Kenmore 53701 Dehumidifier - Answered Questions & Fixed issues

I'm assuming the that you determined the unit is getting power, because the lights on the dehumidifier light up, when you turn Master ON/OFF Switch ON.

If that's the case, it may simply be that the humidity level you have it set for is equal to or higher than the humidity level in the house. In which case, lower the humidity level to it's lowest setting to see if the unit turns on then. Also, check the water collection bucket, making sure it's installed properly and is making good contact with the safety trigger.

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

remove the water container empty it and replace and that's it

You may view/download the manual here.

Dean, are you looking for someone to concur with your excellent evaluation of the problem? If so, I wholeheartedly concur. However, it may just be the automatic fan switch that is a vault and is replaceable. Fortunately, you have a house brand for Sears. And for the most part (depending on the age of the unit & which company really manufactured it for Sears) parts may still be available at
www.searspartscentral.com Armed with the model number you can search the site for that model unit and find an exploded view of all the parts. From there, you can price and order them, if you like.

In the meantime, consider the age of the unit, the cost of the part(s) and your time to research and then repair it, against buying a new one. If you do decide to scrap it, do it responsibly. As there is still Freon in the compressor.

I hope I was able to help you and thanks for choosing FixYa.

No, barmel, do not remove anything. I said to try to get the unit to turn ON, by activating the switch with your finger, by pushing on it. while the unit is in the ON position. That would indicate if the switch is faulty or not. Or that the bucket is just not installed properly.

Barb, if thee water collection bucket is not properly installed or the float valve in the top of the bucket is stuck in the UP position, the unit will not turn back ON.

Remove the bucket, check the float valve's position (if it's stuck in the UP position, jiggle the arm of the float valve to make ir return to the DOWN position). When reinstalling the bucket, be sure it fits "squarely" from top to bottom into the holder, so the it will make contact with bucket safety removal switch. It should not tilt down at the bottom at all.

Hope this helped you and thanks for choosing FixYa.

If the machine's compressor runs when you switch it on, then turn the machine on maximum and let it run for an hour or so. Then check the coils in the back with your hand. If they are not getting cold at all, then there is a significant problem with the refrigeration process in the unit. It may have developed a leak and allowed your refrigerant gas to escape, or there may be another internal problem with the compressor. Either way you would need to have it serviced by a fridge technician, or more likely just replaced with a whole new unit since both options can potentially cost about the same.

If the unit runs normally and the coils are getting cold, then make sure they are not totally icing up which will impede the unit's performance. If your dehumidifier is freezing up then that probably means the unit itself is actually working well. The humidity level in the room may be relatively low and you probably have the unit turned up too high for the conditions.

Try turning down the setting on the unit so that it cycles on and off every few hours and does not run continuously.

Also try using some warm soapy water to clean off any dust or oily residue from the cooling coils in the rear of the unit. Remember to also clean the air intake filter while you are at it.

The ambient temperature in the room may also be a bit too low, so you can try adding some heat to the room if necessary. A dehumidifier will not work properly if the ambient air temperature is too low. Basically, the warmer and more humid the room is, the better they work. Since warm air rises, you can even try lifting the unit higher up off the cold floor onto a bench or table where the air is warmer.

Sometimes the drain tube leading to the bucket is clogged. You can often clean this out by inserting the pointy end of a long heavy duty plastic zip tie and jiggling it around a bit. Do not insert anything metal or sharp into the tube or you may damage it.

You can click on the following link for a general operating and troubleshooting guide with additional tips on effective dehumidifier operation:

http://www.allergyconsumerreview.com/dehumidifier-advice-troubleshooting.html

And here is a link to a tip from another Expert (Heatman101) which includes his very detailed troubleshooting guide for dehumidifiers:

http://www.fixya.com/support/r4662409-dehumidifier_running_but_no_water_in

I hope that was helpful to you, good luck.

If you choose to rate this solution, or Heatman 101's tip using the Thumbs Up scale provided, I thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Joe.

Although, this was a poorly designed unit, manufactured by Whirlpool for Sears's Kenmore line, I'm not aware of any recalls due to a defective sensor. I can tell you, that although the air temp in your basement may be 61 degrees F, at floor level the temperature can be as much as 5 to 8 degrees colder. This definitely, would affect the operation of the dehumidifier. Also, a dirty or clogged air intake filter will cause the unit to freeze up. As will dirty condenser coils. Cleaning the coils twice a year, is recommended routine maintenance. And regular cleaning of the air intake filter is a must.

