I have a Santa Fe upright dehumidifier that is not producing water. Opening
the unit, the fan is working and compressor is humming. the coils do not get
cold/any frost on them. Does this mean there is a leak or it needs new
refrigerant? How difficult of a process is this to fix? replacing
refigerant....can I do it myself??

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...r-1194615-.htm

On Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 11:44:06 AM UTC-4, Steve wrote:
I have a Santa Fe upright dehumidifier that is not producing water. Opening
the unit, the fan is working and compressor is humming. the coils do not get
cold/any frost on them. Does this mean there is a leak or it needs new
refrigerant? How difficult of a process is this to fix? replacing
refigerant....can I do it myself??

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...r-1194615-.htm


Time to junk it. Lots of experiences here with people who only get a few
years out of these. You can't DIY unless you have gear to solder/braze
to attach fittings, vacuum pump, refrigerant, gauges, etc. Even if I had
that, I'd probably junk it anyway, not worth the trouble. And then
you'd likely need parts, what do they cost? They don't lose refrigerant
unless something is shot, eg the coils are leaking. Also, while
I almost never buy an extended warranty, I would look into that for the
new one. I bought on, got the extended warranty and in the third year
it died, so it was covered, got a new one.

On Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 12:36:52 PM UTC-4, trader_4 wrote:
Time to junk it. Lots of experiences here with people who only get a few
years out of these. You can't DIY unless you have gear to solder/braze
to attach fittings, vacuum pump, refrigerant, gauges, etc. Even if I had
that, I'd probably junk it anyway, not worth the trouble. And then
you'd likely need parts, what do they cost? They don't lose refrigerant
unless something is shot, eg the coils are leaking. Also, while
I almost never buy an extended warranty, I would look into that for the
new one. I bought on, got the extended warranty and in the third year
it died, so it was covered, got a new one.

I've followed that advice this year, bought a recommended name brand and added the extended warranty. We will see.

However, the Santa Fe is not a $300 one year product. It's a $1500 product expected to go 5 years. I haven't seen one apart but it's barely possible it has fill ports and is repairable.

In article ,
says...

I've followed that advice this year, bought a recommended name brand and added the extended warranty. We will see.

However, the Santa Fe is not a $300 one year product. It's a $1500 product expected to go 5 years. I haven't seen one apart but it's barely possible it has fill ports and is repairable.





Very few people ever get more than a few years out of most of them. The
smallones that most people buy are not worth repairing. If you do not
know how to repair one and have the tools to do it, even adding
refrigerent to them is not for the home owner. Take it to the repair
shop and they will charge probaly more than a new one costs .

As the dehumidifirer seems to be nothing than a small airconditioner
that is not vented to the outside, I am wondering if it would be
possiable to get a very small window unit and just set it on a stand in
the basement and put a drain bucket under it ?

On Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 1:39:30 PM UTC-4, TimR wrote:
On Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 12:36:52 PM UTC-4, trader_4 wrote:
Time to junk it. Lots of experiences here with people who only get a few
years out of these. You can't DIY unless you have gear to solder/braze
to attach fittings, vacuum pump, refrigerant, gauges, etc. Even if I had
that, I'd probably junk it anyway, not worth the trouble. And then
you'd likely need parts, what do they cost? They don't lose refrigerant
unless something is shot, eg the coils are leaking. Also, while
I almost never buy an extended warranty, I would look into that for the
new one. I bought on, got the extended warranty and in the third year
it died, so it was covered, got a new one.

I've followed that advice this year, bought a recommended name brand and added the extended warranty. We will see.

However, the Santa Fe is not a $300 one year product. It's a $1500 product expected to go 5 years. I haven't seen one apart but it's barely possible it has fill ports and is repairable.

Wow, didn't know that. That could change the equation. But maybe it shows
that even the ones that cost 10x don't last either. Wonder how big it is,
what capacity? If it really costs that much, I'd call around to some
local refrigeration repair guys, see what they think.

On Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 2:00:53 PM UTC-4, Ralph Mowery wrote:
In article ,
says...

I've followed that advice this year, bought a recommended name brand and added the extended warranty. We will see.

