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Posted on Aug 30, 2011
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Coils freezing up..is this normal? Not sure how this is supposed to work. Could it be that it freezes the water, then turns off and empties into the pan?

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  • Master 927 Answers
  • Posted on Aug 30, 2011
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The coils should not freeze up. If the fan is working, try lowering the setpoint to just below actual humidity. This will allow the dehumidifier to run and shut so water can drip off without freezing. If that works, slowly lower the setpoint over the next day or so. If the setpoint is too low, the unit runs continuously until it freezes, then never shuts down.

Gary

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0helpful
1answer

Can I leave a dehumidifier in an unheated cottage for the winter? Where will my answer appear?

you can leave it turned off emptied in the unheated cottage. but i would not reccomend letting it run or stay with water in the tank. as water expand when it freezes. and will break the tank. also . dehumidifiers do nothing in freezing condition other than waste energy. so empty the tank and store it for the winter.

and your answer will appear right here :)
1helpful
1answer

HI HAVE GOT A SWAN SH3010 DEHUMIDIFIER BUT THE COIL KEEPS FREEZING OVER WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?

Nothing.That's how it works. The coil gets cold. The moisture(water) in the air freezes to the coil. The coil then gets warm and the ice melts, dripping into the bucket or out the drain hose.
0helpful
1answer

Dehumidifier freezing up

Good Morning Friend,

I understand that your Frigidaire dehumidifier, model# FDL25P1, is freezing up. First, if your dehumidifier has been turned on recently. This is normal due to refrigerant rushing through the coil. Frost will usually disappear within 60 minutes. Secondly, make sure the room temperature is above 41 degrees Fahrenheit. If it is too cold in the room, the coils can freeze. I ask that you please follow up with a comment on the post, at your convenience, to advise if further troubleshooting is needed or if your appliances status has changed successfully.

-Best Regards-
WP
0helpful
1answer

Why freezes up?

Good Afternoon Friend,

I understand that your Frigidaire dehumidifier, model# FAD504DUD, is freezing up. First, if your dehumidifier has been turned on recently, this is normal due to refrigerant rushing through the coil. Frost will usually disappear within 60 minutes. Secondly, make sure the room temperature is above 41 degrees Fahrenheit. If it is too cold in the room, the coils can freeze. I ask that you please follow up with a comment on the post, at your convenience, to advise if further troubleshooting is needed or if your appliances status has changed successfully.

-Best Regards-
WP
0helpful
1answer

My LHD45ELY7 freezes up. Why? Is it broken?

Assuming this isn't just a weather change, it probably needs cleaning. The unit is supposed to run the fan without the compressor intermittently to give the cold coils a chance to warm up a bit so the little bit of ice that normally forms can melt off. But once they get dirty, this melting and runoff is impeded. Spray some formula 409 (or similar) on the coils and rinse thoroughly. It is also possible that the unit is not switching over to run the fan only (without the compressor). This could be due to a bad temperature sensor, or it may be dirty or corroded so it thiinks the coils are a bit warmer than they really are. If you can find this sensor (it's usually attached to the coils with a little spring clip) see if you can't clean up where it makes metal contact (thermal contact) witht the coil. Good luck.
0helpful
1answer

Coils freeze up. completely blocked. have to shut off to thaw coils. located in basement.

After the unit is totally thawed and dried, turn the unit Off if you haven't already and unplug it. Remove the filter and clean it. If it's really dirty wash it with warm water and dish washing liquid, thoroughly rinse it and allow it to completely dry, before reinstalling. DO NOT operate the unit without the filter in place.

Because the air temperature in a basement is colder at floor level, than at shoulder level, this caused the coils to freeze. Dehumidifiers do not work well at temperatures at or below 60 degrees F. That is, unless, it's a Low Temperature model, designed especially for basement applications. Obviously, yours isn't a Low Temp model.

To overcome this, place the unit up on a sturdy table, counter top, etc, that can handle the weight of the unit, as well as a full bucket of water. The higher off the floor the better. This way, the ambient operational temperature will be higher and the coils will have less of chance to freeze again.

I would suggest that continue to monitor the unit and if you notice that it's doing more than a little frosting on the coils, turn the unit OFF immediately. A little frosting is normal and the deforst mode should kick in and thaw the coils. When this happens, the compressor should automatically shut OFF, but the fan will continue to run. Once it's defrosted, the compressor will start again, if necessary.

I hope this helped you to troubleshoot and solve the problem. Please let me know.
0helpful
2answers

The coil is freezing up on my 2 year old Haier dehumidifier. The unit is clean and the temperature in the area it is used is 70 degrees. This unit is not suppose to freeze up. What is wrong?

If the unit runs normally and the coils are getting cold, then make sure they are not totally icing up which will impede the unit's performance. If your dehumidifier is freezing up then that probably means the unit itself is actually working well, and you probably just have the unit turned up too high for the conditions.

Try turning down the setting on the unit so that it cycles on and off every few hours and does not run continuously.

Also try using some warm soapy water to clean off any dust or oily residue from the cooling coils in the rear of the unit. Remember to also clean the air intake filter while you are at it.

