about 20. That alone tells me it's going to suck my hydro.

Thank you for all the advice!

[AmericaAirline 111]

Even if I only run it for a few weeks of the year (the hot weeks)?

Water is normal. A properly installed window unit should be tiled slightly so the back end is lower then the front. If not the water will not drain properly.

[CesseOveldset]

Here's my advice if you're buying a new window unit: Don't buy the cheapest you can find. You don't need to go nuts, but most of the cheaper ones will be like sleeping next to a freight train. In other words, they're LOUD. You'll also make up the extra price rather quickly, as the more expensive units tend to use less energy.

Edit: Also, water is completely normal. That's how an air conditioner works. The condenser removes water from the air, which in turn cools the air.

[Audi_z]

Well, my neighbour (we live in a condo complex) bought the $90 5000 BTU unit a month ago and swears it turned his bedroom into a freezer. Our bedroom is identical in size and construction, so I'm inclined to think that it should work well enough.

I think I'll go get a new one today. You've got me thinking a lot about energy costs. This beast weighs about 80 pounds while the new one at the store seemed to be about 20. That alone tells me it's going to suck my hydro.

Thank you for all the advice!

No problem. I just bought a new 8000btu unit last summer for our bedroom which is around 300/350 square feet so I am up on details.

Few years back I had an old 11k 110 unit for the downstairs and an equally pathetic 5k for the bedroom. The big one died and I bought a new 18K 220 to replace it. My electricity bill dropped by $80 a month for the summer. It dropped again last summer with the new 8k unit.

So it really pays to buy the new efficient units.

Along with the better energy consumption, new ac units have some nice convenience features. I can program mine to run more at certain times of the day or night, set the temp I want it to cool to, or to just dry the humidity out of the air. All this by remote control so if I dont feel like getting out of bed to change the settings.

And we all need more remotes..right?

[agiopwer]

Well, my neighbour (we live in a condo complex) bought the $90 5000 BTU unit a month ago and swears it turned his bedroom into a freezer. Our bedroom is identical in size and construction, so I'm inclined to think that it should work well enough.

I think I'll go get a new one today. You've got me thinking a lot about energy costs. This beast weighs about 80 pounds while the new one at the store seemed to be about 20. That alone tells me it's going to suck my hydro.

Thank you for all the advice!

Like I said, 5,000 BTUs is pretty balls.

It doesn't mean it will necessarily not cool the area you want. What it does mean is that it will have to work harder than it should; i.e. it will be running all the time.

You're much better off getting a new unit with a good rating at a higher BTU. Not only will it be more efficient per unit BTU, but it will also have to work less. So win-win.

Also: less noisy.

[CesseOveldset]

Like I said, 5,000 BTUs is pretty balls.

It doesn't mean it will necessarily not cool the area you want. What it does mean is that it will have to work harder than it should; i.e. it will be running all the time.

You're much better off getting a new unit with a good rating at a higher BTU. Not only will it be more efficient per unit BTU, but it will also have to work less. So win-win.

Also: less noisy.

It is better to slightly undersize the unit than to oversize it. It is more efficient and works better that way.

[mr.supervideogoodfd]

Well, just back from the store(s). They were sold out of the $89 5000 BTU special. The next store had a similar one for $89, but then I got looking at it a little closer. EER rating was 9.7 and it only had a 1-year warranty. A mountain of namebrand (Danby) units loomed next to the lone $89 unit that remained. All the Danbys were Energy Star Compliant with EER ratings that started at 10.8. Plus they had a longer warranty and higher BTU ratings.

The 6000 BTU unit was lovely and the price was right... so I brought home the 8000 BTU Danby. I always shop that way. I remember went I went downtown to buy a DX8 video card. The whole way down I kept telling myself, "Ok, all I need is the Ti200. I'm going to get the Ti200. Get the Ti200." I walk up to the counter and demand, "Radeon 8500 please." Next time I went down for a new HDD. "I only need the 60GB. I'm getting the 60GB drive. 60GB is more than enough." I approach the counter. "80GB Seagate please."

The 8000 BTU model shoehorns into my bedroom with at least a full 1/64th of an inch clearance! Damn, am I ever good at eye-balling stuff (vicious lies lies lies)

I hope it's worth it. I think I'll give the old one to my mom.

[rockboyzaza]

I bought the $95 5000 BTU special...it could easily do a bedroom. I have it running hard duty trying to cool off the entire downstairs!! It is trying to cover about 800 sq ft...and it is rated for about 150.

You know what though? If I leave it on during the day it will maintain about a 20 degree difference from the outside!

Yes it can't really cool the whole area to the perfect temp, but it was the only one that would fit, and the price is right.

[CicyHannyCeli]

There should be a drain hole. Check and see if it is clogged.

Also..go ahead and buy a new one. If the unit is that old, a new one will pay for itself in just a few months with lower energy costs.

Figure out how large of an area you need to cool and then go online to find out how many btu you will need and to comparison shop. Get one with an energy rating of at least 10. Also be aware the units over 12K usually require a 220 receptacle.

SHE'S BACK!!!

Been a long time since I recall seeing you here, lass - hope things are a whole lot better than last time we 'spoke'!

Anyway, back on topic, blocked drain hole is indeed the most likely problem! If it was the working medium, it would stop working quite quickly.