They should make these portable units with a higher base, at least 4" higher, so that people, especially seniors, who can't lift heavy things, could drain it much easier by just slipping a Tupperware container under the lower drainage plug.
Hi OMG, - Thank you for watching and your comment. You're absolutely right that higher base would be helpful. We made a second video about how to drain without elevating. That's mainly for self-evaporating units which don't accumulate much water, because you can only fit a shallow container under the bottom drain. Here is the link ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html Thanks again!
I have made my own base, of wood..... sitting 8" off the floor.... which just fits the plastic drain pan I use. Curios, though.... that mine did not require draining until the unit was almost 2 years old.... and I live in hot and humid area. Now I get the E5 error every time I turn it off... too strange.
Higher/taller casters solve this problem. Yet they never include them, nor do they design the units so the casters are replaceable. Poor engineering decisions.
I stumbled across this video because I was having an issue with something related but not exactly this, and I just wanted to say thank you for what you're doing.
Hi SoloisticCloud - Thank you for your kind words! You might also want to check our follow up video on how to drain WITHOUT lifting the unit, here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
My friend, im about to buy a Portable A/C and my question was going to be, how often do I need to drained? but I already see other comments and understand that is every day until find out how much water makes. Thank you, not many guys like you, answering people’s questions, God Bless!!!
Hi Muscle car Garage - Thanks for watching and your comment. Regarding the draining how often you need to drain depends on a few factors. The climate (dry vs humid), and the type of AC (self-evaporating or not). So yours is probably self-evaporating.
Thanks for the tips! We just successfully drained ours and now it is working again. We just rolled ours to the bathtub and did it there. The only thing I'm wondering is we used the a/c all last summer because it was so hot and we never drained it once...not sure why all of a sudden it needs to be drained but anyway just glad it's working.
Hi Tricia, - Thanks for the good news! Not sure why your AC is collecting more water this year. Maybe the weather is more humid or, if your unit has a "dry" mode, maybe you were using that - it pulls more moisture out of the air. Anyways, glad to hear that it's draining well. If your AC goes back to collecting very little water, you might want to check out our other video for draining without lifting the unit. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
Thank you. Had my unit for 2 and a half years and I needed to do this today. It spilled water like no tomorrow and took multiple small containers trips back and forth between the unit and the sink. Also for those interested, the upper back of the unit could be removed on mine, and it was so dirty, you couldn't see past it. ave it a good cleaning as well. Unit works like a charm now, and no longer flashes stop and beeps. +1
Hi Francois -Glad your unit is in good shape again! We have never had that issue with our Frigidaire - we were draining it every two weeks and there was a very little water. So we decided to drain it every month or two at the most.
Golly, thank you so much! We had to use a portable air conditioner and really miss our window unit. The portable ones take up so much space. Your video really helped and was very concise in draining the unit. We need to put it away for the year and I really appreciate your video so we feel good about storing it. The tip of putting plastic over the vent is also good , I certainly didn’t think of it. :-) Thanks again.
You're very welcome and glad we could help. We made a follow up video on how to drain a portable AC without lifting it. It's much easier and safer. Here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
Thank you for the video it’s a great tip. I was wondering why my new unit wasn’t getting as cold. Draining top and bottom like this was easy and solved the problem.
Hi Travis - You're very welcome! We also have a follow up video on how to drain the unit WITHOUT lifting it. It's much easier and safer. Here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html Thanks for watching, and stay cool!
You're very welcome! Glad we could help. BTW, In case you haven't seen our follow up video on how to drain your unit Without Lifting, then here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html It's much easier and safer.
Hi Stout - Glad we were able to help. We have a follow up video showing how to drain the unit without lifting. It's much easier way to drain. Here is the link ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html Thanks for watching and stay cool!
Thanks very much and glad we could help! Sometimes simpler is better. By the way, you might also be interested in our follow up video on how to drain your AC without lifting - much easier and safer. Thanks again, here is the link ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
You're very welcome! Glad we could helped. BTW, we have developed a follow up video on how to drain your AC without lifting - much easier and safer. Here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html Stay cool
Hi Alondra - Glad we could help. This video was based on our first time draining our AC. We found that there was very little water and we decided to drain WITHOUT lifting the unit and made a follow up video. It's easier and safer. Here is the link to the video - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html Thanks for watching and you comment.
