Dehumidifier help if you please......

[melmark22]

Wondering if anyone with repair experience can advise on the most reliable dehumidifier to buy? We run 2 units year round (one in a garage and one in the basement) Both are 60 or 70 pint units. We have had terrible luck recently as we have experienced several failures of what I believe to be the compressors. The units keep running but do not collect any water. I keep the filters clean and they are plugged directly into the wall (no extension cords). Both units are used in a very clean environment. We had a whirlpool that lasted about 10 years before it died. After that we bought a new Hysense 70 pint with the pump. It failed in 10 months and they sent us a new one which is still running but it is only 8 months old. We also have a 60 pint Haier that is 2 years old and just stopped collecting water. I need to buy a new unit and it has to be 60 or 70 pint. Can anyone recommend a good unit that won't fail in a year?

 

[Dan O.]

We also have a 60 pint Haier that is 2 years old and just stopped collecting water.

Have you looked into possible causes? What is the temperature of the room it is used in?

Wondering if anyone with repair experience can advise on the most reliable dehumidifier to buy?

Usually service technicians only see the broken ones... besides their own.

No company I know of makes such products in North America any longer so you're pretty much stuck with cheap imports unless you can find a used one. Look for a boxy square, metal cabinet one and not a cheap plastic housing like the imports have these days. The boxy ones tend to be locally made and easier to service and have better longevity.

JMO

Dan O.

 

[melmark22]

The one that just failed was used in the garage. I leave it plugged in around the clock and it does get quite cold in there at times. Is it possible that the low temps caused the compressor to lose gas?

Any input on a brand name of one of the better used models that you refer to?


Thanks for the reply
Mark

 

[Dan O.]

Is it possible that the low temps caused the compressor to lose gas?

No but it's possible (very likely) it causes the evaporator to frost up. That in turn would make the unit run continually which in turn could damage the compressor (the heart of the unit and very most expensive thing to fix).

These links are pertinent to this topic. They were supplied by this message author. Please peruse them.

LINK > Appliance411 : FAQ : My dehumidifier is building up frost on the coils and seems to be running continuously. What might be the problem?

There are some dehumidifier designed to operate in lower temperatures (see the following link) but still only down to around 40° F. (They may automatically shut off if below that.) Normally below 60° can be a problem for a dehumidifier.

LINK > Low Temperature 'Basement' Dehumidifiers.

I don't know that there's much different in quality in the manufacturer. As I said, they all come from off-shore. The design is what is important in this case although choosing a North American brand should help to get service in the future when necessary (see the following link). Try to stay away from unknown or Asian brand names IMO.

LINK > Appliance411 : The Purchase : About Appliance Brands


Dan O.