Air conditioner drains white discharge

[RajV]

I am noticing the airconditioner drain outside the house has a white residue . Is this normal for a 100 gallon system in the living room. What my be the residue?

Tia

 

[Billldg]

I am noticing the airconditioner drain outside the house has a white residue . Is this normal for a 100 gallon system in the living room. What my be the residue?

Tia

Air conditioner, do you mean a water chiller?

 

[ca1ore]

Cannot really see why the reef tank would be contributing anything to the condensate that drains down out of an AC unit. An air conditioner uses cooling coils to lower air temperature, and humidity in that air will condense on the coils as a side benefit; but it's pure water.

 

[RajV]

Air conditioner, do you mean a water chiller?

The home airconditioner

 

[RajV]

Cannot really see why the reef tank would be contributing anything to the condensate that drains down out of an AC unit. An air conditioner uses cooling coils to lower air temperature, and humidity in that air will condense on the coils as a side benefit; but it's pure water.

I agree with your logic . Plus salt doesn't evaporate from the tank , only the water . I can understand that evaporated water that raises the humidity is dealt by the cooling system and discharged. But the white residue at the outlet , in the soil is making me wonder . Thank you for your input

 

[Billldg]

It could be pulling salt deposits out of the air, as humidity is pulled out of the air and condensates onto the evap coil the salt would stick to it and drain as a white discharge. I'm a commercial and industrial ref and hvac tech and I have seen white discharge coming from the hvac drain, but only at a bakery and it was the flour suspended in the air.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Has it been serviced within the year

Is white stuff, dry residue

Is it in the water it self

Could be aluminium oxidation

Possible construction dust, any drywall work

I'm HVAC CONTRACTOR

 

[RajV]

Has it been serviced within the year

Is white stuff, dry residue

Is it in the water it self

Could be aluminium oxidation

Possible construction dust, any drywall work

I'm HVAC CONTRACTOR

No service done
The residue i see is after the water has evaporated
Yes it is in the water , i pulled the extra tubiing and checked its in the full pipe
Attached picture

 

[Blizzahjh]

Take some of it and put it in some ro/di water (small sample) and test the salinity. If its salt you will know. That insulation is on the suction line which gets cold and wet any "salt" would have mixed with the condensation and caused oxidation on the copper

 

[RajV]

It could be pulling salt deposits out of the air, as humidity is pulled out of the air and condensates onto the evap coil the salt would stick to it and drain as a white discharge. I'm a commercial and industrial ref and hvac tech and I have seen white discharge coming from the hvac drain, but only at a bakery and it was the flour suspended in the air.

Thanks . However the salt does not evaporate for it to reach the condenser , unless something else is reaching . The only change in the house is the addition of a reef tank and my sump is in the basement where there are no ducts . I use a dehumidifier there and have always emptied out crystal clear water

 

[RajV]

Take some of it and put it in some ro/di water (small sample) and test the salinity. If its salt you will know. That insulation is on the suction line which gets cold and wet any "salt" would have mixed with the condensation and caused oxidation on the copper

Good idea , ill drain it into a pan and collect it and run my refractometer on it

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I think water hardness minerals or construction dust

Been doing hvac 25+ years, odd

 

[RajV]

I think water hardness minerals or construction dust

Been doing hvac 25+ years, odd

Thanks will try to investigate this further

 

[Dburr1014]

Did you put some on your tongue and taste it?[emoji12]
Sorry, couldn't help myself

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Did you put some on your tongue and taste it?[emoji12]
Sorry, couldn't help myself

Should taste like gypsum

 

[ZoWhat]

I agree with your logic . Plus salt doesn't evaporate from the tank , only the water .

Not true in my case. My sump is in the basement and the furnace is about 15ft away.

Furnace confirmed by HVAC tech that it was RUSTED OUT due to the sump being so close to the furnace which was constantly drawing air. My furnace was slightly caked with a white powder, then rust underneath, it was salt residue. Unless Salt Fairys were having parties at 3am in my basement, it was the sump that rusted out my furnace.

Just ask my wife the Accountant about saltwater systems only evaporating pure water after a $5,000 furnace replacement.....

.

 

[vetteguy53081]

The A/C unit works on a compression /evaporation method and this is the deposit formed and discharged while pulling moisture through coils. Not abnormal and unless hooked up to your tank would not worry a bit unless its' not blowing cold air in which case will be a HVAC issue- not reef issue.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Not true in my case. My sump is in the basement and the furnace is about 15ft away.

Furnace confirmed by HVAC tech that it was RUSTED OUT due to the sump being so close to the furnace which was constantly drawing air. My furnace was slightly caked with a white powder, then rust underneath, it was salt residue. Unless Salt Fairys were having parties at 3am in my basement, it was the sump that rusted out my furnace.

Just ask my wife the Accountant about saltwater systems only evaporating pure water after a $5,000 furnace replacement.....

.

Were in Calyfornia, whats a basement

 

[RajV]

Did you put some on your tongue and taste it?[emoji12]
Sorry, couldn't help myself

Actually I did , it wasn't salty but didn't risk trying more . And my refractometer showed no salinity . Im going to change the tube this weekend to see if it develops the same white residue . I am suspecting my neighbor may have sprayed something

 

[RajV]

Should taste like gypsum

Kinda did