Ac secondary drip pans have no drain…should they?

I dont know code but i was always told most people run it out somewhere you can notice it dripping.

I'm used to seeing the secondary pan drained to a point through the soffit so you will see it dripping outside the house.

I don’t know code either but I’ve seen them both ways - my secondary only has the shut off float switch. With a drain line in the secondary pan one might not know if they have have a plugged up primary condensate line unless the secondary pan drain line is placed in highly trafficked visible location outside. First I’ve heard of a float switch failing, but obviously they can.

Let me pass on a tip from my plumber BIL, when in the attic check the water pans under water heaters or HVAC (if plumbed outside) for debris, usually pieces of attic insulation, and remove them, b/c he’s seen on multiple occasions where the emergency drain line became plugged with debris with a leak in a water heater and it overflowed the pan and caused ceiling damage even though set up to prevent that. I don’t know debris finds it way into those pans, but it does.

I found on amazon the alarm mentioned above for my drain pans for a/c and water heaters. in addition to their audible alarm, they are wi-fi to the app on my phone

The pan is of no use if it doesn't have a way to drain. The reason it is there is to catch the water if the primary drain clogs.

It would just be a matter of time before the secondary pan fills and overflows and this could be nasty, especially if your unit is in the attic.

To hell with codes. This is a matter of common sense.

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Could I just run and T the AC secondary pan drain into hot water heater drain line

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You could but I wouldn't waste your time. If the float switch in primary fails and water does end up going into pan and into drain line, you'll never know things need attention unless you just happen to see it up in attic. Or eventually the second line would clog and then you'll see it in the form of water on your ceiling.

Have a float switch in primary and if/when that fails, a second switch in emergency pan.

I wouldn't bother with a water alarm but if you do, probably best to use lithium batts since alkaline would quickly fail in a hot attic. Water alarms are great for under sinks, dishwashers, fridges,ect.

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Have a float switch in primary and if/when that fails, a second switch in emergency pan.

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I think this is the better approach, and what I had done when my HVAC was changed out the past Feb.