Water condenses on top of dehumidifier

A dehumidifier works in a similar way to an air conditioner, cooling the air that passes through it so water vapour will condense and collect into a container.

If the fans are working and air is circulating through the unit but no water is being collected the internal refrigeration system probably has a fault...

John, there are 5 basic, yet solvable reason for what you described. Please pay particular attention to numbers 1 & 2.

1. The humidity extraction level is set to HIGH. Lower it to 32-35%.

2. Air intake filter is dirty or clogged. Turn unit OFF, & Unplug the
Unit, before removing to inspect & clean it, if necessary. If washed,
allow filter to completely dry before reinstalling. DO NOT operate
the unit without the filter.

3. Obstructed air flow. Maintain a minimum of 12 to 18" of clear air
space around the entire unit.

4. Cooling coils are dirty and need to be cleaned. Use warm water & dish washing liquid to
clean the coils. Rinse and wipe dry. Apply a light coating of WD40 to the coils.

5. Ambient air temperature at floor level is between 40 - 60 degrees.
dehumidifiers do not work well between those temperatures
(Unless, you have a Low Temp Unit). This applies mainly to
where the air temperature at floor level is colder than at shoulder level
in basement applications. Raising the unit up off the floor,
onto a sturdy table, counter top, etc, that can handle the weight
of the unit, plus a full tank of water, will usually resolve this
problem.

If none of the above solves the problem, it may be a case of the compressor needs to be recharged with refrigerant gas or that the humidity condenser sensor has failed. These things usually occur in units that are 5 years old or older. It's rare in a unit younger than that. But, it can happen.

Hope this helps you to troubleshoot & solve the problem. Thanks for choosing FixYa.

Hi,

The coils you see on the back of your dehumidifier are the evaporator. When the unit runs, the coils get very cold. As the fan draws the room air over the coils, the humidity in the air condenses out of the air onto the cold coils. But, if the temperature of the air the fan draws over the coils is too cool, the humidity that condenses out of the air freezes on the coils. To remedy this problem, you can try any of these: Warm up the room the dehumidifier is in. Put the dehumidifier on a sturdy table (the room air is coolest near the ground). Turn the unit off until the room warms up.

Good luck.

Hi,

The coils you see on the back of your dehumidifier are the evaporator. When the unit runs, the coils get very cold. As the fan draws the room air over the coils, the humidity in the air condenses out of the air onto the cold coils. But, if the temperature of the air the fan draws over the coils is too cool, the humidity that condenses out of the air freezes on the coils.

To remedy this problem, you can try any of these:
Warm up the room the dehumidifier is in.
Put the dehumidifier on a sturdy table (the room air is coolest near the ground).
Turn the unit off until the room warms up.

Take care.

If on the top you mean only at the top of the cooling or condensing coil the machine could be low on refrigerant.

clean filter and then check the coil behind the filter to see if clean. Biggest things that freeze a unit are dirty filter or coil...or low on freon.

either there's no moisture in the house (especially if you have an air conditioner), the coils are not cold enough, or there's no air flow across the coils. if the latter is the case, clean off the rear coils, clean off the front filter (or if no filter, the fins), and see if the fan is working. cleaning the condenser coil fins in the front would also help with it not getting cold, if that were the problem.

It is defective. The coils are not getting cold enough to condense water in the air. If you have the receipt and the unit is less than 5 years old, give LG a call for warranty repair.

You may also want to check the coils and make sure they do not have dirt or dust on them. If they are clean you may have an issue with the refrigerant level which will cause the coils not to cool properly. For that you will want to contact LG. There could be an issue with the compressor also. LG backs alot of their models with a 5 year warranty. Contact them and let them know about your issue. Make sure you still have your reciept. Here is their contact number:

1 (800) 793-8896

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