However, the Santa Fe is not a $300 one year product. It's a $1500 product expected to go 5 years. I haven't seen one apart but it's barely possible it has fill ports and is repairable.





Very few people ever get more than a few years out of most of them. The
smallones that most people buy are not worth repairing. If you do not
know how to repair one and have the tools to do it, even adding
refrigerent to them is not for the home owner. Take it to the repair
shop and they will charge probaly more than a new one costs .

As the dehumidifirer seems to be nothing than a small airconditioner
that is not vented to the outside, I am wondering if it would be
possiable to get a very small window unit and just set it on a stand in
the basement and put a drain bucket under it ?

Interesting idea, but I think there are some potential issues.
Like I think at least some of these, they may direct the water to the
outside fan to increase the heat removal and to get rid of the water.
If they don't do that, then it should work. How optimal it is compared
to the dehumidifier, who knows. Dehumidifier may target slower air
flow, lower temps to remove more water, but overall I think it would
probably work OK.

On 6/25/2019 1:00 PM, Ralph Mowery wrote:
In article ,
says...
I've followed that advice this year, bought a recommended name brand and added the extended warranty. We will see.

However, the Santa Fe is not a $300 one year product. It's a $1500 product expected to go 5 years. I haven't seen one apart but it's barely possible it has fill ports and is repairable.




Very few people ever get more than a few years out of most of them. The
smallones that most people buy are not worth repairing. If you do not
know how to repair one and have the tools to do it, even adding
refrigerent to them is not for the home owner. Take it to the repair
shop and they will charge probaly more than a new one costs .

As the dehumidifirer seems to be nothing than a small airconditioner
that is not vented to the outside, I am wondering if it would be
possiable to get a very small window unit and just set it on a stand in
the basement and put a drain bucket under it ?


Â* That would work if you set it up to drain all the condensate . Most
of the small units let the condensate run to the back of the unit where
it's picked up by a slinger ring and tossed on to the condensate coils
to help cool them . That kinda negates the dehumidifying effect but it's
not hard to alter most of them . Careful where you drill the drain holes
....

--
Snag
Yes , I'm old
and crochety - and armed .
Get outta my woods !

trader_4 writes:
On Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 1:39:30 PM UTC-4, TimR wrote:
On Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 12:36:52 PM UTC-4, trader_4 wrote:
Time to junk it. Lots of experiences here with people who only get a few
years out of these. You can't DIY unless you have gear to solder/braze
to attach fittings, vacuum pump, refrigerant, gauges, etc. Even if I had
that, I'd probably junk it anyway, not worth the trouble. And then
you'd likely need parts, what do they cost? They don't lose refrigerant
unless something is shot, eg the coils are leaking. Also, while
I almost never buy an extended warranty, I would look into that for the
new one. I bought on, got the extended warranty and in the third year
it died, so it was covered, got a new one.

I've followed that advice this year, bought a recommended name brand and added the extended warranty. We will see.

However, the Santa Fe is not a $300 one year product. It's a $1500 product expected to go 5 years. I haven't seen one apart but it's barely possible it has fill ports and is repairable.

Wow, didn't know that. That could change the equation. But maybe it shows
that even the ones that cost 10x don't last either. Wonder how big it is,
what capacity? If it really costs that much, I'd call around to some
local refrigeration repair guys, see what they think.


It also has a 6-year warranty from the manufacturer.

On Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 2:54:33 PM UTC-4, Scott Lurndal wrote:
trader_4 writes:
On Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 1:39:30 PM UTC-4, TimR wrote:
On Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 12:36:52 PM UTC-4, trader_4 wrote:
Time to junk it. Lots of experiences here with people who only get a few
years out of these. You can't DIY unless you have gear to solder/braze
to attach fittings, vacuum pump, refrigerant, gauges, etc. Even if I had
that, I'd probably junk it anyway, not worth the trouble. And then
you'd likely need parts, what do they cost? They don't lose refrigerant
unless something is shot, eg the coils are leaking. Also, while
I almost never buy an extended warranty, I would look into that for the
new one. I bought on, got the extended warranty and in the third year
it died, so it was covered, got a new one.

