Humidity control worked for first year, then nothing. Still runs at 3hr./6hr.option. What part # do I need to fix the Humidity control, its not specifically listed on the repair parts list. Or could there be something else wrong with the humidity control function.

It may be right. Are you sure you need dehumidification?

Put a free-standing humidity meter near the unit to check.

If you still want to run the dehum, take the humidity sensor out of the line and control the unit with a timer.

You can normally hear a humidistat open and close if you listen closely. Also, the water tank has either a float or pressure switch that will shut it down.

If you have a dehumidifier that is not producing any water then you are wondering what you need to do to get this thing to work for you. In some cases you may be able to do something and in other situations there may be nothing that you can do.

If you do not hear the compressor running and the unit says that the humidity in the room is higher then the setting, then you have a problem with your dehumidifier.

A few things that can cause this are:

The circuit board relay has gone bad...replacement of this board will often cost more then a new unit. This also is a very common problem with many dehumidification units.

The compressor has failed...if you hear a buzz for a few seconds, every few minutes, then you have a bad compressor or at least bad start components on the compressor. Either way it again is a costly repair.

If the compressor is running and the coils are not getting cold then you have a refrigeration system leak. Recharging or fixing these units is very difficult and is another costly venture compared to the price of a new dehumidifier.

If the compressor is running but the fan is not, this also will cause low water production and continual freezing of the coil.

If the compressor and the fan are running but the coil is totally blocked then you will get no water production. Air needs to be continually moved over the cold coil to get the water out of the air.

If nothing is running, then you may also have a control board failure. Or the humidity sensor or humidistat has gone bad which tells the machine to run. If the sensor says that the humidity is low enough then it will never run.

Also if nothing is running check the float switch or the bucket switch. Many of these switches are very touchy and if you do not have the bucket in place just exactly right it will not trip the switch to allow the unit to run. These switches often are more fragile then they should be and break easily. The good thing is that when available they are easy to replace and relatively inexpensive.

There are some parts available for a few brands, but with the prices for most of the parts that you can replace running anywhere from 40.00 - 80.00 dollars, replacement parts with labor to install them, makes a repair more then the few hundred dollar cost of many of these dehumidifiers.

As you can see there are quite a few things that can cause your dehumidifier not to work. Systematically go through the list and eliminate things to get to the bottom of the issue causing your problem and then decide if it is worth spending the money to try to fix the old unit. Only you can make that decision.

There is some service that you can do ... Clean the filter and the cooling coils, regularly. Check the humidity level that you have the unit set on. It may be set to low and there's just not that much humidity in the air at this time, for it to collect. From what you said, it sounds like you may have it set on continuous cycle which could account for the lack of a lot of water in the bucket. In continuous run, the fan stays ON all the time. It's supposed to do that, so that the air is constantly moving and the sensor only turns the compressor ON, if it senses a humidity level 5% higher than what you have it set for. Try running the unit on a 1 or 2 hour cycle (if your model will do that) rather than continuous cycle.

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

coolant may be low - warranty should be 5 years

If the room temperature is close to 60, the coils may be frozen (completely encased in ice). If this is the case, move it where the water can drain off - about 1 gallon which may NOT run into the drain bucket.
I out mine over the floor drain.
Turn off and it will defrost over night.
Only specially made dehumidifiers work below a room temp of 60 degrees (the temp of a basement in winter).
Does it need to be running? A digital humidity sensor from Radio Shack is cheap and may tell you the humidity is OK - only 50% or less.

Unplug it ... let it defrost.

Set it to a higher % humidity and make sure the fan is on its fastest speed. If you can set it not run continually (a selection option), do that. Also, set a small fan close by to move more air around the machine. If you have the option, put a hose on the collection device to drain to a sewer.

As your space starts to dry out, set the humidity setting to a lower number. This may take a week or more.

I believe perfect humidity is slightly above 50% - no need to try to get to 40% except in unusual circumstances. If that is the case, get a second device. Or, if your space is large, you may want to add a second device.


I hope this info helps you and your problem is solved.

thanks for using Fixya.com

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Had a similar problem with Goldstar model DH305. A solution was already posted about cutting the two white wire going to humidity control, and it works until tray fills up (no control). However, if you want a complete fix which allows you to control by selecting humidity level go to the following site:
http://www.appliancefactoryparts.com/search/partinfo.php?partsID=282871&modelsID=&typeName=dehumidifier

Part number is 6877A30013L

Contact points in the humidity control may be stuck or arced together. If so this item is not covered by warranty after the first year in most cases.

the control board is a very simple design and it is to signal and switch options like fan speed, power on/off, humidity up/down and sets the on/off run time. Like above the board does collect dust,but the true problem runs deeper.

My unit was stuck in run mode with the fan speed, humidity and run timmer non functioning. the unit worked and the power switch turned it on and off. The display said ON

I removed the front cover (two screws) and slight pressure on the side of the cover to remove it. This exposes the control board. The control board can be removed by removing the 6 screws on the board. the cable can then be removed by pulling out the multi-pin ribbon cable.

I diagnosed that only two of the 5 push button switched were functioning. There was also dust and mold on the board. This board is poorly protected from the moist air entering the unit and the constand moisture causes corrosion on the board, the switched seem to be the weak link.

By using a multi meter I noted that only the power switch and the humidity down button were making contact when pressed. Now it all came together. I could turn it on and off. and if you press the humidity down button to the lowers setting (ON) means run all the time.

I used a elecronic contact cleaner and sprayed it into each of the switches. I wiggled it around and blew it out with canned air. It took a few wiggles and blasts but all switched then made contact. I the board back on and tested all functions and it was like new. The contact cleaner should keep it protected for a while. The non functioning of the switches works both ways. They can stick on also. This would explain most of the other control problems. These switched are common and can be picked up at Radio Shack. On a do-it-yourself bananna scale it was a 2 for me, but I had the tools and the spray. I am not sure what sears gets for the PC control board,but this is the issue and if they were to address this the unit complaints would drop greatly.

You have a bad fan motor. Put your hand against the grill to see if there any air movement. You need to buy a new fan motor assembly, it is attached by two long
bolts, easy to swap, except the wiring may not be easy. May have to cut the 3 wires and resolder. Get to the motor by removing the back panel and then the fan. Removing the fan may not be easy, they put some gunk on the spidle thread.

The cheapest price I have seen for the motor is $27-$28, shipping about $8 and tax
about $1.5.