Back of dehumidifier forms ice

its the fan thats not working mayby

Freon is no longer used, it has been banned by the EPA. Never the less, the first thing you should do is clean the coils. If they are dirty, it will cause the unit to freeze up or frost over. Warm water and a mild dish washing detergent will do the trick. Wipe them off thoroughly and then dry them. Then apply a thin coating of WD40.

Another cause is using the unit in a basement application. The air temperature at floor level is colder than at chest level. Dehumidifiers struggle at temperatures between 40 & 65 degrees F (unless, you have a Low Temp Model designed for basement applications). Raising the unit up off the floor on to a sturdy table, counter top etc that can handle the weight of the unit and a full bucket of water, will generally resolve the problem

And finally, the defrost sensor may be faulty and needs to be replaced.

If none of the above solves the problem for you, have the refrigerant checked,. it may need to recharged.

Hope this helped you and thanks for choosing FixYa.

Hi,

Here is a tip that I wrote that will help you understand why and what you cando with a dehumidifier that ices up.

Dehumidifier is Freezing up and not working

heatman101

l;'';

you are low on the freon charge you need to take to a service shop
were they can charge it.

usually, ice build up is caused by low refrigerant levels (a dehumidifier is essentially an air conditioner). depending on the unityou may or may not be able to service it. Some of these systems are sealed at the factory and a pierce valve is needed to add refrigerant to the system.

The filter and coils might be clogged with dirt. Turn of the unit and unplug it. Look at the filter and coils to see if they need cleaning.

Most dehumidifiers need warmer air to work properly. The temperature in a basement is usually 60 - 65F; too cool for standard models. You could buy a "basement" dehumidifier. They're designed to work at lower temperatures; some as low as 40 F. Costs are about the same as a standard dehumidifier; you just have to find it.

For a cheap fix, try this; it seems to be working for me.

Since the condensate coil (the one icing up) is cold, the air entering it is too cool and the condensate frosts up the coil. Additional condensate freezes to the frost and before you know it, you've got a block of ice. Since the air coming out of the front is very warm take a large piece of cardboard around 6' x 3') and form a V. Placed it in front of the dehumidifier so it channels some of the warm air back to the rear where it warms the moist air up before it hits the cooling fins. It's helped keep the ice down.

If you want something attractive, any screen that redirects some of the air back to the rear will work. Just leave the top open so it doesn't get too hot and the some of the drier air gets out into the room.

A dehumidifier works by cooling the metal pipes on the back of the unit to create condensation (water vapor in the air). This then drips into the collector bucket. If the unit runs too long the cooling tubes can get too cold and freeze the condesing water vapor. Unplug the dehumidifier and let the ice melt, when u turn it back on, turn it down, it may be up too high. If you find this solution helpful please rate it.

Thanks - Tech101

CHANCES ARE THE DUAL CAPACITOR HAS BLOWN APART...YOU WILL KNOW THIS IF THE SIDE WALL IS RUPTURED. THE CAPACITOR IS LOCATED TO THE RIGHT OF THE COMPRESSOR MOUNTED WITH 1/4 HEX SCREW..PART NUMBER WILL BE 50150115N001..AROUND $17-21.00.

the freon has leaked out, must be replaced.