Sometimes air conditioners do very strange things. Loud noises, for one,are not typical of these machines. If you are outside and close to the condenser box, and it seems to be spitting water, that is also not normal. Your air conditioner definitely needs AC repair services in these cases. In the meantime, this is an explanation of what causes loud noises and "spitting water" coming from your air conditioner.
The Spitting Water
When your air conditioner appears to be spitting water, it can be one of three things. One, there is excess moisture built up inside the unit and the fan is throwing the moisture out of the vents in the condenser box. Two, the system is ineffectively draining. Finally, there are major leaks in the refrigerant tubing such that it is leaking all over the fan inside the unit, which then whips the refrigerant out of the vent openings in the box.
If the problem is the last one, DO NOT go near the unit, as the refrigerant is quite toxic and dangerous. In fact, you need to shut the unit off and call an HVAC repair technician. Before the technician can even approach the unit, it needs to be off for several minutes, so do that before you call for repair service.
Loud Noises
The only thing you should ever hear from your AC is a steady, white noise hum. Some units may also expel hot air loudly, but that typically sounds like a loud blower, something akin to the sound produced by an electric hand dryer in public bathrooms. If your air conditioner does make a loud blowing noise, place your hand above it. If it feels hot as it blows, then you have a unit that blows hot air out of your home while cooling air to send back into the house.
Other particularly loud noises should not be coming from your unit. These include, and are not limited to: banging, clanging, rattling as though something is broken and whipping around inside, and generally sounding as though the machine is going to explode. In most cases, these noises indicate that something is loose, falling apart, or has come apart and and is interfering with the rest of the components of the appliance as the machine is attempting to do its job.
When the technician opens up the unit, he/she will see right away what is wrong and fix it.
A few years ago, I could tell that we were having serious furnace problems. In addition to dealing with a house that was constantly too cold or too warm, we were also plagued by a noisy, smelly furnace that seemed to have trouble on a daily basis. Unfortunately, I didn't know enough about furnaces at the time to spot the problems quickly. One day, the entire system died, and it was beyond repair. After having that experience, I learned a lot about HVAC systems, so that I could troubleshoot future systems. This website is all about teaching you what you need to know so that you don't end up in the same situation.