Maytag De-Hu m3dh30b2a

[rokosz]

I read most of this thread:

https://appliantology.org/topic/59801-frigidaire-dehumidifier-ffad7033r10-f0-error-code-troubleshooting/page/5/

Gave me some ideas. But my sitch is a bit different.

Older Maytag, been fine for _years_.  Love the analog units, no expensive boards. Just basic refridgeration tech. Still,  chinese made but it says "Made in PRC".   I presume that's "Peoples Republic of China".

On to the issue:

thermostat works (rotate the dial and the unit shuts off and on.)

Blower/fan assembly works. (runs constantly because...)

The condenser gets hot (very), but doesn't do its condensating magic.

In a semi-below grade basement corner, Left the unit on over-night realized the (separate) humidity gauge was down 64-> 60 -- but that was more likely because the humidity outside broke and the rain stopped.  I only need the unit running May-September.

Stuck my face in the blower exhaust and caught a slight whiff of electronics,  felt up the unit and found a hot spot on the casing Yeah, diy-er,  that'd be the condenser.

Any idea what the most likely common reason (90% of the time this is...) be?

Is a lack of refridgerant a consumer soluble issue?

The above link talks a bit about a temp sensor.  I haven't searched physically for it yet, but the symptoms don't seem to match here.

I loathe the idea of replacing this with a modern "F0" model (from any manufacturer.  But if the repairs are beyond me or ridiculous$, (2022 edit:) or I can't _get_ the parts due to obsolescense or supply chains, then off I go to the Bezos Market.  (Not really, but it makes for better reading)).

thanks for any help.

 

 

 

 

[rokosz]

Hi 16-Ed.  It's not doing, shouldn't be doing.  Its not doing what it should be doing:  the compressor may be very hot but there's no dehumidifying happening.  before smelling "electronics" today, yesterday, my hearing was telling me something wasn't right:  Although i can hear the white noise of the fan, and feel its breeze,  I couldn't hear the extra motor noise of whatever signifies that the appliances's reason for existence was happening.

Make sense?  In my inexperienced mind: the 'stat was calling, the blower obliged, the compressor has juice but is being stopped somehow from delivering.

yes, I was hopeful, the easy to get to, air filter would be the culprit.  But it's got barely any fuzz. Vacuumed it anyway and also pulled the front cover off and took a look at the "fins". I could still see through the fins, and in low-light I could tell there was _some_ stuff.  I took a before and after pic just to confirm.  The fins were quite a bit dirtier than I could naked-eye see.

Since the compressor was finally back to room temperature, and the fins are now (woah!) clean.  Why not plug this puppy in and fire'er up.   LoAndHold! that's the sound of functioning de-Hum.  handheld hygrometer shows a 1% reduction since I sat back down to finish this reply.   I gotta give this a few hours to  a day of running to be sure that was the issue. Perhaps because its a Maytag, it just needed some TLC maintenance.   Thanks for suggestion 16-Ed it was a good one.

[rokosz]

Well the above apparently is not the solution.  Although the unit may have run acceptably for a few hours -- it has already gone back to just the fan blowing, no useful compressing.

I took the hygrometer away form the unit (where it was reading 55% sitting in the fan exhaust), rose to 60%. Not a surprise.  Took a look at the bucket -- there's no water in it. I think the fan evaporated what few drops may have been squeezed out earlier.

So, I was wondering about the difference in rH:  If its not actually de-huming why the difference?  My limited experience tells me  refridgeration coil isn't operating, but the heating coil is.

Anybody know of solution for fixing a fridge coil, that stops working after an hour or two?   Or any ideas why this occurs? I'm doubting a lack of refridgerant --since it will, just not for long.

thanks all.

[Terry Carmen]

If the compressor is running and the evaporator isn't getting cold, it has a sealed system problem and isn't reparable for less than the cost of a replacement.

[rokosz]

Thanks Terry for confirming my untrained conclusion.   I had just unplugged it after running for 20 minutes.  The bucket was dry.  Maytags do go bad eventually...   Now I get to dis-assemble it for reclamation/recycling!