I literally had to attach a small hose at the bottom I'm running out the front door because if not I will be emptying my bucket the size you have every 15 minutes. I'll never understand why they put the drain hose so close to the floor.
Hi, The water that you see in our video was from the first time we ever drained it, just a few hours after setting it up. The Manual had said that there might be lots of water after the initial use, and since we didn't have a hose (the hose wasn’t included then), we put it on a stool and placed a large container under the bottom spout to prevent any splashing. But there was not much water, and that was the first and last time that we had that much water - about a cup or less as you can see. Also, that was the last time we lifted it - we found a way to drain without lifting, much easier and safer. (see below for the link). After couple of weeks, we stopped checking altogether, because we were finding almost no water in the tanks. So the Self-Evaporating feature does its job very well even in a very hot and humid days. Here is the ling for draining without lifting a unit -ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
Thank you for posting this. Unrelated but we Southerners enjoyed y'alls accents while you explained how to do it. Dripping in sweat already at the beginning of April but hey, we laughed!
On all the ACs we have ever encountered, there are separate top and bottom tanks. If yours is different , you can check in your Owner's manual to see about yours.
Hi Kurtis - Great news! Hope you enjoy your new AC. BTW we suggest that you also watch our follow up video which shows how to drain the unit without lifting. Here is the link ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html Thanks for watching, and stay cool!
I have had my AC almost 5 years ang never had water in it the first year (and never heard any any other time I moved it) today was the first time some water came out (and a lil mold). I’m assuming I have one that doesn’t need emptying often 😅
Hi, We suggest that you try cleaning your coils and filter first, that might be the cause of the problem. You probably do have a self-evaporating or partially self-evaporating unit. Ours is a self-Evaporating and after draining it once when it was brand new (as shown in the video), we haven't had to drain it since - if there is some water, it evaporates by itself even on very hot and humid days. So your could be the same type, and the water may be coming from dirty coils.
Buy a Danby a/c and your troubles are over, Danby has a built in drain, that fits into a special space in the unit. It holds a quart of water and is removeable to drain in your sink, so easy.
Thank you for your comment. The water that you see in our video was from the first time we ever drained it, just a few hours after setting it up. The Manual had said that there might be lots of water after the initial use, and since we didn't have a hose (the hose wasn’t included then), we put it on a stool and placed a large container under the bottom spout to prevent any splashing. But there was not much water, and that was the first and last time that we had that much water - about a cup or less as you can see. Also, that was the first and last time we lifted it - we found a way to drain without lifting, much easier and safer. (see below for the link). After couple of weeks, we stopped checking altogether, and never have drained the unit since there was almost no water in the tanks. So the Self-Evaporating feature does its job very well even in a very hot and humid days. Here is the link for draining without lifting a unit -ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
How quick should the full light come on? Have had mine a few weeks, light hasn't come out, decided to try draining, and only a very short stream came out.. seems it's not cooling like it should either.. feel window A/c works wayyyyyy better
Hi Lee - if you have very little water, then you probably have a Self-Evaporating AC (SE). The light will come on if the tanks are full, but with SE unit it's very rare for the tanks to fill up. (The drain tanks in our SE unit have never gotten full in 6 years of use.) As for the "not cooling" there could be several reasons: the unit is too "big" or "small" for your room, or dirty filter, or dirty/frozen coils. Your User's Manual may detail other possible causes and you can always contact the manufacturer's customer service. If you find that your filter or coils need cleaning, here are links to our videos on those topics: for cleaning the filter - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sBNkEtdXkJs.html for cleaning the coils - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-87agpQfojrk.html
thank you for putting this up, just been able to afford my very own second-hand portable AC unit and this video is exactly what I was looking for...:-))
Hi Ali Khan - We're glad to be helpful! Also, we would recommend our follow up video on how to drain your AC without lifting it. It's much easier and safer. Here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html Thanks for watching and stay cool!
My portable AC is having an issue where its leaking from the bottom, but there's still water coming out of the hose. i tried to fix this problem by cleaning it and checked if there's clogging, still did not solve the issue we just bought this 2 months ago
Hi Aaron - One possible cause is that the unit is not leveled: just a slight tilt to one side can cause leaks. Another possibility is dirty filter or dirty/frozen coils. If you haven't cleaned them already, here are links for both: filter - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sBNkEtdXkJs.html and coils: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-87agpQfojrk.html . If none of them works, you can check this site, which discusses many other possible causes and how to fix them. applianceanalysts.com/leaky-portable-air-conditioner/ Also, for an easier and safer way to drain your unit, here is our follow up video on how to drain it without lifting it - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html Good luck with your issue.
