Dehumidifier repair
 

I bought a Goldstar dehumidifier last June, which started short
cycling late in the summer. It was still in warranty so I called and
they sent me a check for the full price! Now I have a working unit
which I assume needs a humidistat. It's the fancy electronic model
with digital readout. My question is, can I replace the electronic
controls with an old fashioned dial type one? I found one in a parts
list for a frigidaire, but there's also a "thermostst defrost" listed.
Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Rich

Rich,

I don't think anyone can advise you without seeing the circuit diagram.

Dave M.

On 20 Nov 2004 05:49:49 -0800, (Rich Dell)
wrote:

I bought a Goldstar dehumidifier last June, which started short
cycling late in the summer. It was still in warranty so I called and
they sent me a check for the full price!

For starters, give it a thorough cleaning. Specificallym anything
which reduces the airflow through the unit may be the cause of it
short cycling.

Now I have a working unit
which I assume needs a humidistat.

Are we talking about the same unit, or are you saying you have a
different one? Why do you assume it needs a humidistat?

It's the fancy electronic model
with digital readout. My question is, can I replace the electronic
controls with an old fashioned dial type one? I found one in a parts
list for a frigidaire, but there's also a "thermostst defrost" listed.
Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Rich


Gary R. Lloyd CMS
HVACR Troubleshooting Books/Software
http://www.techmethod.com

Define "short cycling". I've heard several usages of this term, and curious
which you are using.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


"Rich Dell" wrote in message
om...
I bought a Goldstar dehumidifier last June, which started short
cycling late in the summer. It was still in warranty so I called and
they sent me a check for the full price! Now I have a working unit
which I assume needs a humidistat. It's the fancy electronic model
with digital readout. My question is, can I replace the electronic
controls with an old fashioned dial type one? I found one in a parts
list for a frigidaire, but there's also a "thermostst defrost" listed.
Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Rich

(Gary R. Lloyd) wrote in message ...
On 20 Nov 2004 05:49:49 -0800, (Rich Dell)
wrote:

I bought a Goldstar dehumidifier last June, which started short
cycling late in the summer. It was still in warranty so I called and
they sent me a check for the full price!

For starters, give it a thorough cleaning. Specificallym anything
which reduces the airflow through the unit may be the cause of it
short cycling.

I will check today, however it has only been in service one summer.

Now I have a working unit
which I assume needs a humidistat.

Are we talking about the same unit, or are you saying you have a
different one? Why do you assume it needs a humidistat?

Yes, same unit. I understand the humidistat starts it when humidity
goes up, and turns it off when humidity reaches a lower level, thus my
suspicion of the humidistat.

It's the fancy electronic model
with digital readout. My question is, can I replace the electronic
controls with an old fashioned dial type one? I found one in a parts
list for a frigidaire, but there's also a "thermostst defrost" listed.
Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Rich


Gary R. Lloyd CMS
HVACR Troubleshooting Books/Software
http://www.techmethod.com

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message ...
Define "short cycling". I've heard several usages of this term, and curious
which you are using.

The unit runs and water drips off the coil as it should, but only for
a short time. Then another short time later it starts again, only to
run another short period of time.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


"Rich Dell" wrote in message
om...
I bought a Goldstar dehumidifier last June, which started short
cycling late in the summer. It was still in warranty so I called and
they sent me a check for the full price! Now I have a working unit
which I assume needs a humidistat. It's the fancy electronic model
with digital readout. My question is, can I replace the electronic
controls with an old fashioned dial type one? I found one in a parts
list for a frigidaire, but there's also a "thermostst defrost" listed.
Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Rich

On 21 Nov 2004 04:39:38 -0800, (Rich Dell)
wrote:

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message ...
Define "short cycling". I've heard several usages of this term, and curious
which you are using.

The unit runs and water drips off the coil as it should, but only for
a short time. Then another short time later it starts again, only to
run another short period of time.

On a dehumidifier, the colder the evaporator coil the more moisture is
removed. For this reason, the unit is designed to run close to
freezing temperatures. Any reduction in airflow through the coil drops
the coil temperature. If the coil temperature drops below freezing,
the defrost thermostat shuts the compressor off until the coil is
defrosted.

Is there any visible frost on the coil when it shuts down?

Gary R. Lloyd CMS
HVACR Troubleshooting Books/Software
http://www.techmethod.com

(Gary R. Lloyd) wrote in message ...
On 21 Nov 2004 04:39:38 -0800, (Rich Dell)
wrote:

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message ...
Define "short cycling". I've heard several usages of this term, and curious
which you are using.

The unit runs and water drips off the coil as it should, but only for
a short time. Then another short time later it starts again, only to
run another short period of time.

On a dehumidifier, the colder the evaporator coil the more moisture is
removed. For this reason, the unit is designed to run close to
freezing temperatures. Any reduction in airflow through the coil drops
the coil temperature. If the coil temperature drops below freezing,
the defrost thermostat shuts the compressor off until the coil is
defrosted.

