We get LOTS of questions about spot cooler condensate. As defined by Merriam-Webster online dictionary -- Condensate:
a product of condensation; especially : a liquid obtained by condensation of a gas or vapor <steam condensate>
Every air conditioner will produce condensate and you have to get rid of it, one way or another.
Condensate and your car air conditioner:
Think about your car air conditioner for a minute. When you pull into a parking space on a hot summer day and you turn the car off what do you see when you walk away?
A big puddle of water on the ground under your car! That's the condensate.
Condensate and your home air conditioner:
In your home air conditioning system, the condensate is often piped to a floor drain that is usually in the same equipment closet as your air handler.
So what the heck do you do with this "liquid" or water, AKA condensate in a spot cooler?
Answers to your top 7 questions about spot cooler condensate:
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What do I do with the condensate?
The “water” that is made is condensate, excess moisture that is removed during the air conditioning process. In most spot coolers, including MovinCool and Topaz, you have to choose EITHER manual OR automatic condensate removal. The AirPac COOLIT spot cooler series is the only spot cooler that offers you both methods of condensate removal in each COOLIT spot cooler:
MANUAL -- drain the condensate into the two tanks and manually empty the tanks or
AUTOMATIC – use the condensate pump that is already installed in the unit.
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What are the tank(s) for?
Most spot coolers have only one large condensate tank that holds five gallons. The AirPac COOLIT spot coolers have two 2.5 gallon tanks where the condensate is collected and manually emptied. Be sure the spot cooler you select is equipped with an automatic shut-off safety which turns the unit off when the tanks are full so you won’t end up with water on the floor.
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How much condensate will I have to deal with?
The amount of condensate generated depends on the humidity. In warm, humid weather, you will have more condensate than in less humid weather. As the air conditioner cools and dehumidifies the air in the space, the temperature drops and the environment becomes more comfortable… not so “sticky” and muggy like an East Coast August!
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How large are the tanks?
Most spot coolers have a single five gallon tank which can be tricky to lug down the hall to empty – that’s 40 pounds. Each COOLIT spot cooler has two 2.5 gallon tanks – that’s much easier to empty when you have to do the hauling! -
How often will I need to empty the tanks?
The amount of condensate generated will depend on the temperature and humidity as well as installation and control settings. In warm, humid months, the amount of condensate will be greater than in dry, cooler months. Guess the short answer is, it depends! -
Do I have to buy an extra condensate pump and worry about the installation hassle?
With the AirPac COOLIT spot coolers there is no extra expense. All the COOLIT units have a condensate pump that is installed and operational. If you can use the condensate pump for automatic condensate removal, all you have to do is attach the outlet tubing. It couldn’t be easier. The picture below shows the condensate pump behind one of the condensate tanks -- the second tank was taken out of the unit so you could see the tank located behind both of the condensate tanks.
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If I use the condensate pump, what do I do with the tanks?
When we were selling MovinCool spot coolers, we often received calls from frustrated customers who had removed the tanks to install a condensate pump and couldn’t find their tanks once they needed to use them in another cooling application. The condensate tanks stay in your COOLIT spot coolers so you have them handy when you need to use them.
Have more questions on spot cooler condensate or using spot coolers for cooling your business? Check out our FAQ page or download our Spot Cooling Guide. We're happy to help and we're just a click or call away. If we don't have an answer to your spot cooling question, we'll be sure to figure it out!
