User Manual has no guidelines.

It's probably running continuously.

If so, its either set that way (or for too low humidity) or the unit is undersized for the area / humidity level. Check for sources of humidity that can be controlled otherwise, or add another unit.

Please rate 4 stars if this is helpful. Thanks and good luck!

check manufacturer web site for a manual, most have them available for download

It isn't necessary you run it 24 hours a day. You can set it to be on for 2 or 4 hour intervals and then it Turns OFF. However, I am a bit concerned that you have the humidity extraction level set a bit high for a basement application. 50% is more than most basements need to be. Lowering it to 35%, will remove more humidity and eventually will run for shorter periods of time. It takes several days of operation for the dehumidifier to get the humidity under control.

If you have a floor drain in your basement, you can use a hose to daring the water, rather than having to empty the bucket daily (which is not that unusual). See your Owner's Manual on how to connect a 48" length of garden hose to the dehumidifier.

I hope this helped you & thanks for choosing FixYa.

Actually, your husband is correct. The settings reflect the amount of humidity you want to remain in the house. I really don't think you want to leave 50 to 60% humidity in the house.

35% removes the greatest amount of humidity.

Hope this helped answer your question and thanks for choosing FixYa.

If you have an LED screen on your unit, lower (arrow down) the humidity extraction level to 35 - 40%. If you have an analog unit, turn the humidity extraction knob to Maximum (which should be clockwise).

Hope this helped you and thanks for choosing FixYa.

Shannon - The basic things that cause this problem are easy to troubleshoot and solve.

1. The humidity extraction level is set to HIGH. Lower it to 35% or less.

2. The air intake filter is dirty or clogged. Remove and clean the filter following the Owner's Manual's instructions on "How to clean the filter."

3. Not enough clear air space around the unit. Maintain a minimum of 12" Clear Air Space on all 4-sides of the unit.

4. The ambient air temperature at floor level is between 40 & 60 degrees F. Since the unit is a basement, the air temperature at the floor level is colder than the air temperature at chest level. Place the unit on a sturdy table or counter, that can handle the weight of the unit, plus a full tank of water.

Hope this helps you to troubleshoot and solve the problem. Please let me know, Shannon. Thanks.

You may have the humidity/moisture level set to high. Try lowering it to 35%. Or if you don't have a LED Screen on your unit, turn it to maximum.

In addition, most dehumidifiers don't work well if the air temperature is between 40 & 60 degrees F. Keep in mind, the temperature at floor level in a basement is colder that the air temperature at chest high level. Raising the unit up, off the floor on something sturdy enough to handle the weight (with a full tank of water) and the vibration, may help.

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

Part of the problem may be that you have the humidity level set to high. The fan runs constantly to move the air around. When the unit senses a humidity level higher than what you have it set for, the compressor turns ON. Once it's ON, if the humidity level is short lived, it turns OFF.

Try setting the humidity level to the lowest possible setting. Usually, that 45%. If the humidity level in you home is higher than that, the compressor should turn ON and run until either the bucket is full or the humidity level reaches 45%. If this doesn't solve the problem, turn the Master ON/OFF Switch to OFF and unplug the unit from the wall outlet for 12-15 minutes. Plug the unit bakc in, turn the Master ON/OFF Switch to ON and set the humidity level at it's lowest setting. Allow the unit to run until it cuts OFF and check the bucket for water. Hopefully that 12-15 minute time out allowed the unit to reset itself.

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

If you trying to remove humidity, the setting or percentage of humidity to you want to remove should be set low. it's actually the humidity that will be left in the air. In the Hot Summer months, you want lower humidity, as opposed to the Winter months, when you want higher humidity.

"Plastic cup inside the bucket" - that's got me stumped. But, I suspect, it may be a float valve to turn the unit off, once the bucket reaches the full level. The water enters the bucket through a drain tube or hole from inside the dehumidifier, above the bucket.

By best advice, since this is a new unit, that you recently purchased, is read the Owners Manual/User Guide and become thoroughly familiar with the proper operation of your Dehumidifier, as well as how to properly maintain it. As, they aren't maintenance free.

The lower the setting the longer the run time, so if you set this unit to 20%, it should in essence run constantly, as it would be quite difficult to pull a basement down to such a low humidity level. Hope this helps.