Side mounted AC water not draining

[Larryjb]

I ran it for the first time today in a heat wave. It didn't cool as fast as I would have liked, considering it's a 10000BTU, but I think it was adequate. Then I noticed water dripping out the fan vent. When I remove the front grill, the water from condensation was sitting in the bottom of the AC unit and not draining away.

Before I take this heavy brute out again to take it apart and clean up any drains, is there anything I should look for?

I have already checked to see if the tube underneath is clear, and it is. There is not water in the plastic tray at all, all the water is in the bottom of the AC unit itself.

Does it need a secondary drain hole?
Does extra care have to be put into the slope of the unit? I was assuming that if it was sitting in the plastic tray, it would be sloped correctly.

[Larryjb]

The counter is almost perfectly level, but the AC unit tray slopes down into the trailer. I now have to decide how to level out the AC tray, and maybe drill a backup drain hole on the bottom near the evaporator where water may accumulate.

[Larryjb]

The first time I removed the AC, it came out and went back in with very little trouble. This time it took a lot of effort to take out. It seemed to be hung up on something. When installing it, it didn't sit properly on the drain tray, pushed the metal "sleeve'' through the bug screen on the side (I had removed the grill), and basically made my life miserable.

Anyway, I drilled a small hole through the bottom of the AC itself right near the evaporator. I also glued a couple of wood shims to keep the AC slightly tilted outwards.

[Larryjb]

Adding a drain hole and correcting the tilt of the AC unit seems to have corrected the drainage problem. I now see water draining through the hose to the ground.

I do still see a little water collecting underneath the evaporator. That would be normal as the water is produced via condensation. I presume some of it can still run back to underneath the condenser where it can have a cooling effect on the condenser coils.

But no water inside the camper.

[wbmiller3]

I also drilled holes into the AC unit itself. Very carefully! There was always residual water inside the unit that sloshed out into the inside of the trailer before I did that.

I'm concerned about finding a replacement drain pan if I ever have to.

[Larryjb]

I didn't drill through the plastic tray, so I won't have to worry about ever needing to replace that. I drilled one small hole near the front beside the evaporator. The AC tray was sloping the wrong way so the condensate would not drain to the condenser side of the AC. I glued a couple of shims to the shelf to raise the low side of the tray. I'll also consider leaving the AC side of the trailer slightly lower to encourage condensate to flow in the right way.