Simple marine ac question

[Dulcesuenos]

While exploring our boat I noticed that someone had folded over and zip tied the drain hose on the drain pan for the evaporator causing water to fill the pan. Is this normal? Unit is a mermaid 12k btu . thanks for any advice ...

[colemj]

Yes, that water is condensation from the evaporator and is normal. Folding and tying off the drain hose is not normal.

Mark

[twistedtree]

No, not normal, but they did it for some reason. On some boats the condensate just drains into the bilge. On others it drains into a sump. Personally I like the sump approach better if it's feasible on your boat. That way normally occurring water is contained in the sump, and the bilge is otherwise dry.

[Dulcesuenos]

The unit is under our cockpit floor there is a drain in the cavity there. Any water draining out of the drip pan will easily drain out. I know on one of our camper ac units it uses water to humidify the air its circulating. I wasn't sure if this was the same idea or not.

[Noname]

I have a 12k mermaid that I installed this year in a cockpit lazarette. I did't care for the condensate hose draining into the bilge, as it could drain several gallons per day and make the bilge pump run consequently. Since the unit was next to my refrigeration compressor, I simply "tee'd" the condensate drain hose into the refrigeration cooling water discharge thru hull and it has been working very well. I may have a picture to show you.

[US1Fountain]

Do you possibly have the Mermaid Condensator, and it's plugged up? That would explain the drain hose being tied off, but only if they used the smaller suction hose from the Condensator going directly into the drain pan at possibly a lower point, if the pans drain port isn't located at a low point to fully drain it.

[Dulcesuenos]

Looked everywhere. And couldn't find the condensator. Had to google it just to see what it was lol. Not sure this boat would even need it as there are multiple drains under the bridge deck at its lowest point. Im thinking it was someone who didn't know what they were doing or planning obsolescence on the prior owners