It is not taking moisture out of the air. The tank is bone dry, yet the controls indicate it is in moisture removal mode, the fan is running and the temp gauge shows 60% rh. Also we suspect it is drawing a lot of current as our electric bills are unusually high. There is no service facility in the Chicago area. It is 6 years old and was purchased at Costco.

Capacitor
If your dehumidifier is no longer pulling water from the air and you have verified that the ambient room temperature is above 65 degrees Fahrenheit, then the unit's compressor may not be running. The compressor is the pump that circulates the refrigerant through the evaporator to extract moisture from the air. There is a capacitor in the compressor circuit to help the compressor motor to start and if the capacitor has failed then the compressor won't run. If the compressor doesn't run or if the overload device continues to trip, then you may have a defective capacitor. An accurate diagnosis can be determined by a qualified person using special test equipment.
Overload
If your dehumidifier is no longer pulling water from the air and you have verified that the ambient room temperature is above 65 degrees Fahrenheit, then the unit's compressor may not be running. The compressor is the pump that circulates the refrigerant through the evaporator to extract moisture from the air. There is a device in the compressor circuit called an overload and it is used to protect the compressor motor from damage. If the overload has failed then the compressor won't start. If you have verified that the compressor doesn't run, then you can test the overload for continuity with a multi-meter. A common cause for the overload to fail is from operating the dehumidifier on long or undersized extension cords.
Fan Motor

If your dehumidifier is not making water and you have verified that the ambient temperature is above 65 degrees Fahrenheit, then you may have a faulty fan motor. For proper operation, a dehumidifier needs to have an adequate amount of air blowing across the evaporator coils to prevent frost or ice buildup. If you feel little or no air coming through the grille area and the filter is clean, then remove the cover and check the fan area. Inspect the coils to make sure that they are not restricted with lint or dirt and clean them if necessary. Make sure that the fan motor rotates freely and that the fan blade or blower wheel is firmly attached to the motor shaft. Using caution, operate the unit in a fan only mode and observe the fan motor. If it hums but does not rotate or only rotates slowly then it is defective and will need to be replaced. If the motor does not rotate and does not appear to make any sound, it may still be defective, but will require further testing by someone who is comfortable with using a multi-meter and working with live electrical circuits.
Electronic Control Board or PCB Assembly

If your dehumidifier is no longer pulling water from the air and you have verified that the ambient room temperature is above 65 degrees Fahrenheit, then the unit's compressor or fan motor may not be operating. The compressor is the pump that circulates the refrigerant through the evaporator, and the fan motor blows air across the evaporator coils to extract the moisture. On some modern dehumidifiers an electronic control board, often called the PCB, is used to control the compressor and fan motor. The control board has sensors connected to it that monitor the relative humidity and when the level is higher than the control setting, the control board will activate relays to turn on the compressor and fan motor. If you have an electronic control model and the compressor or the fan is not operating, then the electronic control may be at fault. A voltage test, using a multi-meter at the output relays, would be required to help in the diagnosis as well as confirmation that the sensors are operating normally.

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

No, it's probably not shot. Just may need some adjustments. Below are the common causes of the problem you're having.

1. The humidity extraction level is set to HIGH. Lower it to 32 - 35%

2. Air intake filter is dirty or clogged and needs to be removed and cleaned.

3. Clear air obstruction. Maintain at least 12" of clear air space around the entire unit, while in operation.

4. The ambient air temperature at floor level is between 40 - 60 degrees F. This is particularly true in basement applications. Raise the unit up off the floor, onto a sturdy table, cabinet, etc, that will hold the weight of the unit, plus a full tank of water. The air temp at chest level is warmer than floor level in a basement. Unless, your dehumidifier is what's called a Low Temperature Model (designed for basements) it may be contributing to the problem. Although, based on all the odds, numbers 1 & 2 above, are going to be the culprit.

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

Hi,
There are many reasons why a dehumidifier willnot work or collect water.
Here is a tip that I wrote to help people to figure out what is going wrongwith their dehumidifier

Dehumidifier is running but no water is in bucket

heatman101

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In the is a wall to wall carpet, it's going to take a while. If you have a wet/dry shop vac, you can speed up the process by using the shop vac in wet mode. This will remove a great deal of water and then the dehumidifier will take care of the rest. Remember, it it's wall to wall carpet, the pad underneath is soaked too. So the dehumidifier alone, will really be struggling with it for at least 24 hours.

If it's and area rug, vacuum it to. Then drape it up off the floor over a couple of saw horses or wooden chairs, so the the dehumidifier will fit under one end like a tent. That will dry it out with in 4 or 5 hours.

Last solution, borrow another dehumidifier from a friend and run both at the same time.

Hope this helps you solve your soggy problem.

Hi,
There are many reasons why a dehumidifier will not work or collect water.
Here is a tip that I wrote to help people to figure out what is going wrong with their dehumidifier

Dehumidifier is running but no water is in bucket
http://www.fixya.com/support/r4662409-dehumidifier_running_but_no_water_in

heatman101

It sounds as if the unit has lost it's refrigerant charge. Take to small appliance repair for confirmation, but it probably leaked out.

Possible cause it's out of gas.

you might have to get a refridgeration mechanic to regas it, or/and fix any gas leaks

DUMPSTER would be the best plan

Dehumidifiers have only a few components, and operate on the same principle as a refrigerator, freezer, or air-conditioner.
Components Residential dehumidifiers have a cooling system made up of these primary components:

• The compressor is the quiet motor (engine) of the cooling system. It's the black, football-size component at the bottom of your dehumidifier. The compressor runs as long as the dehumidifier humidistat (the humidity-sensor) calls for a reduction in the humidity.
  
  
• The condenser is a series of finned tubes, similar to a radiator. It's usually near the circulating fan.
  
  
• The evaporator is located near the back of the dehumidifier, right above the water-collection container. It also resembles a radiator or a coiled-up set of tubes. When the dehumidifier's humidistat senses increased humidity, it cycles on, which starts the compressor and circulating fan.
  
  
• The circulating fan circulates the air over the evaporator and condenser coils.
  
  

Principle When the unit runs, the circulating fan and compressor also run. The fan continually draws room air over the evaporator coils, which are cold, and then over the condenser coils, which are warm. Because the evaporator coils are cold, the moisture in the room collects on them--just as the outside of a glass of icy liquid "sweats" on a warm, humid day. When the moisture on the coils increases, it drips off of the coils into the collection container.

The air then flows over the warm condenser coils and out into the room. This process removes water from the air and, because of the heat from the fan motor and compressor motor, the exiting air is somewhat warmer, as well as dryer.