How to recharge a dehumidifier with refrigerant

It sounds like it needs servicing and recharging with refrigerant gas. It works by running the moist air over refrigerated elements where the moisture condenses and drips into the tank. Make sure you are on the right setting, most have 'blow air, remove moisture, and A/C'..

Improve the FixYa experience for everyone by voting. I want you to let me know if the solution(s) suggested were of any value. Constructive criticism is welcomed.

Hi,

Since you didn't provide a model, the suggestions are not model specific. So bear with me since I have no idea of your tech level and will have to include a lot of detail.

I have no personal interest or association with any product that I may suggest.

How to Recharge a Dehumidifier

Do you need to recharge your dehumidifier? Here's what you need to know.

Dehumidifiers use cooling coils, similar to air conditioners. Those cooling coils use refrigerants, the same as air conditioners do.

If your dehumidifier stops removing moisture from the air but the motor and fan seem to be working fine, your dehumidifier may need to be recharged.

Let's repeat that a different way.

• Is your dehumidifier's motor running?
• Is the fan also working?
• Is your air still too damp?

If so, you may need to recharge your dehumidifier.

That's where this gets interesting.

Legal, illegal and obsolete coolants

Older dehumidifiers use a coolant called R-22. That's being phased out and its use is strictly regulated, around the world.

In the old days, you could by an air conditioner recharging kit. Hook the hoses to the air conditioner or dehumidifier (or refrigerator) and follow the instructions. Easy!

Today, your dehumidifier may still use R-22. If so, due to strict environmental regulations, you'll need to check with an air conditioner repair service.

They may be able to help you, but they may not. It depends on whether they have any R-22, and whether they're authorized to recharge dehumidifiers with it. (Yes, they need a permit for this. Be sure they have one.)

Check your dehumidifier

A panel or sticker on it may tell you which coolant your dehumidifier uses. Or, the manufacturer's date may give you an idea. If the dehumidifier was made before 1995, it's likely to require R-22.

If you own a newer dehumidifier, it may use a more environmentally-friendly coolant. (If you bought your dehumidifier after January 2010, it's almost certain to use something other than R-22.)

New dehumidifiers usually run on R-410A. That's often called Puron.

Puron is one of the best alternatives to R-22. It's inexpensive. So far, it has fewer problems that some other "green" coolants. Puron still causes some ozone problems, because it's methane base. However, it's better than anything else you can buy now.

Puron (or R-410A) runs at a much higher pressure than R-22 did.

So...

You can't just replace your R-22 coolant with R-410A. The valves and gaskets may not hold, and - if your coolant leaks out - you're back to square one.

Generally, it's safer and cheaper to replace your dehumidifier with a new one that's already set up to use R-410A (Puron).

Frigidaire 70-Pint Dehumidifier. I recommend only one dehumidifier, no matter what your needs. It can handle damp basements. It runs economically. You can set the humidity level you want, and it'll turn itself off when it reaches that level... no wasted electricity!

It's also one of the quietest dehumidifiers and it has top ratings and customer reviews at Amazon. (It's regularly on Amazon's "best sellers" list.)

If you're saying the dehumidifier is not extracting moisture from the air?

There are 5 basic, yet solvable reason for this. Please pay particular attention to numbers 1 & 2..

1. The humidity extraction level is set to HIGH. Lower it to 32-35%. If yours is a manual unit, turn
the control knob to Maximum.

2. Air intake filter is dirty or clogged. Turn unit OFF, & Unplug the
Unit, before removing to inspect & clean it, if necessary. If washed,
allow filter to completely dry before reinstalling. DO NOT operate
the unit without the filter.

3. Obstructed air flow. Maintain a minimum of 12 to 18" of clear air
space around the entire unit.

4. Cooling coils are dirty and need to be cleaned. Use warm water & dish washing liquid to
clean the coils. Rinse and wipe dry. Apply a light coating of WD40 to the coils.

5. Ambient air temperature at floor level is between 40 - 60 degrees.
dehumidifiers do not work well between those temperatures
(Unless, you have a Low Temp Unit). This applies mainly to
where the air temperature at floor level is colder than at shoulder level
in basement applications. Raising the unit up off the floor,
onto a sturdy table, counter top, etc, that can handle the weight
of the unit, plus a full tank of water, will usually resolve this
problem.

If none of the above solves the problem, it may be a case of the compressor needs to be recharged with refrigerant gas or that the humidity condenser sensor has failed. These things usually occur in units that are 5 years old or older. It's rare in a unit younger than that. But, it can happen.

