Dehumidifier anti-icing switch

Glad to hear a kind word, now and again. Got one right, for once!

Very often, a machine is designed for some air flow value. If you reduce the air flow, you get icing. This also happens in air conditioning devices.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon
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You have repaid me for one time pointing to a reference about how the human teeth are numbered.

Reply to
Matt

witch was pretty well covered with ice. =A0The evaporator coil to which it = is clamped was covered with ice too of course. =A0There was some corrosion = between the coil and the switch.

eter actually). =A0At room temp the switch is closed as expected. When I pu= t it in a freezer (-4 def F or so) it opens as it is supposed to, which is = unexpected. =A0I mean the switch seems to be working, when I don't have any= other explanation for the ice-up.

I mean that should be enough to open the switch, shouldn't it? =A0Or does i= t need to get colder than ice?

n too low, even though it still opens at very cold temps?

e evaporator coil, but gosh, if it is embedded in ice ...- Hide quoted text= -

Interesting ........ have been following this dehumidifier thread, so thanks for the follow up.

We have a very much used Sears type DH, got free. It worked OK for a couple of years and then didn't.

So, in order to keep basement area drier and protect tools bought a very similar new one. It works fine, not needed much in winter but it runs more during our cool summers. Not sure if new one has an anti- icing switch at all! Seems to be more a matter (with this newer one) of setting it correctly so it doesn't form a block of ice on the cooling coils.

last year took the cover off the older one and discovered that it was a problem with anti-icing switch; it was operating 'too soon' or 'too quickly'. Operating (switching to open) to cut off the compressor almost as soon as any slight hoar frost formed on the coils. So removed it and now the unit seems to operate OK. Must try it again as weather gets slightly more humid. Keep meaaning to test oit out inthe fridge/freezer to see at what temp. it opens!

On the topic of humidity. During our cool winters normal home heating raises the house air temperatures and the relative humidity is thereby lowered. We have electric baseboard heat which some claim is too dry'.

One could call this a miserable 'spring'. It's an indication however that 'something' IS happening to the climate. We are now getting more rain into April/May, than in the past, not snow.

For example there is a local holiday in this part of Canada on May

24th, where traditionally we go trouting; the equivalent one guesses of the more affluent 'Fly fishing'! Many people have an old fishing pole in the trunk of the car or cab of the pickup and the spawning season for trout is over mid month, so off we go with a few flies and or a tail bait with a worm on it.

ANYWAY........ the point is that on May 24th the weather could/can be anything from 50+ degrees to snow/sleet!

Also by the way; two points.

1) Is there any rule on which way the air goes through the unit? Presumably room air is drawn in the back through the coils and exhausted past the fan out the front? The fan motor only gets slightly warm anyway and is also cooled by the now drier/cooler air from the coils?

2) All the energy used by the DH (probably about 300 watts/hr?) Become a small amount of heat within the house? Right? There's no heat pump effect here because the whole unit is contained within the one room. Similar, say to a fridge, which operates entirely within the shell of the house.

Thanks to all for the postings.

Reply to
terry

I'll admit I don't remember that moment. But, glad it worked for you.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

sci.dentistry, I believe.

The point was it worked for you.

Reply to
Matt

was pretty well covered with ice. The evaporator coil to which it is clamped was covered with ice too of course. There was some corrosion between the coil and the switch.

actually). At room temp the switch is closed as expected. When I put it in a freezer (-4 def F or so) it opens as it is supposed to, which is unexpected. I mean the switch seems to be working, when I don't have any other explanation for the ice-up.

that should be enough to open the switch, shouldn't it? Or does it need to get colder than ice?

low, even though it still opens at very cold temps?

evaporator coil, but gosh, if it is embedded in ice ...- Hide quoted text -

How do you know that that was "too soon"?

What is your measure of OK operation? Keeps running steadily or produces water steadily? If it isn't producing water, that is not OK, and the evaporator may be iced.

I think my DH may have been running iced up a lot without me knowing, since I had it connected to the drain by a hose and never had to empty the bucket anyway. So I couldn't tell whether it was producing water.

Hopefully you mean 300W, not 300W/hr.

I wouldn't say 300W is a small amount. That could easily cost 5 cents per hour ($36/month). And if you are using your air conditioner, it will be another 300W extra power used by the A/C.

It is a lot like running a window air conditioner with both ends inside the house.

Reply to
Matt

witch was pretty well covered with ice. =A0The evaporator coil to which it = is clamped was covered with ice too of course. =A0There was some corrosion = between the coil and the switch.

eter actually). =A0At room temp the switch is closed as expected. When I pu= t it in a freezer (-4 def F or so) it opens as it is supposed to, which is = unexpected. =A0I mean the switch seems to be working, when I don't have any= other explanation for the ice-up.

I mean that should be enough to open the switch, shouldn't it? =A0Or does i= t need to get colder than ice?

n too low, even though it still opens at very cold temps?

You said the switch opened in a freezer when it was -4F. That's obviously a LOT colder than it needs to be for ice to form. It's possible the ice by the evaporator never gets that cold. I wonder what temp they are supposed to open at? Also, depending on how often this thing runs, it might be wise to look into a new one. Todays energy star units are probably more efficient than a 12 year old unit.

e evaporator coil, but gosh, if it is embedded in ice ...- Hide quoted text= -

Reply to
trader4

I know this is a late reply but just have the recall repair done and you'll have all the switches replaced.

Reply to
niblicktack

recall repair done and you'll have all the switches replaced.

With the late hour and day, is the recall still in effect?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

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