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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Can the drain pan be accessed in a Lennox 80 ugh 4x? I have blown both primary and secondary line but secondary line starts to leak quite a bit after both units have been running for 30 minutes. Thinking something near the outlet in the pan at the primary line is interfering with water evacuating. I poured bleach in the primary "T" and could smell the bleach at the "P" trap in nearest bathroom sink. Also, after cutting PVC (after trap and vent)I could blow back into drain pan. Thinking I should cut PVC near fitting at drain pan and clean with a bottle brush. Also is it typical that both units share the same primary line to sink?
 

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If you have a wet/dry shop vac, try it to see if you can suck out whatever is plugging the drain.

If no joy, you may need to get a tach to pump the system down and disconnect everything to allow access to the coil drain.
 

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Discussion Starter · #3 ·
Thanks for the response. Yesterday, I vacuumed the primary line with a wet/dry vac, ran the units and primary line still leaked but not nearly as much. I also cut the PVC at the drain pan and could easily push a bottle brush into the units. The bottle brush showed signs of rust in both pans when I pulled the brush out but no signs of water. Can the pans be replaced in these units?
Lennox 80 ugh 4x. I think I might use a larger wet/dry vac.
 

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Those drain connections both go to the same place... the evaporator drain pan. The only difference is the secondary one is a tad higher (think "overflow") than the primary. The primary outlet is used for most systems and the secondary remains plugged from the factory. In installations where a plugged drain would create major damage, the secondary drain is hooked up and run completely independant of the primary drain. Additional warning systems/features may then be employed to warn of a possible impending drain pan overflow.

As far as your situation, you probably have succeeded in getting the primary drain unplugged now but it sounds like the pan may be leaking due to possibly being cracked. That usually happens when the drain pan fitting was installed too tightly. The factory recommendation for most units is "hand tight" for those fittings. That's sufficient if proper thread sealant is used, such as teflon tape or teflon paste thread sealer. If you can determine that to be the case, you may be able to dry it off and clean it up and apply some sealant, such as rtv silicone, and make a successful repair.

Yes, the pans can be replaced but it's a job for a professional and not DIY friendly since expensive tools and training/experience are needed.
 

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I read that you said the primary was still leaking after you suctioned the drain but it was less than before. I figured the secondary was not flowing water at that time so the pan wasn't getting backed up as much.

I meant that the smaller leak might be right at the female pipe fitting hub that sticks out through the end plate and allows the male adapter to screw into it to connect the drain line. That hub often gets damaged from overtightening and it can split and cause a leak. Sometimes it takes years for that to happen... sometimes it happens as the initial job is being done. Check that out and try the repair I mentioned if need be.

Rust may not be something you can vacuum out of that drain and it also indicates another problem that could mean there is an evap coil replacemt in your not too distant future.
 
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