I just bought a brand new supposedly self-evaluating one and it keeps filling up. As soon as I move it to drain it its already coming out the bottom sides. If the sucker wasn't so heavy I would return it. I should have just kept my old one if I knew I would have to drain it everyday still.
Hi - It's sounds like your unit is not self-evaporating , or if it is, it's not working properly. If you decide to keep it, you might like our follow up video on how to drain the unit WITHOUT lifting it. It's much easier and safer. Here is the link ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html We hope this helps.
@@ZLhow2 Thanks. I'll check it out. I think part of the reason is it's because it's humid where I live. It works really well except for the whole draining thing.
I don't have the same model, but I have a similar setup (I have a Linea Air Con Unit 99 bought cheap here in the UK for £88) However, I was having the FT error code up and the manual kept on saying to drain it BUT via the top Black part. After watching your video and seeing the bottom place to empty it, Sure enough, I had one of them too. I raised it up, popped the pipe in there and bam, it drained. Thank you so much for your vid and the step in the direction I needed :)
Hi, Glad it worked well, but we wanted to let you know that we made a follow up video a few years ago on how to drain the unit without lifting it - much easier and safer. Here is the link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
Hi Big - Here is what we found online (the link is below) as a likely reason for your problem: "The primary reason for your portable AC filling with water too quickly is humidity in the region you live. However, excessive water deposit may also be due to dirty filter or clogged condensate line. Due to clogging flow over the evaporator coil is blocked leading to ice that continuously melts and fills the water container." Here is the link to the site - hvacrguy.com/why-portable-ac-is-filling-with-water-quickly/ If your AC is not brand new, we suggest checking your filter and coils, and cleaning them if necessary. How to clean them (it's very easy) you might want to check our videos: for coils - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-87agpQfojrk.html and for filter - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sBNkEtdXkJs.html You may want to check for leaks as well. Also, if your AC is not a Self-evaporative unit, then we would suggest using a hose. Hope this is helpful.
OMGosh! You/your video saved my okole! I just knew there had to be a remedy! Mahalo, from a Tutu in the Hawaiian Islands! PS I found your update to an easier way very helpful...thankfully I did have someone to lift my a/c, but next time I know how to take care of this myself.
You're very welcome! You may want to check out our follow up video on draining without lifting the unit - it's much easier and safer. Here is the link - -ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
Ummmm…. I just did this to try and make it work more efficient, and no water came out at all. I used the stool and all. I even tilted it a tad to see if that will drain anything out and nothing. There is a desert inside my portable ac unit. But I think it’s because I never use the dehumidifier mode just ac mode.
Hi Andrey - If you are not finding water in your AC, then you probably have a Self-Evaporating unit, like ours. The water that you see in our video was from the first time we ever drained it, just a few hours after setting it up. The Manual had said that there might be lots of water after the initial use, and since we didn't have a hose (the hose wasn’t included), we put it on a stool and placed a large container under the bottom spout to prevent any splashing. But there was not much water, and that was the first and last time that we had that much water - about a cup or less as you can see. Also, that was the last time we lifted it - we found a way to drain without lifting, much easier and safer. We made a follow up video on how to do this, here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html After couple of weeks, we stopped checking altogether, because we were finding almost no water in the tanks. So the Self-Evaporating feature does its job very well at least in a climate that is not very humid (we're in Boston). Thanks for watching and your comment.
Hi Jeremy - It sounds like you have the same kind of remote as ours. They are tricky - you have to aim it just right or be in the right spot to hit the sensor. It does seem to work a bit better when the battery is brand new, but just for a very short time. We didn't make a video on this topic, we think it's just he way they come from the manufacturer. BTW, we have a video on how to drain your AC WITHOUT lifting it. It's much safer and easier. Here is the link ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
Hi Robert, Thanks for watching and your comment. If you don't want to lift your unit, we have our follow up video on how to drain your unit Without Lifting it. It's much easier and safer. Here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
Thank you~~~~ I drained mine onto a towel and when I opened the top plug, no water...just like yours....this helps me a lot. Now to find something to sit the heavy AC unit on. Good idea about the plastic wrap. I would have forgotten to remove it.
