Drain lines for Mini Splits

Hi folks,

New to the forum and searched for this but couldn't find any definitive answers to my query (feel free to point me to a pertinent thread with a solid "n00b!" attached).

I've done home remodeling before back when I lived with my folks, including running A/C ducts, etc. However, my wife and I recently bought a home with no A/C in Southern California (that's no good for the upcoming summer months!!!) and we're looking at installing a mini-split system. I've never worked with Mini-splits, but the install is simple enough (and I'll have an A/C tech come out and do the evacuation/charging).

Here's my issue: The house is old (1935) and uses lath and plaster for the walls, which would be a major project to tear down and put back up! We do have a crawlspace to run the lines through, but I'd much rather run them through the attic (easy access, no fireblocks to drill through to run the lines, and I won't have to tear down the walls!).I know that the drain lines for the condensation buildup need to be angled down so that the condensation can use gravity and run the proper direction, which makes the attic a non-possibility.

However, I'm curious as to whether these condensation drain lines actually NEED to be connected to the outdoor unit. If not, each of the indoor units is going to be placed on an exterior wall, over a flowerbed. Would it be possible to simply run the condensation line out through the wall at a 30-degree angle or so, add a small pipe to the exterior to ensure the water won't run down the exterior walls (and maybe screen the end of the pipe to prevent bugs from finding their way in), and simply have the condensation "water the plants" when the unit is running? That way, I can ignore the gravity issues and run the refrigerant/control lines through the attic, making the whole project much less costly and messy!

Thanks in advance! :thumbsup: