Humidifier runs but doesnt collect moisture I've tried cleaning the filter, checked the huidity setting and can still run it in a high humidity (86) room without collecting moisture ??

Glad to hear that you thought to clean the filter, as that would have been one of my suggestions. Because, it's the most overlooked.

But, there is another one that equally overlooked and is probably the number cause of your humidifiers problem. The humidity extraction level is set to HIGH. Lower it to 32 - 35%. If your unit does not have an LED Screen readout, set the control on MINIMAL.

This is what gets confusing about the use of dehumidifiers. They work backwards from what most people think. The lower the setting, the more moisture/humidity is extracted from the house. The higher the setting/numbers, the more humidity remains in the house. The higher setting would be used only in the Winter, because removing all the moisture and humidity will make the house uncomfortable.

If this wet area, you mentioned is a basement. The ambient air temperature at floor level is colder than at chest level and dehumidifiers don't work well in temperatures between 40 & 60 degrees F.
If this is the case, placing the unit up off the floor on a sturdy table, counter, etc that can hold the weight of the unit, plus a full bucket of water will generally solve the problem.

Also, be sure that you're maintaining at least 12" of clear air space on all sides of the unit. If the air flow is obstructed, the unit will run all day and not extract any water.

Hope this helped you troubleshoot and solve the problem. Please let me know. Thanks.

There are several reasons this may be happening. The 2 primary reasons are the humidity extraction level is set to high. Lower it to 35% . The lower the setting, the more moisture/humidity is extracted from the air. The higher the setting, the less if any moisture/humidity will be extracted from the air.
On most humidifiers the fan runs almost constantly while in operation. The idea is to continually move the air around and when the unit senses a rise in humidity, above what you have it set on, the compressor will turn ON to extract that humidity.

The 2nd thing that causes the problem is a dirty of clogged intake air filter. Which is easily solved by removing and cleaning the filter. Which should be done at least every 2 weeks, while the dehumidifier is in operation.

I said there were 2 primary reasons. Actually, there is a 3rd. Not enough clear air space all around the dehumidifier. A minimum of 12" should be maintained during operation.

Hope this helped you to troubleshoot and solve the problem. Please let me know. Thanks.

There are several reasons this may be happening. The 2 primary reasons are the humidity extraction level is set to high. Lower it to 35% . The lower the setting, the more moisture/humidity is extracted from the air. The higher the setting, the less if any moisture. humidity will be extracted from the air.
On most humidifiers the fan runs almost constantly while in operation. The idea is to continually move the air around and when the unit senses a rise in humidity, above what you have it set on, the compressor will turn ON to extract that humidity.

The 2nd thing that causes the problem is a dirty of clogged intake air filter. Which is easily solved by removing and cleaning the filter. Which should be done at least every 2 weeks, while the dehumidifier is in operation.

I said there were 2 reasons. Actually, there is a 3rd. Not enough clear air space all around the dehumidifier. A minimum of 12" should be maintained during operation.

Hope this helped you to troubleshoot and solve the problem. Please let me know. Thanks.

There are several reasons this may be happening. The 2 primary reasons are the humidity extraction level is set to high. Lower it to 35% . The lower the setting, the more moisture/humidity is extracted from the air. The higher the setting, the less if any moisture/humidity will be extracted from the air.
On most humidifiers the fan runs almost constantly while in operation. The idea is to continually move the air around and when the unit senses a rise in humidity, above what you have it set on, the compressor will turn ON to extract that humidity.

The 2nd thing that causes the problem is a dirty of clogged intake air filter. Which is easily solved by removing and cleaning the filter. Which should be done at least every 2 weeks, while the dehumidifier is in operation.

I said there were 2 reasons. Actually, there is a 3rd. Not enough clear air space all around the dehumidifier. A minimum of 12" should be maintained during operation.