Hi, How often to drain depends on the type of your air conditioner. If you have a Non-Self-Evaporating AC, then the best way to tell when to drain is to check the tanks every day. After a while you'll get a sense of how often to drain. Or, you could simply wait until the unit shows the code that says you need to drain it. Many portable ACs use code P1 indicating a full tank, but you should check your Owner's Manual for your unit's draining code. If your AC is Fully or Partially Self-Evaporating, then it evaporates most of the water in the tank. BTW, we made a follow up video on how to drain without lifting - it's much easier and safer. Here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html Thanks for watching and stay cool!
May i suggest a possible easier way to drain... I just put mine in the bath tub. It may be easyier then finding a stool and drain pan or pans. It is the way i do it and works well for me.
Hi, we are glad that your method works for you. We wouldn't recommend it to others because this ACs are very heavy, plus they don't have any lifting handles. We did make a video on how to drain portable ACs without lifting - much easier and safer. Here is the link - -ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
Mine stopped working today after I switched it on. Message son who purchased it, second hand, to find no instructions. Thank God for people like yourself who do videos like this so people like myself can find out how to do these things. Now it's drained I can take it back inside to see if it'll work again. Thanks for your help.
We are glad we could be of help! By the way, in case you didn't see the link to our follow up video on how to drain without lifting the unit, here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html It's much easier and safer. Thanks again, and stay cool!
@@ZLhow2 the second time I needed to drain it I pulled it over to the edge of the seat in the caravan where my son placed it, because he was able to vent the tube out of one of the flaps on the roof (roof expands for head space) so I placed a bucket under and was able to drain without lifting the heavy gadget..and thank you again..
Hi Lydia - Thanks for watching and your comment. In our video we drained our AC for the first time after purchasing it three years ago, and there was some water. We didn't know how much to expect and put quite a large container. Since then we've had very little to no water. We also made follow up video showing how to drain the unit without lifting it. Here is the link to the video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
Love my Honeywell with both upper and lower drains. I just leave the upper drain hooked up to a hose and have it drain into a 5 gallon pail. Due to the way that unit vents moisture out of the hose I don't get that much condenstate. Eventually I want to have it drain into an automatic condensate pump and then pump that out through 3/8 tubing and a holde in the window panel.
Hi Edward, Thanks for sharing your experience. The idea of having a drain to the outside sounds great. Just our opinion - we're cautious about continuous draining into any indoor receptacle. If for some reason you're not available when the pail fills up, you could be facing water on your floor and on the unit's electrical cable.
Hi, you may have clogged drainage spouts. You can check this by just poking a plastic straw into the spouts, which would dislodge any built-up dirt or debris. If none of them works, we would suggest contacting your manufacturer's customer service department. Hope this helps.
Hi Julie- You're very welcome! We also have a second video on how to drain your AC without lifting it. Here is the link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html Thanks for watching and stay cool!
Glad we could help! How often to drain depends on the type of your air conditioner. If you have a Non-Self-Evaporating AC, then the best way to tell when to drain is to check the tanks every day. After a while you'll get a sense of how often to drain. Or, you could simply wait until the unit shows the code that says you need to drain it. Many portable ACs use code P1 indicating a full tank, but you should check your Owner's Manual for your unit's draining code. If your AC is fully or partially self-evaporating, then it evaporates most of the water in the tank. BTW, if you haven't seen our follow up video on how to drain your unit Without Lifting, then here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html It's much easier and safer. Thanks for watching,and stay cool!
Hi Quan,- This is a nice "problem" to have! There are two possible answers to your question - either you have a "self-evaporating'" unit, or your area is dry enough that the water naturally evaporates on its own. Thanks for your question.
You're very welcome! You may want to check out our follow up video on draining without lifting the unit - it's much easier and safer. Here is the link - -ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
Hello, thanks for a very nice tutorial. I have a question regarding the draining. When/ how often should I do it? Should I do it after everytime I use it once? Please help me here. Thanks
Hi Ahmad, I would suggest checking every day or so. After awhile you'll develop a sense of how often to drain. Our unit generates little or no water to drain, but we still check it once a month and more often when the weather gets very hot or humid. Thanks for watching and stay cool!
