Aprilaire 1730a dehumidifier dump pick

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.

rwh63

Feeling the Heat
Nov 12, 2019
486
MA
Grabbed this from the recycle section, in part because it was in very good condition, and a quick online check shows it to be kind of expensive.

At home, checked filter, which was very clean. Plugged it it, powered on and ran fine. Except, haven’t seen and water emerge from the pipe. I e dragged some dehumidifier s home from the dump that looked good, ran fine, but no water. Probably bad compressors.

This one, being much more costly, but the same purpose, wondering if it is as susceptible to compressor or coolant issues as the portables.

Anything internal to check?

4A13DC66-0041-426D-BE10-794FFEA36863.jpeg 54407F6D-7190-4C4A-8722-03570F984EC9.jpeg 86E00E5F-2712-4FDF-AD93-7ADCF0BAE3C0.jpeg DDDB791E-BC26-4CCB-BFBA-3834C445859C.jpeg
 
Unplugged it after about 15 running. A small amount of water came out if the drain pipe. Opened up the compressor hatch. Good amount of heat. Copper pipe running from compressor is hot. Another is cooler.

453CE8B1-1E7B-43C9-9B44-985637A3EA81.jpeg
 
quick napkin maths (65 pint per day realistically does 40) says it should make about 8oz in 15 minutes at 80 degrees and 60% RH. So while it be working I doubt it’s working well unless your Little bit of water was a a couple ounces
 
quick napkin maths (65 pint per day realistically does 40) says it should make about 8oz in 15 minutes at 80 degrees and 60% RH. So while it be working I doubt it’s working well unless your Little bit of water was a a couple ounces
Could have been a couple of ounces. Just running it on my porch. Do dehumidifiers cycle, or just keep chilled all the time running until they reach a predetermined % ? There is an humidity dial, which I had set towards the low % end.
 
Last edited:
If the liquid line is hot that's usually a sign of low refrigerant or a blocked condenser coil. Since it's got the ports it couldn't hurt to throw a set of gauges on it and check the subcooling. If it was at the dump i bet it has a leak somewhere.

Edit: just re-read the post, it's normal for the discharge line from the compressor to be hot. The liquid line coming back from the condenser should be close to ambient temp or slightly warm.
 
Last edited:
If the liquid line is hot that's usually a sign of low refrigerant or a blocked condenser coil. Since it's got the ports it couldn't hurt to throw a set of gauges on it and check the subcooling. If it was at the dump i bet it has a leak somewhere.

Edit: just re-read the post, it's normal for the discharge line from the compressor to be hot. The liquid line coming back from the condenser should be close to ambient temp or slightly warm.
i believe that is more of what i was experiencing.
 
So just added refrigerant to a 10 year old Samsung fridge. Cost was $50 for piercing valve can valve hose with gauge and a can of 134a. I didn’t weigh in a charge. Just kept guessing. It’s been running for 5 days now.

I don’t know where the leak is. Or how big.