Air Conditioning - a/c safety switch or just a second drain

I just discovered that my a/c started dumping drain outside the normal path :eek: and ruined part of the garage ceiling.
Unit never had the secondary or whachamacallit emergency dump when primary is plugged, and it was plugged. I was going to install that secondary myself, to prevent this from happening in the future. A friend of mine says, no you should install a "AUXILIARY CONDENSATE OVERFLOW SAFETY SWITCH"
they run $15 + delivery & I have no idea how to hook it up. Compare to my $3 pipe it's a;lot and I am not sure about how reliable they are.
Any suggestions?

Id do both. Aux drain pan with a float switch.

you also,need to open the primary drain.
depending on how accessable the drain line is-& how 'handy' you are with some pvc pipe /cut/splice/ repair-etc.-& what do you have as far as an air compressor.
where does the primary drain - dump?
where are you going to plumb the secondary drain?

Thanks a lot!

I am kind of "do it 200% guy" myself and considered doing both, although have a hard time imagining the benefit of having a switch on a secondary line - I guess only if that one plugs up as well. Is there any brand of switch you'd recommend more than others?
& yes I already opened a main drain dump, did have to cut the pipe to blow it open. It was dumping in the yard in the little gravel pit. No the best design but I am not redoing it. The secondary drain I was going to bring out about 4 feet from the garage door tot he house - just so nobody can miss it :rolleyes:

Thanks a lot!

I am kind of "do it 200% guy" myself and considered doing both, although have a hard time imagining the benefit of having a switch on a secondary line - I guess only if that one plugs up as well. Is there any brand of switch you'd recommend more than others?
& yes I already opened a main drain dump, did have to cut the pipe to blow it open. It was dumping in the yard in the little gravel pit. No the best design but I am not redoing it. The secondary drain I was going to bring out about 4 feet from the garage door tot he house - just so nobody can miss it :rolleyes:

that is the best,for the secondary'where no one will miss it'!
if the primary also drips-outside an occasional back flush (for a few seconds) with a garden hose,will keep it open.

thanks again,
so does the switch goes on the primary or the secondary drain & what switch you'd recommend?
Thanks!

It goes on the secondary. but if I were you, I won't even put one in if the secondary can be seen easily.

yea, my only concern is that if we leave to somewhere and a/c is left on - unlikely but possible, it can leak trough the secondary all it want nobody will see it and turn it off. Since I really don't understand how the switch works, i assume that as soon as it gets any water it trips the circuit and shuts off the a/c. If it requires a complete fill up with condensate it's kind of redundant to put one in unless a mouse or something else crawls up the pipe and plugs it up - no?
here is one i found for $10 on line
Amazon.com: Little Giant Model 4CS-3 599124 Overflow Safety Switch Voltage @ 60 Hz 125-250 # 3XY17: Home Improvement (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0026WSD4A/ref=asc_df_B0026WSD4A939348?tag=the004-20&creative=380333&creativeASIN=B0026WSD4A&linkCode=asn)

yea, my only concern is that if we leave to somewhere and a/c is left on - unlikely but possible, it can leak trough the secondary all it want nobody will see it and turn it off. Since I really don't understand how the switch works, i assume that as soon as it gets any water it trips the circuit and shuts off the a/c. If it requires a complete fill up with condensate it's kind of redundant to put one in unless a mouse or something else crawls up the pipe and plugs it up - no?
here is one i found for $10 on line
Amazon.com: Little Giant Model 4CS-3 599124 Overflow Safety Switch Voltage @ 60 Hz 125-250 # 3XY17: Home Improvement (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0026WSD4A/ref=asc_df_B0026WSD4A939348?tag=the004-20&creative=380333&creativeASIN=B0026WSD4A&linkCode=asn)
go with the 'clocert' suggestion

Thanks!

System does not allow a short answer, so - here - I will Beer 4U2