I bought mine 2 months ago I can never get water to drain fire 3 or 4 days it's made a crazy loud noise and today it just went cabuy. I need help please!!!!😢
You're very welcome! In case you are interested in draining without lifting your unit , we made a follow up video on that topic - it’s much easier and safer. Here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
Glad it helped! We have a follow up video on how to drain Without Lifting the unit, it's much easier and safer! Here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
Hi, In our very first video how to drain, we tilted our unit just to see how much water was left in the bottom tank after draining the AC. There was very little water left. Later we learned that it would evaporate on its own especially if you have a Self-Evaporating unit. Also, we have developed a follow up video on how to drain your AC without lifting it - much easier and safer. Here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html Thanks for watching and your question.
It's the Bostonian version of a garrrden ; ) BTW, have you checked our follow up video on how to drain without lifting the unit? If not, here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html Stay cool!
I find this issue of water drain to be one of the biggest issues for portable A/C's. I have an older model that recycles the water and I never have to drain the water until the end of the season. Why aren't the newer models designed this way?
Hi Marty - We haven't heard of "recycling" ACs, but we do know that there are Self-Evaporative ACs, like ours which evaporate most or all of the water that condenses into the tanks.In our video we were draining the unit for the very first time, right after we purchased it, following the Owner's Manual's instructions. As you can see, there was only a small amount of water inside. After that we got even less water when draining, so we stopped and we've never needed to drain it since.
Hi, How often to drain depends on the type of your air conditioner. If you have a Non-Self-Evaporating AC, then the best way to tell when to drain is to check the tanks every day. After a while you'll get a sense of how often to drain. Or, you could simply wait until the unit shows the code that says you need to drain it. Many portable ACs use code P1 indicating a full tank, but you should check your Owner's Manual for your unit's draining code. If your AC is Fully or Partially Self-Evaporating, then it evaporates most of the water in the tank. Thanks for watching and stay cool!
Great idea! We made a follow up video on how to drain the unit WITHOUT lifting it. It's easier and safer with some tips. Here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
Just got one with no removeable drain. Never had one like this. So me or my wife have to lift a 110 lb unit on a stool everytime we drain it if we can't facilitate a hose drain. I think its going back
Hi, In our video we were draining our new Self-Evaporating AC for the first time a few hours after using it. The Manual had said that there might be lots of water after the initial use, and since we didn't have a hose (the hose wasn’t included), we put it on a stool and placed a large container under the bottom spout to prevent any splashing. But there was not much water, and that was the first and last time that we lifted our unit. And we made a follow up video on how to drain the unit without lifting it. It’s much easier and safer. Here is the link ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html After a while, we stopped draining the unit altogether as there was hardly any water. So if you have a Self-Evaporating AC like we do, then you may also not need to drain yours. Hopefully all this will give you another option to consider before returning your AC. If you do return it, you might look at a lighter weight model. Ours is 10000BTU and weighs 53 lb. Best of luck!
@@ZLhow2we have the same model as you do. I purchased the hose from amz. I noticed before, when the plugs were close, the ac is too loud and it shut down on us from time to time. I got scared cause i thought it might break the ac. When i put the hose while using the ac, it didn’t do that anymore. But it produces a lot of water 😢 it fills up our home depot big bucket in just 8-10hrs of use during the night 😢 should i just keep the plugs close? It’s tiring to dispose the water everyday 😭
Hi, If your AC is new and it’s an SE (Self-Evaporating) AC like ours, then we would suggest contacting your manufacturer’s Customer Service line, or just return it. None of the issues that you've encountered have happened to us. Since the initial draining we’ve had hardly any water, even after using it in “Dry” mode for many hours on humid days. Also, the unit shouldn't get loud and stop working regardless of whether the plugs are closed or open. If your AC has been used for a while, then there are several possible reasons for your unit’s problems. While searching to solve similar issues for other users in our channel, we’ve learned that a dirty filter and/or dirty coils could be the reason for a portable AC turning off and on and generating too much water. This is how it happens: a dirty filter blocks the airflow, causing the temperature of the evaporator coils to drop below the minimum setting. As a result the coils will freeze up and your AC will shut off. The ice on the coils will then melt, and the water will fill up the tank very quickly. If the coils are dirty, then even more ice will form, resulting in more water in the tank. If your unit has dirty filter or coils, we have videos on how to clean them, here are the links: for filter- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sBNkEtdXkJs.html and for coils - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-87agpQfojrk.html If the cleaning doesn’t help, you may have more complicated issues such us Freon loss or condenser problems. Research thoroughly before deciding whether to make these kinds of repairs - the repair costs may be higher than the cost of purchasing a new unit. Hope this is helpful.
