Ice build up got my curiousity. took off the front cover to find an electrical piece on the tray wire attatched. doesn't seem to plug into anything. wish i had the specs.

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

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

Check fan speed. Also if coil (it's the evaporator) is clean.

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 dehumidifier has a non-removable tray under the coils (they look like radiators) that collects and drains the water away. If the tray or drain gets clogged with dirt or slime the water doesn't drain away well. Some water is picked up by the fan and is blown out the vent. Take the covers off the machine and give everything a good cleaning. If you get water on any electrical parts, let the machine dry thoroughly before plugging in.

The de-humidifier is a niche product. Its only job is to remove moisture from air to alleviate the problems of mould and mildew. It is very similar in operation to a window air conditioner.

A dehumidifier though will add heat to the room, while an air conditioner will remove heat.

The de-humidifier is an appliance that requires regular maintenance. This may be because it’s icing up, overflowing, not removing enough moisture, or simply time for a good cleaning to maintain its efficiency. If you don’t feel handy enough to attempt this project contact your appliance repairperson.

The following is a step-by-step method used to return your de-humidifiers to its peak efficiency.

Tools required

1 Multi pocket container (old ice cube tray)

2 Long handled brush

3 Oil can

4 Rags

5 De-greaser or spray detergent

6 Selection of screwdrivers

7 New filter


1… Remove water collection bucket and put aside.

2… Remove the filter from rear of machine. Filer is usually within a frame and simply pops out. If no filter proceed to next step. If it is a disposable filter simply replace it with a new one. Other types are made in a plastic frame and can be cleaned and reused. To clean a filter lay it flat in the sink and sprinkle surface with powder laundry detergent. Plug sink drain and turn on hot water. Cover filter with enough water to submerge. Soak for 15 minutes. Remove from water and rinse. Hang up to dry while proceeding to next step.

3… Remove the rear grille from the main body of de-humidifier. If none proceed to next step. If there is resistance then look for hidden screws. If grille locks into cover proceed to next step. Once removed place the grille aside until later.

Tip: Dehumidifier may use different types and sizes of screws. Use ice cube tray to segregate.

4… Remove metal cover of de-humidifier to access inner workings. Cover screws may be difficult to see because are often painted to match body color. Usually two or three screws along each side of base. Once screws are removed lift the cover straight up. Use extreme caution at this point. Front grille may be secured to cover. Some fronts are put together like a puzzle. Parts often interconnect or are screwed to one another. If front grille lifts off with cover try to separate before proceeding. Front grille may lock into groove along front edge of cover. Avoid pulling off any wires from humidistat or indicator light.

5… When cover removed this will expose the heating and cooling coil. They may appear as one but are actually two separate coils in very close proximity. Both will need to be cleaned.

Use a narrow brush to remove surface dust and dirt from the front and rear surfaces of coils. Use an up and down motion to avoid bending fins. Area between two coils must also be cleaned. Use caution, the fins are soft aluminum and can be easily damaged. Once surface dirt is removed, spray with de-greaser or light cleaner. There is a good product on the market called HVAC cleaner. As the name implies it is meant for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioner coil cleaning. If this is not available Fantastic Spray cleaner used in kitchens and bathrooms works quite well. Remove dirt and excess cleaner by slowly pouring warm water into fins. Do not allow the water to enter any electrical connections or components. As an added precaution cover the motor with one of the cloth rags to protect it from the water.

6… With cover, rear grille, and front grilles removed locate fan motor for oil holes. Add a few drops of oil to each end of the motor body. Use a general purpose (3in1) oil or clean motor oil. A #30 oil is sufficient. Three or four drops on both ends of the motor body are sufficient. Add the oil slowly, pausing a few seconds between each drop. If added too quickly over-lubrication will result.

7… Straighten any bent fins. Use a fin comb if available. If no fin comb then use something soft such as a Popsicle stick. Straightening the fins will increase the efficiency of the airflow through the coils. Use caution as these coils are filled with high-pressure refrigerant.

8… Wipe any dirt from fan blade using a soft rag. Do not bend blades. This would cause a vibration that would harm the motor.

