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Troubleshooting dehumidifier - Santa Fe Advanced 90

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Boon
Boon Member Posts: 262
edited 8:17PM in THE MAIN WALL

Hi all,

The dehumidifer in my crawlspace doesn't dehumidify. Honestly, I never ran it enough to know if/when it might've stopped working. In the last 9 years I maybe ran it for a total of 20 hours. Not sure how old it is.

The manual doesn't have troubleshooting for the following scenario:

  • Fan runs,
  • compressor gets hot to the touch,
  • capacitor tests ok (46.3µF) according to its rating,
  • coils don't freeze
  • unit doesn't trip on thermal overload,
  • put a thermometer against the coils, fins, capillary tube, that bulb-looking thing, and nothing reads above/below room temp.
  • humidistat turns unit on/off at about the right position on the dial according to a humidity sensor I have.

I assume there is no refrigerant. The blue coil looks sus.

Anything I can try? Is this something any tech would/could service?

EDIT: I just noticed I can probably remove that rating plate. I wonder if there is diagnostic anything behind there. I'll go check that now. Eh, nothing back there except maybe a capacitor for the fan motor

IMG_6554.jpeg IMG_6549.jpeg

Appreciate any guidance,

David

DIY'er ... ripped out a perfectly good forced-air furnace and replaced it with hot water & radiators.

Comments

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 20,979

    I agree it may have lost its charge. Any AC tech with R410A (which is a common refrigerant) can charge it and leak test it. The leak may or may not be repairable. Probably going to have to install a line tap valve to make sure it is empty and then braze in a couple of Schrader access valves.

    BoonGGross
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 18,052

    welcome to my collection of 4 dehumidifiers since 2010 from which the refrigerant has escaped.

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 18,052

    is it still under warranty? if it has refrigerant in it and the compressor is actually pumping(though possible for the compressor to run but fail to pump, a fairly uncommon failure mode), you should hear it flowing and you should hear it equalize if you turn it off suddenly after it has been running for a bit(you should hear the liquid being released from the capillary tube from the high side to the low side for maybe 10 seconds to a minute or so after the compressor stops).

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