Hi Mark - Thanks for watching and your comment. We're glad the video was helpful. If you haven't seen our follow up video on how to drain your unit without lifting, then here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html It's much easier and safer. Thanks again, and stay cool.
Hello ZL, I have a question, what is the top drain used for? This drain should drain water? Because every time I go to drain the water from my portable AC, it only drains water from the bottom.
Hi Randy - The top drain on our unit is for the dry mode. Regardless of what mode you use, it's a good idea to check both top and bottom tanks occasionally. Sometimes if there is very little water in a tank it will evaporate on its own, so there's noting to drain. Thank you for watching!
hello! very informative video. question though, how long does this unit last? i've owned this same unit in the video for the past 3 years. i only use it occasionally whenever it gets too hot in the room for only 2 hours at a time. it works great right now but im worried that ill need to recharge it or worry about needing to buy a new one cause its old. thank you in advance!
Hi Alexis - Thank you for your kind words. We've used ours for four full seasons and will be starting our fifth soon. It's still working fine, and we use it between 10 and 14 hours a day during the summer. We would suggest that you just enjoy yours and take good care of it, and it will probably be good for a few more years. As for recharging you may want to check before you try that. It's not easy for an amateur, and for a professional job, you may end up spending more than half the price of a new AC. Thanks for watching and stay cool.
Hi, sorry for the delayed reply, we just saw your question recently. Regarding your question the answer is yes , you may be able to drain your AC's top port with a garden hose. Check first to see if you will need an adapter. Hope this helps,
So it looks like I have the same model as yours and I only had it for 4 months. FT keeps showing on the screen after I use it for a day. I drain it everyday because FT keeps showing. Do you have any suggestions on how I can resolve it?
Hi Marco - Thank you for watching and your question. We checked our User's Manual, and searched online, but couldn't find any information about the FT code for the Frigidaire portable AC. How about checking the display panel to see if there is a fine print under the flashing code saying to reset, it might stop the flashing. Otherwise, we would suggest contacting customer service.
Hi - Thanks for watching and your kind words. You might also want to check our follow up video on how to drain the AC without lifting and without a hose. Here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
I have a hisemse Dual-hose Portable AC that i keep having to drain every night, only 5 months old.. why does it keep having to drain? The E5 drain error code always comes up
Hi, sorry for the delayed reply. In case you didn't find the solution to your problem, we found a site online which gives information on your issue, and hope it helps. Here is the link - www.luceaircon.sg/blog-article/e5-error-code-on-hisense-air-conditioner
Has anyone got experience with Cowsar or Zafro units? The first sold by Home Depot the second by Amazon. I am a little afraid to buy something that seems this touchy from Amazon. It only has a 30 day return policy unless you buy an extended warranty which is pricey.
Hi Alex- Thanks for your question and sorry for this late reply. Changing the refrigerant is unusual in a home AC. It's not a routine maintenance procedure like cleaning the filter. We've used our unit intensively for five heating seasons and there has never been a need to change the refrigerant. In answering this question for another commenter, we learned that the cost of the refrigerant, plus getting a technician to do the job, gets so high that it probably makes more sense just to buy a new AC. Hope this is helpful.
Hi, Sorry for the delayed response. If you are not finding water in your AC, then you probably have a Self-Evaporating unit, like ours. The water that you see in our video was from the first time we ever drained it, just a few hours after setting it up. The Manual had said that there might be lots of water after the initial use, and since we didn't have a hose (the hose wasn’t included then), we put it on a stool and placed a large container under the bottom spout to prevent any splashing. But there was not much water, and that was the first and last time that we had that much water - about a cup or less as you can see. Also, that was the last time we lifted it - we found a way to drain without lifting, much easier and safer. We made a follow up video on how to do this, here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html After couple of weeks, we stopped checking altogether, because we were finding almost no water in the tanks. So the Self-Evaporating feature does its job very well at least in a climate that is not very humid (we're in Boston). Thanks for watching and your comment.
Wait! can I just attach a garden hose to the top hole to flush the old water out?? I'm doing a deep clean. This would be helpful as it's starting to develop a smell, and I don't want to toss it if I can salvage it.😢
Hi, if you are using the hose to drain the tank, that is fine. But if you're spraying water in to the tank to flush it out, that could be a problem. As far as we know, the tank is not sealed, so if you're spraying water in, it could be getting onto the electrical components of the unit. Hope this helps.