9… Vacuum all surfaces including front and back of grille assembly. Vacuum underside of metal cover. Vacuum dirt buildup from base and any other exposed surfaces.

10… Drain any water left in the base and allow it to dry.

11… When completely dry plug in and test operation. On some models testing may require temporary override of bucket overflow switch. Test that cooling coil begins to sweat water within few minutes of operation. If everything appears okay unplug and reassemble. Insert water collection bucket slowly to avoid damaging float switch mechanism.

I have a Comfortaire BHD501 dehumidifier. A couple weeks ago I noticed ice building up on top of the unit,so I unplugged it to defrost. I plugged it back in and it worked until I noticed the "CH" "01" code. It would run a few seconds then shut off with that code showing. I took off the front of the unit and noticed rust on some of the metal parts. Then I took the cover off the circuit board for the front read out. I noticed corrosion on some of the solder points. When I looked closer at the plastic cover for the circuit board I noticed a small burn mark. The water from the melting ice must have run behind the cover and shorted out the circuitboard. At this point I don't know if new boards are available.

If the coil is clean, then have a tech check for a low charge. This will cause the coil to freeze up. Humidifers are known to lose gas and owners aren't told this so end up buying new one and scraping the old one. Trust me on this. I have seen this many times. I repair high end machinery as my business.

Hi, had the same problem. Not a glogging one. I have the model DDR503H. If it is insisting on filling the reservoir, it is because you haven't put the cap you removed from de back of the unit to plug the hose on the tank water exit. You have to first remove the tank and on the roof of this space, you will see the water tank exit where you can screw the cap removed from the back. You place back the tank into the unit and now the water won't have other choice then leak thru the hose. Also. to clean up the filter, I don't need to unscrew the top cover. I just remove the tank and on the roof of the space, there is a grey handle with arrows on it and I just pulled down, it comes out and you can then clean it up.

Hope this help,

Steeve

My unit is a Fedders A7DH65B2A and your Maytag unit was made by Fedders and is just like mine w/ different label... I've purchased two of these units (one for me & one for my father-in-law) and they both quit pulling moisture from the air (but ran constantly) about 1 month past the 1yr warranty. My unit also acted really strange one day when the problem was occurring - it flashed on & off erratically and wouldn't power off unless I pulled the power cord. In short, I took it apart and found several issues and eventually figured out the chain of events that led to this: 1) The thermistor went bad and the unit could no longer sense when the evaporator coil started freezing up (normal situation that the unit should detect & then do a defrost cycle). As a result, the evaporator coil turned itself into a big chunk of ice (can see by removing the air filter and looking into that slot at the coil (looks like a radiator). 2) the big block of ice on the coil grew large enough to start making contact with part of the plastic housing above the evap coil that's used for the power control circuit board. The plastic in that area then got ice all over it and since it looks like a little tray, it will hold water (when the ice thaws) and then the power control board will be sitting in a puddle of water (or ice - either will cause malfuntions like not being able to turn the power off using the front panel switch). 3) the puddle of water in the power control board tray caused this circuit board to corrode (happens very quickly when the unit is plugged in since electricity accelerates this kind of thing...). So... a poor quality thermistor (this straps to the bottom right side of the copper pipe that loops out & back in to the evap coil and has a wire coming out of if) caused premature defrost circuit failure. This caused a big block of ice to form where it shouldn't be. The ice caused condensation/moisture/ice to form on/under the power control circuit board and corroded the circuit board and caused erratic power control issues. RepairClinic.com had a replacement sensor board (included all sensors - yes, the thermistor too...) so I purchased it (~$40) and used only the new thermistor off of it to plug into my original sensor board (and strapped it back to the evap coil w/ the chrome looking clip that was already there). Problem fixed! Well, almost... I did have to clean the corrosion off my power control board as well, but it survived luckily. After doing this to mine, my father-in-laws unit experienced similar symptoms. I did the same fix to his and presto... fixed. Cheap low quality thermistors on these units. I need to find a higher quality replacement thermistor before round 2 happens on each unit. Good luck!