Rust in Air Conditioning pan

[Roc]

Hi all,
I have a Marine Air unit and it works fine.  It's about 11 years old.  I noticed the bottom of the pan is getting rusty.  It's not large pieces of rust scale that are falling off, but a reddish tan "blush".  When you rub your finger along the bottom, the rust dust is on your finger.  Here's my question...  I have a Mermaid Condensator that sucks out the condensate from the pan.  At the tail end of last season, I noticed the hose and fine mesh filter was full of this rust particulate.  The particles are very fine and make their way past the filter and into the hose beyond and into the condensator.  This is the filter and screen that is advised by Mermaid for their Condensator unit.  My thought is if there was something I could pour into the pan that could solidify on the bottom to contain the rust and keep it away from the water.  Maybe some kind of liquid plastic, epoxy or something that is self leveling.  I don't want to do anything elaborate, but something easy to keep this thing running until it just breaks down.  I really don't want to get into a project of replacing the pan on a unit that old.

I wondered if anyone had some ideas or a similar situation that can offer advice. 
Thanks!!

[Stu Jackson]

Roc, I just did a Google on "liquid vinyl paint" and lots came up.  What's the pan made of, steel or aluminum?  I would think any paint would work for your application.  Good luck.

[Roc]

Hi Stu,
The pan is painted white (well, it was white).  The whole bottom and some up the sides, is coated with the rust.  My guess it's steel.  If it was aluminum, I don't think this would happen.  Instead it would have a pitted look.

[Stu Jackson]

If you don't want to go the vinyl route, Rustoleum can be your friend.

[mregan]

Can you pull the pan off to paint or epoxy it?    If you can't pull it off, maybe the rubberized tool coating stuff you can get at Home Depot.  The kind you stick the handles of your tools in and it puts a rubber coating on them. 

[DaveM]

I also have one about that age. I pulled it out and epoxied coated the pan and it seemed to help. However, I didn't add a condensation until recently.  What I have found is most of the rust dust is coming from the bottom if the compressor and it's base.  I am getting ready to take the unit out again, repair any holes in the epoxy coating and clean, prime and paint the lower compressor with high temp Rustolium. It gets hot. 

Goodwinds
DaveM

[Ron Hill]

Roc : Most new home AC condenser units have a plastic condensation catch pan for that very reason!! 

If you can't find a plastic pan, I'd try the vinyl paint.

[DaveM]

Just pulled unit and took pan off. Epoxy coating has held up well for about 7 years. Compressor support rusted bad and needs paint. This is all because I didn't use small venture pump to keep condensate low till recently.

Good winds
DaveM

[KINGAIR350]

I had the same problem , if  you can bend aluminium to the shape you need and weld the corners pop the holes you need and alodine and zinc chromate the inside that'll be one less worry for you and  or the next owner if you decide to sell her.  J.A.T.