Hi Carlos, we would suggest getting a replacement of the "cap". Here is the link with different kinds of the drain spout plugs which we found in google. Here is the link - www.youtube.com/@ZLhow2/community
Hi, you only need to drain if there is water built up in the tank. Some units have an indicator light for draining, but it's a good idea to check the tank every few days. And always drain it at the end of the cooling season. Thanks for watching.
I believe they can hold alot of water before it starts to come out the top drain plug. I just put a small hose from the top drain into a bucket. I usually empty it once a day. Not a big deal.
Hi SuperCyril2, Thank you for watching and your comment! We have an updated video with what we think are better ways to drain the portable air conditioner without a hose. Hope you find it helpful.
Great video but I was wondering if it’s necessary to drain it like this when my portable ac comes with a drainage bucket. For some reason the bucket stays bone dry but when I pull the plugs out the back, water comes pouring out.
Hi Nico - Don't worry - what you describe is how it's supposed to be. Also, Also we have a follow up video on how to drain without lifting the unit, here is the link ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html Thank you for watching and your comment.
Hi Rodel - Usually the hose would go to the top drain, but we suggest that you check your User's Manual first. There are two drain tanks - top and bottom. On most ACs the top tank is for "Dry" mode and the bottom is for "Cool" mode. But again, we suggest checking your User's Manual to see how your unit is set up. Thanks for watching and your questions.
Thanks for the video, it’s really helpful. My portable AC drips a strange and dark mud when I open the drain, and I suspect that is related to dust. Sometimes it just goes crazy beeping, like its reinitiating over and over, and usually after I drain it and let it rest on the sun for some hours it goes back to normal, at least for some days. Do you think that beeping could be related to the dust? I’m trying to figure it out a way to open it to clean but I’m not quite sure about how should I disassemble it. Anyway, thanks!
Hi - It seems like you might be able to resolve this issue without disassembling the unit. You can try cleaning the drain spouts by gently pocking with a pipe cleaner to dislodge any built-up dirt. You can also easily clean the filter and coils - some dust from those places will eventually end up in the condensate water. We have videos on how to clean filters and coils. The links are below. If none of these approaches resolves your issues, we would suggest contacting your manufacturer's customer service department or an HVAC contractor. Here are the links: for cleaning filter - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sBNkEtdXkJs.html and coils: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-87agpQfojrk.html Hope this helps.
You are very welcome and thank you for your kind words. You might also want to check our latest video about an easier way to drain the portable AC without lifting the unit or using a hose.
You're right. You may want to check our follow up video on how to drain WITHOUT lifting the unit. It's much easier and safer. Here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
Can I put a hose in the bottom with the air conditioning on so I don't have to drain it every so often? Or do I just have to drain the water with the air conditioning off?
Hi, sorry for the delayed reply. You can use a hose on the bottom drain as long as you run the hose out a door or window, or unless you check the drain bucket often to prevent overflows.
The top drain is for the dehumidifier function ("dry" mode). The bottom drain is for the cooling function ("cool" mode). You may have water in both sections. We uploaded a new video about the easiest way to drain our portable AC without lifting the unit or using a hose. You may find it helpful. Thanks for watching and stay cool!
Hi King - If your AC self-evaporating, it will probably evaporate all the water if using "Cool" mode. We would suggest checking both tanks every day or so for the first few weeks to determine how often to drain. We found that after the first time we drained our unit in that video with a large container, there was very little or no water collecting in the tanks. Since then we've developed an easier and safer way to drain the unit, without lifting it. Here is the link to that video - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
I have a portable AC and it got the same 2 holes. I let the upper hole open and it drain continous flow of water but when I leave the ac open for more than an hour it says already full. Should open both holes and let the water flow out while using it?
As long as you have drain hoses leading to a safe spot, then you can leave both spouts open. As for the sigh that the unit is already full, we would suggest to check your filters and coils to make sure they are clean. We have videos on how to clean them. Here are the links: for filter- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sBNkEtdXkJs.html and for coils - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-87agpQfojrk.html Hope this helps.
Hi Bruce - Draining just keeps the machine working. If you don't drain it , it just collects more water, and at some point the machine shuts down to avoid spilling water on the floor. BTW, for easier and safer draining we made a follow up video on how to drain WITHOUT lifting the unit. Here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html Thanks for watching and your questions.