Hope this helped you to troubleshoot and solve the problem. Please let me know. Thanks.

mempandora, the humidity level that you set on the unit may be to high. In which case the unit will only maintain that level, rather than remove any moisture/humidity. Lower the setting to 35% or minimal, if your unit does not have an LED display. In addition, the air intake filter probably needs cleaning and the coolant coils need to be wiped down and cleaned. The latter is the only part that will require some partial dismantling of the dehumidifier's cabinet. Also, it is imperative, to maintain a minimum of 12" clear air space all around the unit. And finally, the ambient air temperature at floor level may be affecting the operation. If the temperature is between 40 & 60 degrees F, the unit struggles to sense humidity. This is particularly true in a basement. As, the air at the floor is colder than the air temperature.

I hope this helps you to troubleshoot and solve the problem.

Is it only the fan motor running that you hear? Or is it the compressor motor and the fan motor in combination?

If it's just the fan motor, it running to circulate the air, in an effort to sense humidity in the air, above the level you have the humidifier set on. Speaking of which, you may have the level set higher than what the humidity is in the house and the unit is just maintaining it. 50 to 60% is high, as opposed to 35%, which is what most folks want to maintain in the hot, humid, summer months.

If you want to test the unit, place in the bathroom, turn a hot shower ON, turn the humidifier ON and set it for 45% or minimum if your unit does not have a LED readout screen. Do Not turn the bathroom exhaust fan ON. As you leave the bathroom, close the door and don't return for 20 minutes. When you do, turn the shower OFF and check the humidifiers water collection bucket. If you see any water, the unit is working as it should. If you don't see any water, it's time to replace that unit. I say that because, at best, the parts and labor to repair the unit would be equal to or almost equal to, the price of a new dehumidifier.

Hope this helped you troubleshoot and solve the problem. Please let me know. Thanks

Turn the unit OFF and unplug it from the wall. Allow it to thoroughly thaw and remove the humidifiers cabinet to expose the cooling coils. Clean those thoroughly and coat with a very light coating of WD40. Reassemble the humidifier and turn it ON. Set your humidity control at 50% and allow the unit to run for at least one hour. Check for water collection in the bucket and for any signs of icing, after one hour. If water is in the collection bucket and no signs of icing, lower the humidity to 45% and continue. If you not any signs of icing, watch the unit, as you need to know if it automatically goes into defrost mode. The compressor should shut off, but the fan will continue to run until defrosting is completed. If it doesn't the auto defrost sensor has failed and will need to be replaced.
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Hope this helps you to troubleshoot and solve the problem. Please let me know. Thanks.

It very well maybe, that you have the humidity removal set to high and it's not sensing any humidity to remove. For example, if you have it set on 65 - 70%, that's not how much humidity it's going to remove. It's the level of humidity it's going to maintain in your home. To remove moisture/humidity, the setting should be low, like 45%. As far as the fan running ... many units are designed that way, in an effort to help keep the air circulating and also to defrost the cools.

If you want to test the unit, to see if it's working properly. Place the dehumidifier in the bathroom and set it at 50%. Turn the shower ON and let it run for 20 minutes with the bathroom door closed and without the exhaust fan running. And check on it after 20 minutes. More than likely, there' will be water in the bucket.

Also, there's routine maintenance that should be performed regularly. Clean the air intake filter, clean and wipe off the the compressor coolant coils, and check for clogs in the drain line of the unit.

Hope this helps you troubleshoot and solve the problem. Please let me know. Thanks.

Hi,

First, make sure the humidistat isn't set too high by adjusting it to the lowest humidity setting and running it again. Next, test the dehumidifier by placing it in a closed bathroom with a hot shower running. If you don't see water collecting in the unit after several minutes, turn the unit off and clean all dehumidifier filters and coils. If, after adjusting the settings and cleaning the unit, you still don't see water collecting, you may have a refrigeration issue. This situation will have to be addressed by a qualified technician.

Good luck.

hello. If your dehumidifier doesn't seem to run often but the humidity in the room is high, try adjusting the humidistat control on the dehumidifier to a dryer setting. If the dehumidifier seems to run constantly, but there's little or no water in the container, there may be a problem in the refrigeration system. Try cleaning the unit. If that doesn't work, you can't repair the refrigeration system yourself, you need a qualified appliance repair technician to do that.