Have you checked the filter? It could be dirty.

Thank you, Ryan. Yes, I cleaned the filter a few days ago--about 3 or 4 days BEFORE the dripping started.

I'm not sure without seeing it, but is there any way you can access the unit to see the drainage system/drip pan and see if it's clogged?

Hmmmm...I'm not sure, but I'll take a look and see if I can access the drip pan...

Meanwhile, I turned the unit on again a little while ago, and so far so good--no dripping...yet.

A dirty filter on a window unit would have nothing to do with leaking water inside.

Leaking can happen if the drain that leads from the inside evaporator pan to the rear of the unit is clogged. Condensate will build up inside and run over, having nowhere else to go. I've seen a few cases in which the indoor fan picked up water in the pan and blew it into the room.

Window units by design of the mounting frame have a slight tilt to the outside so gravity can drain the condensate to the rear. I've seen some installed incorrectly such that they tilt IN instead of out.

A clogged line (if it even has a line) or an incorrectly pitched unit will allow the condensate to run towards the inside instead of draining correctly.
Window units are normally slightly pithed to the outside for drainage.

Didn't know dirty filters wouldn't have similar effects on window units. I was thinking about split systems, which I'm more familiar with.

I'm starting to think the unit is not tilted slightly towards outside, as it should be. See, here's what happened: This unit was originally in a different room, for almost two years (since it was brand new), then just a few weeks ago I had it moved to my bedroom. I had a carpenter come build a frame in the window the unit was to go in, as the window is 48" wide and it was impossible to make the unit fit such a wide opening. So he built a frame and then installed the AC unit in its case, in the frame.

Now, all of a sudden, the dripping started [last night], so even though the unit is 2 years old and was used a lot in its prior location, it's in a new location now and I think the problem is that it's no longer slanted as it should be.

I've been running it intermittently today--making sure it has some "downtime" when only the fan, not the AC, is running--and it's not dripping. If the drip pan became too full last night [as a result of the unit running nonstop!, and not being tilted properly], is it possible that--without having emptied it--the water just evaporated today? That's what SEEMS to have happened. FWIW, I'm in Southern California...and it's very dry here!

It most defiantly could have evaporated, especially if it is very hot and dry. I am guessing it needs to be tilted out more which would be a easy fix, give the carpenter a call and I am sure it could be taken care of in a mater of minutes.

Ryan,

Your not far off and it was one of many possibilities.
A plugged indoor coil or filter causing limited airflow, the coil can ice, the compressor shuts off on limit, the pan is blocked due to the ice and the water runs down the front.

It can happen

wally, your unit most likely has a slinger on the blade that picks up the water and throws it on the condensor coil. My mom has one that is designed like that. Install manual says do not remove the drain plug.

The water usually drains outside. Its probably an easy fix just take the unit out and hose it out good to clear out the drain holes. The condensate water is to deep and your fan baldes are hitting it and slinging it inside.

Wally

Tinman may be right, not knowing which unit you have

Some hold water and use it to cool the condenser coil.

Thanks -

Again - I see NO DRAIN HOLES Whatsoever. The "lapping" is not so much a sound that I necessarily associate as a problem - it might very well be as you say, by design. The noise is not really a lapping, but almost an ocean tide - not slapping, just moving.

Thanks again.

- Wally

Yea, just last night I had to hunt for towels to soak up all the water that had poured down from our Sharp and I just turned it off and let a fan blow on the carpet all night.

The thing is I thought i could just run it dry for a few hours, but hey after I got brave and put the thing on cool at about 74 degrees and a few hours later it suddenly started it's BS dripping!

I only had this a few years and it never did it until it ran last night and dripped when the temperature was set to 70 degrees and the outside temp went down to 68 degrees and humidity was 37 percent or more.

What to do? take a coat hanger wire to it and try to dig out the sludge or take it out the window completely and run a high pressure hose to it then let it dry out and test it while still out doors? or just buy a new window unit and trash this one?

Put a level on it and make sure it is tilted towards the outside.

The only time I have seen them tipped badly was when a unit was placed i a window with triple track storms.
The lower edge of the permanent storm frame tipped the unit in.
A piece of 1x lumber on the sill to raise the unit restored the normal tilt outwards.

similar problem. unit has drain hole but there are several areas that hold water. Unit is propoerly tilted but to no avail. Lapped water is being thrown out the vents into the room. This unit is only 1 year old

Were is the pan that catch the water my ac is dripping inside my house an the filter is clean

I have the same problem. Just wondering if a small valve could be put in the bottom slightly open so some of the water could drain out. I am thinking all that water would be hard on bearings and internal parts unless they are stainless.