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

There are 5 basic, but solvable reason for what you described. Please pay particular attention to numbers 1, 2 & 5.

1. The humidity extraction level is set to HIGH. Lower it to 32-35%. If yours is a manually
controlled unit, set the knob on Maximum.

2. Air intake filter is dirty or clogged. Turn unit OFF, & Unplug the
Unit, before removing to inspect & clean it, if necessary. If washed,
allow filter to completely dry before reinstalling. DO NOT operate
the unit without the filter.

3. Obstructed air flow. Maintain a minimum of 12 to 18" of clear air
space around the entire unit.

4. Cooling coils are dirty and need to be cleaned. Use warm water & dish washing liquid to
clean the coils. Rinse and wipe dry. Apply a light coating of WD40 to the coils.

5. Ambient air temperature at floor level is between 40 - 60 degrees.
dehumidifiers do not work well between those temperatures
(Unless, you have a Low Temp model). This applies mainly to
where the air temperature at floor level is colder than at shoulder
in basement applications level. Raising the unit up off the floor,
onto a sturdy table, counter top, etc, that can handle the weight
of the unit, plus a full tank of water, will usually resolve this
problem.

If none of the above solves the problem, it may be a case of the compressor needs to be recharged with refrigerant gas or that the humidity condenser sensor has failed. These things usually occur in units that are 5 years old or older. It's rare in a unit younger than that. But, it can happen.

Hope this helps you troubleshoot & solve the problem

If the unit isnt extracting moisture in the air you have one of two problems a leak in the refrigeration system or the compressor is locked up. In my experience its probably a leak in the refrigeration system because they make the dehumidifiers very cheap and the coils are paper thin. Delonghi has a lot of issues with there dehumidifiers and any other appliance they make. Check to see if the compressor is running if it is then you have no freon in the system. You can access the compressor by the back panel and you will know if it is running. If it is a refrigeration leak buy a new unit it will be a whole lot cheaper and less stressful,.
If this helps please rate me.

There are several things that can cause the problem you described. Most of which are easily remedied.

1. The humidity/moisture extraction level is set to high. Lower it to 35%

2, Air intake filter is dirty or clogged. Remove and clean the filter.

3. Refrigerant coils on the back of the unit are dirty and need to be cleaned.

4. Not enough clear air space around the unit. Maintain at least a minimum of 12" of clear air space all around the unit.

5. Unit is operating in a room that has an ambient air temperature at floor level, of between 40 -60 degrees F. Most dehumidifiers don't work well between those temperatures. Raise the unit up off the floor on to something sturdy enough for the weight of the dehumidifier when the bucket is full.

The above are the top 5 things that can cause a dehumidifier not to work properly. Fortunately, none of the solutions require any major repair to the unit.

Hope this helped you to further troubleshoot and solve the problem.

the units low on refrigerant and needs a recharge,this happens a lot with these type of units

Hi,
Here is a tip that will help you with basic trouble shooting..

http://www.fixya.com/support/r3877515-dehumidifier_problems_dehumidifier

heatman101

the compressor sounds like is not coming on check the refrigerant or check the power to the compressor it could be something as small as a humidistat which will not tell it that we still have humidity like a thermostat

Yup, they eat energy.

An electric dehumidifier includes a refrigeration cycle that is very similar to a window AC units and refrigerators. They cool the air in the basement to condense and collect water and remove humidity, heat the air as a required consequence of the refrigeration cycle and dump it back to your basement.

Two sources of humidity in basements include warm outside air that naturally cools due to below grade earth contact and water passing from the ground though the floors and walls and evaporating into the basement. Dehumidifiers do most of the work in the summer when higher temperatures outside enable air to hold more water content.

In the winter, cooler outside air contains less moisture by weight eventhough it may be raining and the relative humidity in basement will be less because the air is warmed relative to the outside. The lower moisture content in the winter also absorbs the water passing through the walls and floor.

From an energy perspective, you may want the humidity set NOT below 50%. This will keep humidity below the level mold desires, but prevents the dehumidifier from doing more work and eating more energy than needed. A cheap battery powered temp/humidy meter left in your basement will help. Sources that include the "mold triangle" (temperature, water & food) often separate fact from expensive hype.

If the dehumidifier doesn't keep up, consider adding a moisture barrier to the basement walls and floors such as Dry-lock and floor paints to ****** moisture entry. Moisture barriers act very similar with water as insulation does with heat. They don't eliminate the need for a dehumidifier, but they reduce the work they do and energy they eat.