Completly normal. If it bothers you,wrap the larger pipe with insulation and it will go away.

Might just be that the area underneath the unit is a low spot and the installers ran the condensate drain line from the inside evaporator coil out and let it dump right at the base of the new unit. Look for a open pipe maybe 1/2" to 3/4in round that has water coming out of it when the unit is operating. If you find it see if it has enough slack to maybe reroute it so the condensate does not buildup under the unit. Or of course have your installer fix the problem as they probably just missed that and would be more than glad to fix you right up. It is fairly normal to route the drain line with the refrigerant lines and drain it right at the condensing coil but you may need it drained elsewhere if that area is a low spot.

Well, this was resolved at no cost. For some background, I bought the house with these older units two years ago, ran the system for two seasons then thought I'd get routine maintenance performed this year. The system had not worked properly since this service. Before knowing what the problem was, the contractor came back and said upfront that the visit would be at no charge. He started by going through the electrical components, checking the wire and swapping out some components to eliminate causes. Changing the capacitor got the system to turn on AND stay on. The pressure started to rise (R22) to 450psi on the high and 90(?) on the low; way to high. They evacuated some of the refrigerant and the system has been working properly since (for about 30 hours). They spent about four hours here yesterday and confirmed that the visit will be at no charge. By the way, they did originally tell me, before they looked into the problem, that a new R22 unit would cost me $2,700. I told them I wanted to avoid doing that because my original plan was to replace the entire two-unit system in two or three years, and add a propane furnace. The contractor said he understood and would try and get the existing older system working. It may be older and inefficient, but is leak free and cools the supply air to 20 degrees below return air.

Do You Have R-22 in Your Old AC System? Here’s What to Do: https://www.minisplitwarehouse.com/ Faced with the rising costs of R22 air conditioner repairs, the decline of available refrigerant supply, and the increase in price of refrigerant, deciding what to do with your system can be a complicated choice. We’re here to help you make the best, most educated choice for your home. You have choices: Recharge Retrofit Replace 1. RECHARGE WITH R-22 OUT WITH R-22, IN WITH R-410A The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for implementing the R-22 refrigerant phase out for the United States. By January 1, 2010, there was a ban on the production and import of R-22. As a result, manufacturers of heat pump and air conditioning equipment redesigned their systems to accommodate R-41 0A, a chlorine-free refrigerant compared to R-22. The refrigerant would soon replace R-22 in the new HVAC equipment. EPA regulations require a ban on the production and import of R-22 refrigerant by January 1, 2020. After 2020, any air conditioning or heat pump system using R-22 that requires servicing will have to depend on potentially expensive R-22 stockpiles or reclaimed refrigerant. The new ban on R-22 won’t affect homeowners that want to continue to utilize their functioning R-22 air conditioning systems. However, in the event that that equipment needs to be charged with refrigerant, there will be difficulties. 2. RETROFIT R-421A – REFRIGERANT FOR TOMORROW • Unique non-ozone depleting, long-term replacement for R22 refrigerant • Environmentally GREEN refrigerant • Replace R22 without unit modification • Does not contain hydrocarbons, such as Butane, lsopentane or lsobutane • Replaces R22 with no change of oil • Usable in compressors designed for R22 • Usable with Mineral, AB or POE oils Only 2-component blend to replace R22 • Non-flammable; Rated A 1 by ASH RAE • Comparable to R22 performance temperature range • Usable in a wide variety of applications 3. REPLACE So, how do you go about making that decision to repair or replace your older R22 air conditioner? How can you tell when a piece of equipment has outlived its useful life? Can you get your older unit to last another couple of years by fixing it? Or will you have to keep throwing money into it, especially as the price of R22 continues to skyrocket? Newer units are more energy efficient and can lower your electric bill, but can you manage the upfront cost? The unfortunate truth is, there is no cut and dried answer. But you can make the best decision to repair, retrofit or replace your R22 air conditioner when you know what factors to consider about your equipment and its history, and whom to trust for advice. THE RISK FACTOR Hanging on to an R22 air conditioner until the bitter end January 1, 2020 is when R22 will no longer be available at any price) does pose some risks, especially for a business that relies on air conditioning. When you finally need to replace, how long will you have to wait for a new system because you’re in line with everyone else who is force to replace their R22 air conditioner?