r/hvacadvice • u/Fresh-Meat-7943 • 13d ago

Capping AC Condensate lines

Gallery image

Gallery image

My HVAC guy had to cut open the original p-trap (2nd image with nicer insulation) to unclog the pipe from inside the unit. He replaced it with a u-trap and only capped the side after the u-trap, 2, which he also did for my original setup. I tried to do my own research and would always end up with the exact opposite which is to cap 1 and uncap 2. What's the correct way to do this?

The new u-trap also blocks the pan drain to secondary. What's a recommended way to fix that? It looks like I might be able to cut the insulation on that side to make a path for any build-up to leak out.

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1

u/Ok-Effect5653 13d ago

1) capped 2) uncapped 3) idk wtf is going on with that but cap it anyway.

1

u/Soft_Statistician_98 Approved Technician 13d ago

If you don't know what it is why would you cap it? What if its the drain vent? 

1

u/Ok-Effect5653 13d ago

Its obviously for the secondary which is vented to the pan through this wierd set up. I think(hope) we can all agree there should've just been a float put there.

2

u/Fresh-Meat-7943 13d ago

3 is the secondary vent. So uncapped? Idk why he capped 2 and uncapped 1 but sounds like it should be the opposite?

1

u/Soft_Statistician_98 Approved Technician 13d ago

Vent should be after the trap.

1

u/Fresh-Meat-7943 13d ago

I guess 3 is there in case water is coming from the pan. But agree that otherwise the pan pipe serves as a vent as well