I've followed that advice this year, bought a recommended name brand and added the extended warranty. We will see.

However, the Santa Fe is not a $300 one year product. It's a $1500 product expected to go 5 years. I haven't seen one apart but it's barely possible it has fill ports and is repairable.

Wow, didn't know that. That could change the equation. But maybe it shows
that even the ones that cost 10x don't last either. Wonder how big it is,
what capacity? If it really costs that much, I'd call around to some
local refrigeration repair guys, see what they think.


It also has a 6-year warranty from the manufacturer.

Well, I hope it's still under warranty. IDK what capacity it is, but
you could buy a new $175 unit every year for 6 years and still come out
ahead. And they seem to last more like two to four.

trader_4 posted for all of us...


Interesting idea, but I think there are some potential issues.
Like I think at least some of these, they may direct the water to the
outside fan to increase the heat removal and to get rid of the water.


So they dehumidify the air then blow it out the back to rehumidify it?

--
Tekkie

In article , says...

Interesting idea, but I think there are some potential issues.
Like I think at least some of these, they may direct the water to the
outside fan to increase the heat removal and to get rid of the water.


So they dehumidify the air then blow it out the back to rehumidify it?




No. A room AC in normal usage sends the water it condenses on the cool
inside coil to a pan at the bottom. It runs to the outside of the
house. Many of them are made so the fan on the outside coil throws the
water on the hot outside coil. There it helps cool the coil and
refrigerent in it. Then it evaportes to the outside air. Water that is
not picked up drains to the outside.

My toughts was to put it totally inside the basement, put a hole in the
collection pan and let the water go to a bucket that is then empted.

Being in a closed room either one will slightly raise the temperature
and also you must drain the water some how.

On Tue, 25 Jun 2019 16:00:47 -0400, Tekkie®
wrote:

trader_4 posted for all of us...


Interesting idea, but I think there are some potential issues.
Like I think at least some of these, they may direct the water to the
outside fan to increase the heat removal and to get rid of the water.


So they dehumidify the air then blow it out the back to rehumidify it?
Yes - they dehumidify the air INSIDE and exhaust the humidity to the
OUTSIDE. Makes it so the A/C doesn't drip on someone's head outside.

On 6/25/2019 1:42 PM, Ralph Mowery wrote:
In article , says...

Interesting idea, but I think there are some potential issues.
Like I think at least some of these, they may direct the water to the
outside fan to increase the heat removal and to get rid of the water.


So they dehumidify the air then blow it out the back to rehumidify it?




No. A room AC in normal usage sends the water it condenses on the cool
inside coil to a pan at the bottom. It runs to the outside of the
house. Many of them are made so the fan on the outside coil throws the
water on the hot outside coil. There it helps cool the coil and
refrigerent in it. Then it evaportes to the outside air. Water that is
not picked up drains to the outside.

My toughts was to put it totally inside the basement, put a hole in the
collection pan and let the water go to a bucket that is then empted.

Being in a closed room either one will slightly raise the temperature
and also you must drain the water some how.


Most AC's have a lot more power than a simple dehumidifier. Could be
expensive to run.

Ralph Mowery posted for all of us...



In article , says...

Interesting idea, but I think there are some potential issues.
Like I think at least some of these, they may direct the water to the
outside fan to increase the heat removal and to get rid of the water.


So they dehumidify the air then blow it out the back to rehumidify it?




No. A room AC in normal usage sends the water it condenses on the cool
inside coil to a pan at the bottom. It runs to the outside of the
house. Many of them are made so the fan on the outside coil throws the
water on the hot outside coil. There it helps cool the coil and
refrigerent in it. Then it evaportes to the outside air. Water that is
not picked up drains to the outside.

My toughts was to put it totally inside the basement, put a hole in the
collection pan and let the water go to a bucket that is then empted.

Being in a closed room either one will slightly raise the temperature
and also you must drain the water some how.

I thought the subject was dehumidifiers not AC units misapplied.

My post was made in jest.

--
Tekkie