Is there any visible frost on the coil when it shuts down?

No, just water.

Thanks, Rich

Gary R. Lloyd CMS
HVACR Troubleshooting Books/Software
http://www.techmethod.com

The humidistat is just a switch which turns on the humidifier.
Whether it is fancy digital one or a simple dial, they do the same
thing. They sense humidity in the air and turn on or off at certain
settings so my answer is yes, you can use any humidistat and it will do
the job.

Rich Dell wrote:
I bought a Goldstar dehumidifier last June, which started short
cycling late in the summer. It was still in warranty so I called and
they sent me a check for the full price! Now I have a working unit
which I assume needs a humidistat. It's the fancy electronic model
with digital readout. My question is, can I replace the electronic
controls with an old fashioned dial type one? I found one in a parts
list for a frigidaire, but there's also a "thermostst defrost" listed.
Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Rich

--
'''
(0 0)
+----oOO----(_)----------+
| Preserving Azzurri |
| Calcio History |
|http://forzaazzurri.com |
+-----------------oOO----+
|__|__|
|| ||
ooO Ooo

On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 17:54:51 GMT, Forza Azzurri
wrote:

The humidistat is just a switch which turns on the humidifier.
Whether it is fancy digital one or a simple dial, they do the same
thing. They sense humidity in the air and turn on or off at certain
settings so my answer is yes, you can use any humidistat and it will do
the job.


Humidistats are notorious for quickly losing their calibration, to the
point where I have long considered them useless. I have been told that
todays humidistats are much better in this regard, and that electronic
humidistats are far superior to mechanical humidistats, but I have
seen no authoritative studies on this.

In any case, the defrost thermostat is the more likely problem here.

Gary R. Lloyd CMS
HVACR Troubleshooting Books/Software
http://www.techmethod.com

Forza Azzurri wrote in message ...
The humidistat is just a switch which turns on the humidifier.
Whether it is fancy digital one or a simple dial, they do the same
thing. They sense humidity in the air and turn on or off at certain
settings so my answer is yes, you can use any humidistat and it will do
the job.

Thank you very much, that's pretty much the answer I was hoping for!

Rich

Rich Dell wrote:
I bought a Goldstar dehumidifier last June, which started short
cycling late in the summer. It was still in warranty so I called and
they sent me a check for the full price! Now I have a working unit
which I assume needs a humidistat. It's the fancy electronic model
with digital readout. My question is, can I replace the electronic
controls with an old fashioned dial type one? I found one in a parts
list for a frigidaire, but there's also a "thermostst defrost" listed.
Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Rich

--
'''
(0 0)
+----oOO----(_)----------+
| Preserving Azzurri |
| Calcio History |
|http://forzaazzurri.com |
+-----------------oOO----+
|__|__|
|| ||
ooO Ooo

On 22 Nov 2004 05:04:39 -0800, (Rich Dell)
wrote:

(Gary R. Lloyd) wrote in message ...
On 21 Nov 2004 04:39:38 -0800, (Rich Dell)
wrote:

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message ...
Define "short cycling". I've heard several usages of this term, and curious
which you are using.

The unit runs and water drips off the coil as it should, but only for
a short time. Then another short time later it starts again, only to
run another short period of time.

On a dehumidifier, the colder the evaporator coil the more moisture is
removed. For this reason, the unit is designed to run close to
freezing temperatures. Any reduction in airflow through the coil drops
the coil temperature. If the coil temperature drops below freezing,
the defrost thermostat shuts the compressor off until the coil is
defrosted.

Is there any visible frost on the coil when it shuts down?

No, just water.

The most likely problem is the defrost thermostat shutting down the
compressor, mistakenly thinking there is frost on the coil.

This thermostat will have a sensor that is physically in contact with
the coil somewhere. You can check it by physically detaching the
sensor from the coil (let in hang in the air) and seeing if it still
short cycles.

Gary R. Lloyd CMS
HVACR Troubleshooting Books/Software
http://www.techmethod.com

(Gary R. Lloyd) wrote in message ...
On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 17:54:51 GMT, Forza Azzurri
wrote:

The humidistat is just a switch which turns on the humidifier.
Whether it is fancy digital one or a simple dial, they do the same
thing. They sense humidity in the air and turn on or off at certain
settings so my answer is yes, you can use any humidistat and it will do
the job.


Humidistats are notorious for quickly losing their calibration, to the
point where I have long considered them useless. I have been told that
todays humidistats are much better in this regard, and that electronic
humidistats are far superior to mechanical humidistats, but I have
seen no authoritative studies on this.

In any case, the defrost thermostat is the more likely problem here.

This makes sense, however it is now too cold to run the unit. Before
you posted this, I had decided to strip everything out and ordered a
humidistat made for an old Fridgidaire model. I'm going to run it
without a defrost thermostat. In my research I have learned that they
were an option on many units. I can always add one later if needed.

Thanks again for your help, Rich

Gary R. Lloyd CMS
HVACR Troubleshooting Books/Software
http://www.techmethod.com