Outdoor A/C smells like my closet

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xrdamianxr

Well-Known Member
Quick fact. In 2 years I haven't had this problem
I have central air in my house and now the outdoor fan unit has began releasing Marijuana odors. The central unit is located in a room next to my grow rooms. I have no smell coming from the grows exhaust fan linked to a 3 month old carbon filter. Which exhaust outside about 15 feet from the outdoor a/c fan. I have no smell anywhere else in or outside the house unless I open my door to the grow.
I'm not overly concerned as you can't smell it unless your standing over the unit.
More so just curious on how this might be happening? How the scent is being carried to the outdoor unit without smell being present else where?

Unrealted to the quetions above. Didn't want to post something without a proper picture 20221229_180211.jpg
 
Nizza

Nizza

Well-Known Member
If the outdoor fan unit you're referring to is actually your condenser, and the indoor is your evaporator, the air is being cooled through coils that exchange refrigerant not air. The only way smell might go outside is the water from the growroom if it's going outside, if air from the hole where the refrigerant lines exit the building are pulling air when the condenser turns on, or perhaps it is a different smell like dead mice or mold inside the condenser. I would shut the electrical disconnect off or if you aren't comfortable doing that take some pics
 
CWF

CWF

Well-Known Member
Agree with Nizza. Only refrigerant flows to and from the outside fan unit. Odor is coming from somewhere else.
 
B

Bud man 43

Well-Known Member
If you have altered the ducts or changed the balance of the system- you could have created a positive pressure in a room or more and then the scent is escaping at every air leak- or your filter may need changing. Definitely not exchanging scent into the refrigerant.
 
X

xrdamianxr

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the replies. Yes it's the condenser unit outside. Any water from grow is caught in tray and dumped down toilet. I have not altered any duct work in the home.
With this information I see 2 options.
1. My grows filter isn't keeping up and some how it's easier to smell around the condenser (maybe because heat or the concentrated air)
2. It's a different odor from under house where the refrigerant and other lines enter and the condenser is pulling that air as well (condenser only sits 12 inches from the unsealed hole in house)

I'm going to start with a can of expansion foam. Seal the hole. Look under house make sure dying skunk didn't make its way in or something.
I can't turn my exhaust down due to temperature and rh problems so will order a bigger filter in hopes the air has more time to be scrubbed incase this is the problem and first solution doesn't work
 
mc130p

mc130p

Well-Known Member
xrdamianxr said:
Thanks for the replies. Yes it's the condenser unit outside. Any water from grow is caught in tray and dumped down toilet. I have not altered any duct work in the home.
With this information I see 2 options.
1. My grows filter isn't keeping up and some how it's easier to smell around the condenser (maybe because heat or the concentrated air)
2. It's a different odor from under house where the refrigerant and other lines enter and the condenser is pulling that air as well (condenser only sits 12 inches from the unsealed hole in house)

I'm going to start with a can of expansion foam. Seal the hole. Look under house make sure dying skunk didn't make its way in or something.
I can't turn my exhaust down due to temperature and rh problems so will order a bigger filter in hopes the air has more time to be scrubbed incase this is the problem and first solution doesn't work
Click to expand...
A number of plants besides cannabis give off similar odors. It might be worth checking nearby bushes and plants, even some moss can smell dank. Azaleas, for example.
 
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