Hey man.. thank you for sharing.. indeed its helpful. Wanna ask.. what water is this? coz there is no water supply into my portable aircon, and it seems to be too much to be condensation, and i doubt its refrigerant..
Hi, If you are not finding water in your AC, then you probably have a Self-Evaporating unit, like ours. The water that you see in our video was from the first time we ever drained it, just a few hours after setting it up. The Manual had said that there might be lots of water after the initial use, and since we didn't have a hose (the hose wasn’t included), we put it on a stool and placed a large container under the bottom spout to prevent any splashing. But there was not much water, and that was the first and last time that we had that much water - about a cup or less as you can see. Also, that was the last time we lifted it - we found a way to drain without lifting, much easier and safer. We made a follow up video on how to do this, here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html After couple of weeks, we stopped checking altogether, because we were finding almost no water in the tanks. So the Self-Evaporating feature does its job very well at least in a climate that is not very humid (we're in Boston). But if you have a Non self-evaporating AC, and especially if you live in a hot humid climate, you may find plenty of condensed water in your tanks. Thanks for watching and your comment!
I know you've made a more recent video but this one raises a question for me. When you unplug the lower drain a lot of water came out even before you tilted it a little. What if hardly any water comes out unless it is strongly tilted? My AC keeps shutting off with the warning that it needs to be drained but it's so difficult because I have to tilt it and it's 80 pounds. If I tilt a lot comes out. Is there something wrong with mine that it needs to be tilted in order for the water to come out? Is there a better way? It's taking a lot out of me to do this every 40 minutes on very hot/humid days.
Hi, - First of all , if your unit weighs 80 pounds, we strongly suggest that you don't lift it yourself. The two of us lifted ours. You shouldn't have to tilt the unit to take care of the drain light. It's OK to have a little water in the tank, that's just the way AC's are built. We were tilting ours just to see exactly how much water there was. Draining every 40 minutes is unusual, we would suggest contacting your seller or manufacturer. There could be a problem with coils. Thanks for watching, and wishing you best of luck with this.
I have a question that I've yet to find an answer for, so hopefully you can help. I currently have a hose attached to the bottom drain, which drains into a 5-gallon bucket. I'm a little tired of having to dump the bucket 2 or 3 times per day, so I'm trying to figure out a way to run the hose directly outside, through the window. I have the unit elevated, but the bottom drain is below the level of the window, so I'm assuming that gravity wouldn't allow it to drain properly. However, the top drain is well-above window level. My question is: If I plug the bottom drain, and attach the hose to the top drain, will it still drain properly, or will the unit fill up and shut off?
Hi, apologies for the delayed response. We believe that plugging the bottom drain would cause a problem. Running a hose from the bottom tank to the top would not work because of gravity. A better solution would to be to get a condensate pump, which will allow you to get the water up and out through the window with a hose from bottom tank. Hope this helps.
Hi Boris - Our unit came without any hose and we suspect that that's how most units come. You can purchase a hose separately in any hardware stores. Just make sure that the threads match. But we made a follow up video showing how to drain without lifting the unit AND without a hose. Here is the link, and hope it helps- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
Hi ZL, I have a general question regarding a portable AC. I’m planning to buy one and did a lot of research on some brands. Some of them mentioned that the water doesn't need to be drained due of the humidifier is in it. is this true? I want to make sure before I purchase the unit. Thank you so much.
Hi Ed - Thank you for watching and your question. There are air conditioners that need almost no draining they are called fully self-evaporative models. So you would want to check and see if that’s the one you are considering. Regarding your question about “humidifier” , many ACs have dehumidifiers (dry mode) this does not remove the need to drain. It’s the self- evaporative function meaning that the water evaporates from the tank on its own. Hope this helps you to find the right AC.
Don't ask how but the drain stopper got chewed up on my LG portable AC unit so water would continually drain onto the floor. I tried a hairbrained solution using a tube and zipties but couldn't make it air tight and it'd leak from where the tube went over the drain. This however is a perfect solution. Elevate it and let it fall into a bucket. Why didn't I think of that.
Hi, apologies for the delayed reply - we just received your comment yesterday. Regarding the stopper, you can probably find a replacement online - be sure to include your unit's make and model info in the search line. Also, we made a follow up video on how to drain your portable AC without lifting; it's much easier and safer. Here is the link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html Thanks for watching and stay cool!
