Your Amana portable air conditioner offers a convenient way to keep a specific room or area cool. But it also needs to be drained regularly to keep it running correctly. Most Amana portable air conditioners have the option for a drain hose that you can direct to a floor drain in the dehumidify mode. If you run it without the hose, you need to empty the internal tank regularly.
Where the Water Comes From
Video of the Day
When you use air conditioning, whether it's a central air conditioner, window unit or portable unit, the system cools and dehumidifies at the same time. Hot air enters the system and goes over the refrigerant-filled evaporator coils. The refrigerant pulls out the heat and moisture from the air and kicks out cool, dry air to make your home feel more comfortable.
Video of the Day
The resulting water has to go somewhere. While some of the water evaporates, the rest remains and has to be expelled from the air conditioner. In a portable unit, there's usually a tank or drain pan where that water collects. You have to manually empty that water in many Amana models when the tank gets full.
How Often to Empty
Most portable air conditioners from Amana have an internal tank where the water that's removed from the air goes. If it gets full, your Amana air conditioner will shut off and display a "Bucket Full" message on the screen. You won't be able to turn on the air conditioner until you empty the water.
The frequency of draining depends on the humidity in the air and how much you use the air conditioner. A general rule is to empty the bucket about once every eight hours, but the frequency can vary. If your room is extra humid, you'll likely need to empty the tank more often. Emptying it before it shuts off helps minimize downtime so it doesn't shut off automatically when you're not around to notice.
Draining the Internal Tank
To drain the Amana air conditioner tank manually, first shut off and unplug the unit. This prevents accidental electrical shocks or damage to the unit. On many Amana units, the internal tank features a drain plug near the bottom of the unit. Position a bucket or pan under the drain, ensuring the drain is centered over the container to avoid getting water all over the room.
Turn the drain plug retainer counterclockwise to pull the rubber drain plug from the air conditioner. The water should drain freely into the container. If you're worried about splashing, you can place a bath towel around the container to catch any stray water. Push the rubber plug back in place and hand-tighten the drain plug retainer back onto the unit by turning it clockwise. Plug the air conditioner back in and turn it on.
Carefully carry the container with the water to a sink or floor drain. You can reduce the chances of spilling by moving the portable air conditioner close to the drain or sink before you empty it.
Drain Hose in Dehumidify Mode
Many Amana air conditioners have a dehumidify mode, which you can run without turning on the cooling mode. You can attach an optional drain hose to use with the dehumidify mode to carry the water to a floor drain so you don't have to drain it manually. It's not recommended to direct the drain hose outdoors since it can bring in hot air from outside.
To attach the drain hose, remove the drain port retainer plug and pull out the rubber drain plug just like you do to empty the internal tank. If you've been running the air conditioner, place a container under the drain first to catch any remaining water inside the unit. Put the drain hose into the drain hole where the plug was located previously. The other end should go to a floor drain.