What I would suggest, is that you perform the maintenance mentioned above and move the unit upstairs where it warmer and run the unit there for several hours. If it collects water there, with the humidity extraction level set at 35%, then you will know the unit works as it should and that it needed the routine maintenance and the warmer air temperature. Do not perform any maintenance until the unit has completely thawed and the unit is unplugged from the wall outlet.

Hope this helps you to troubleshoot and solve the problem.

My dehimidifier get electricity, but will not run. What shuold I do other than to take it to Sears?

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

Turn the Master ON/OFF Switch to Off and unplug the unit from the wall outlet. Wait 12 - 15 minutes and then try to remove the bucket. It may have been inserted out of square. Allowing the unit to cool and reset itself, should allow you to remove the bucket. You may have to tilt the bucket up just a bit, to remove it.

You can try cleaning the humidity sensor, which is on a circuit board
housed in a nylon clip attached to the cooling coils.
The sensor is in a plastic clip, which can be opened up and cleaned.
Some report success. Didn't work for me.

I ended up rewiring the unit so that a 5v control
line from the lower relay board goes through the SPDT bucket full switch,
turning on the control board when full (so it beeps), but otherwise
enabling the compressor and fan. The fan and compressor
are controlled by relays, which are driven by a ULN2003AN
relay driver. I fed the empty side of the full bucket switch back into
the relay driver to turn on the compress and the fan on high.
I plan to put a dehumidistat in series with this control line;
now it just runs till the bucket is full. A Broan DH100W dehumidistat
is 20 bucks. Could also put in a rotary switch to control the fan speed,
but for me high is enough.

I think this machine is made by Goldstar for Kenmore and Delonghi.
Stuff is just made to break and through away these days, which is a shame.

hi,

Follow the troubleshooting tips below: The tips is for a dehumidifier that will not start.

Is the power cord plugged in the outlet? Power cord should be plugged in tight and power supply should be on.

Is the bucket full indicator light on ? The light glows when bucket is full or not properly installed.

Is the water bucket full with the light on ? When the water bucket full lamp is on, empty the bucket and reinstall. The dehumidifier shuts off when bucket is full.

Is the humidity control setting in the off position or on a lower setting ? Turn the humidity control switch toward Maximum position.

Is the home fuse blown or the circuit breaker tripped ? Home fuse or circuit breaker may have blown or tripped. Replace blown fuse or reset circuit breaker.

Was there a power outage (failure) or did you turn the unit off? Wait about 2 minutes before restarting after power failure or after turning it off.Otherwise the overload protector will shut off compressor temporarily for 3~5 minutes.

I hope the above helps to solve your problem.

Good luck.

Hi,
There are many reasons for a dehumidifier to not work or collect water.
Here is a tip that I wrote to help people to figure out what is going wrong with their dehumidifier.

Dehumidifier is running but no water is in bucket
http://www.fixya.com/support/r4662409-dehumidifier_running_but_no_water_in

heatman101

Hi,
Here is a tip that will help you...
Dehumidifier is Freezing up and not working
http://www.fixya.com/support/r4662033-dehumidifier_freezing_up_not_working
heatman101

It may be slowing when the compressor starts, you may want to check the outlet it's plugged in to.

Hi,
There are many reasons for a dehumidifier to not work or collect water.
Here is a tip that I wrote to help people to figure out what is going wrong with their dehumidifier.

Dehumidifier is running but no water is in bucket
http://www.fixya.com/support/r4662409-dehumidifier_running_but_no_water_in

heatman101

Hi,
Yes, it is a sealed system and it seems as though you may have a leak....unfortunately it will be cheaper to buy new then to fix.

Here is a tip that I wrote to help people to figure out what is going wrong with their dehumidifier.

Dehumidifier is running but no water is in bucket
http://www.fixya.com/support/r4662409-dehumidifier_running_but_no_water_in

heatman101

Hi,
Here is a tip that I wrote to help people with just that dehumidifier problem..

Dehumidifier Problem It shows Bucket Full
http://www.fixya.com/support/r4688381-dehumidifier_problem_shows_bucket_full

heatman101

Fortunately Kenmore products are normally better at offering replacement parts than many other brands out there.
Here is a Link to SearPartsDirect specific to your humidifier. You will need to look at the "cut sheet" and determine which part you are looking for. Based on your description, it sounds like you need a tank?
I do hope you find this information to be very helpful to you moving forward. Please offer feedback on how I did. :-) If you have further questions, problems, concerns, please let us know. :-)