The ambient temperature in the room may also be a bit too low, so you can try adding some heat to the room if necessary. A dehumidifier will not work properly if the ambient air temperature is too low. Basically, the warmer and more humid the room is, the better they work. Since warm air rises, you can even try lifting the unit higher up off the cold floor onto a bench or table where the air is warmer.

Sometimes the drain tube leading to the bucket is clogged. You can often clean this out by inserting the pointy end of a long heavy duty plastic zip tie and jiggling it around a bit. Do not insert anything metal or sharp into the tube or you may damage it.

You can click on the following link for a general operating and troubleshooting guide with additional tips on effective dehumidifier operation:

http://www.allergyconsumerreview.com/dehumidifier-advice-troubleshooting.html


And here is a link to a tip from another Expert (Heatman101) which includes his very detailed troubleshooting guide for dehumidifiers:

http://www.fixya.com/support/r4662409-dehumidifier_running_but_no_water_in

I hope that was helpful to you, good luck and take care.

If you choose to rate this solution, or Heatman 101's tip using the Thumbs Up scale provided, I thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Joe.
1helpful
1answer

DEHUMIDIFER COILS FREEZE OVER, WHETHER MACHINE IS RUNNIG ON LOW OR HIGH. FILTERS ARE ALL CLEAN.

Turn the Master ON/OFF Switch to OFF, unplug the unit and allow it to thaw out completely. You may want to put some old towels under it, to absorb the dripping water. Once it has completely thawed, remove the bucket, the air intake filter and the face of the cabinet. You should now have access to the coils. Clean them with a mild soap and warm water. Rinse and thoroughly dry the coils. Once they are totally dry, spray a very light film of WD40 on the coils and then wipe off any over spray. Reinstall all the remove parts and test the unit.

Keep in mind, if you are using the dehumidifier in a basement, the air temperature at floor level is colder than at chest level. Dehumidifiers don't work well between 40 & 60 degrees F. (Unless, they are a low temp unit). Any lower, the coils will freeze. Raise the unit up off the floor onto a sturdy table or counter top, that can hold the weight of the unit plus, a full tank of water. In a basement application, doing usually solves the problem of freezing coils.

If after doing all the above, the coils still freeze during operation, the compressor may below on freon and needs to be recharged. Or the defrost sensor on the unit, needs to be replaced.

Hope this helped you troubleshoot and solve the problem. Please let me know. Thanks.
2helpful
1answer

Danby Dehumidifier Model # DDR557HE Serial # 0107030704369 --Does not collect water and cxontinues to frost up

Hi,
If you are having problems with your dehumidifier freezing up them here are a few things that you can check and also a few things that may help you.

First check the ambient temperature of the room at the level of the dehumidifier. If it is below 65 degrees and you do not have a special low temperature dehumidifier then you are asking for trouble. Most units are only designed to work in temperature 65 or higher and will freeze if they are working at lower temperatures. Some even will not work well below 68 degrees F.

Many dehumidifiers will shut off when the coil starts to freeze to let them thaw, then they will restart when the coil is warm enough again. This can take an hour or so. Some will not shut down the compressor and when the dehumidifier coil starts to freeze it reduces the air flow and only compounds the problem.

Check the air flow over the coil. If the coil becomes dirty or the fan motor stops or even slows down a bit, you will get freezing. The dehumidifier is very dependent upon the proper amount of air going over the coil to keep the coil warm enough to not freeze. Any restriction will cause problems.

The final and worst thing that can happen is for your dehumidification unit is to develop a slight leak in the refrigeration system. This will cause the coils to run even colder then they would normally and this will create the same problems. If everything else check out then you may have to have the refrigeration system checked by a professional. The problem with this is that many of these units only cost a few hundred dollars and a service call can soon add up to more then the unit is worth.

Some things that you can do to help out a dehumidifier that is freezing up are:

Raise the temperature of the room and provide a bit of heat for the room as the dehumidifier is actually a very small A/C unit.
Raise the dehumidifier up off of the floor… the air is usually warmer when you go higher up in the room, hot air rises.
Clean the coils off so that the air can flow through them easier and keep them warmer.
Make sure that the fan motor bearings are oiled and that the fan is running freely. Even a tiny bit of resistance will slow the fan enough to make a difference.


By checking all these things out and making some small changes you maybe able to make your dehumidifier work much more effectively.

Take care
2helpful
1answer

Humidifier coils freeze

I believe a dehumidifier is supposed to operate in temps above 60 degrees. Even though your house is warmer than that, the air entering the dehimidifier may be getting into that range due to it being on a basement level etc. This is perfectly normal and is not a malfunction with your humidifier.

Your options are to either place the dehumidifier closer to a heat source in order to keep the air which is entering warmer. (I've even heard of someone placing a light bulb in front the unit during winter to warm the air slightly as it enters). Because the dehumidifier's coils get cold in order for it to collect moisture from the air, if they are freezing, giving the unit a rest for a few hours every few hours may allow the coils to thaw in between and prevent them from reaching freezing temperatures while running. You could use a timer to accomplish this, but you'll want to insure that it's a commercial grade timer in order to handle the electrical draw that the dehumidifier requires.
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