Should I Replace My Old Dehumidifier? Best Humidity Settings & How To Test Dehumidifier Efficiency

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 มิ.ย. 2024
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    In this video we test several dehumidifiers to see what their efficiency levels are for each Kwh that they consume. We also go over the effect that humidity has on health as well as buildings and show the best range of humidity that dehumidifiers and humidifiers should be set to.
    Thanks for watching and subscribing! As an Amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support!
    Ben
    0:00 - Dehumidifier Intro
    0:17 - Dehumidifiers Tested
    1:38 - Antique Amana Dehumidifier
    2:28 - Power Measuring Setup
    4:26 - What Is A Dehumidifier Used For?
    5:40 - 1 Hour Update
    7:14 - Optimal Humidity Considerations
    9:55 - ~6 Hour Update
    11:10 - Humidity Effects On Static & Health
    12:58 - 24 Hour Update
    15:12 - Water Measurements
    16:00 - C&H Drain Pump Hijinks
    17:53 - Final Results
    19:13 - Winner Of This Round
    20:45 - Retesting In Better Conditions
    22:12 - Amana Round 2: Reuben's Place
    22:53 - Maple Says SUBSCRIBE!!!

ความคิดเห็น • 181

  • @BenjaminSahlstrom
    @BenjaminSahlstrom  2 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    FYI at 20:44 we did retest the dehumidifiers in a higher ambient temperature so that the Amana wouldn't freeze up and would have a fair chance versus the modern options. Many people apparently missed this so wanted to point it out. :)

    • @idontno0
      @idontno0 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Isn't the arctic kings number flawed since it shut off at some point in the middle of the night? So because the big one had more capacity it could keep running, if the king had more capacity it would have kept running. If they both had run for 48 hours, then you'd have more accurate numbers.

    • @gsman1
      @gsman1 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@idontno0 the KW measurement also stopped so I think that would still be an accurate measurement, but, I agree, they should have emptied the bin to keep them all operational, since they were lowering the humidity in the room over the time of the test.

  • @paulmatteson9387
    @paulmatteson9387 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

    I have a Monkey Wards old school unit that was recently given to me because it was freezing up. The old units can be safely hosed out with a pressure nozzle on a garden hose after some disassembly. The fins were pretty dirty and the unit now works great in my basement with no freeze up. I'll bet the old Amana just needed a cleaning and could have kept up with the other units. It will definitely outlive both of those Chinese models.

  • @ardiemclelland2039
    @ardiemclelland2039 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    That Amana may also need to be taken apart and cleaned. I run a 30+ year old dehumidifier in my basement and it does great

  • @vladm9096
    @vladm9096 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

    Older dehumidifiers worked for 10-20 years sometimes. I often see them working being made in 80s ...Unfortunately newer work from 1 month to a year even though they supposed to be better and more economical to run. I saw all newer brands fail miserably... So not so clear if new stuff worth it. At this rate of fail and headache it causes thus cost per year of having one power consumption is negligible factor. My advice would be keep your old one if it is working. At least keep it just in case. You would be glad you did in no time..:)

    • @Egleu1
      @Egleu1 วันที่ผ่านมา

      Sad but true.

  • @solstar4778
    @solstar4778 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I have a older one running , continually since 1946 a Victor made in St.Louis Missouri, running today !

  • @reccocon3442
    @reccocon3442 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Whoa! Excellent tests Ben and gentlemen. Finally a tutorial measuring Kwh and humidity extraction efficiency of dehumidifier unit(s). Thank you.

  • @Toddster81
    @Toddster81 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    I'm looking at having to buy another new dehumidifier this summer. Bought a Soleus at Menards, it died after a year, next year bought a Midea at Sam's Club, it lasted less than 12 months. They still look brand new but won't operate. I'm sick of all this cheap plastic crap. The old timer's built stuff to last decades but now for some reason manufacturers are baffled as to make any appliance last a year before it's scrap. What a shame! I can remember my grandparents having a metal dehumidifier in their basement and it ran for decades no problem. Consumers are being scammed!

  • @jricardolobo
    @jricardolobo 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Great video, you give us data, important information and numbers that show a big difference between high quality equipment and other options.

  • @HobbyOrganist
    @HobbyOrganist 2 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    The worst thing about the new plastic models is you basically can't clean them without significant time consuming dismantling, these cases are not made to be opened up for cleaning, that old unit, and an old one I have that is all steel- you can take a hose to the open backside and hose the coils out to get the dirt, lint etc out, these plastic things I had one suddenly start leaking all over the floor, I wound up having to open the case and that took probably 3/4 of an hour to completely open it all up, remove the control panel screws to separate the halves of the case etc., and there were different sizes and lengths of screws too.
    What I found in side causing the leak was the condensed water dripped down off the coils, and had to run along a little "trough" inside to reach the bucket fill outlet, and what happened was because water stagnates in that trough- a slimy mold or whatever it was started growing and that blocked the flow of water and it leaked all over the floor.
    There was no way to FIX that, you clean it and it will simply do it again, I wound up getting a Frigidaire, so far it seems better.
    Another issue is- electric, hot compressor, motor and flammable plastic cases, I NEVER liked the idea of using flammable plastic cases on ANY appliance.

    • @brianleeper5737
      @brianleeper5737 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      That plastic should be self-extinguishing and meet UL 94 requirements.

    • @tomlewitt
      @tomlewitt 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

      If you can work out a way to somehow get a little bit of bleach into there , you can stop the mold/algae from forming. Maybe fit a plastic tube somehow, and have it's end coming out the side, (drill a hole?) so you can direct some bleach into it every now and again?

  • @Clevast
    @Clevast ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Another thing to consider in buying your dehumidifier is the right size for your space. Nice content. 👍

  • @ewicky
    @ewicky 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    wow, huge step up in editing quality! totally cool 😎

    • @BenjaminSahlstrom
      @BenjaminSahlstrom  2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      That's thanks to Josh! He definitely is way better with editing than I am.

  • @andrewborntrager7909
    @andrewborntrager7909 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Great video. Would have been interesting to go one step further and compare the electricity bill for both the units and when the bigger one overtakes the smaller one based on running the bigger one at the smaller one's rate (reaching a humidity level then shutting off).

  • @n9wox
    @n9wox 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    20:46 love the Menards shirt.

  • @rusticislander3584
    @rusticislander3584 หลายเดือนก่อน

    By far the best "in the field" dehumidifier review that I've come across.

  • @billk8780
    @billk8780 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Pretty cool analysis with Ben's dry humor.

  • @waleyefish9026
    @waleyefish9026 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Interesting about the Mice. No wonder my Mice are healthy.👍

  • @RealTonly
    @RealTonly ปีที่แล้ว

    Appreciate the good information man. I feel smart after watching this video

  • @hollyhawk4170
    @hollyhawk4170 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Very good job. It was so good I subscribed. Thank you so much. You have an adorable daughter. Best to you and your family.

  • @EloquentWin
    @EloquentWin 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Fantastic gathering of information brother. Great work on this video. -

  • @thegoods2240
    @thegoods2240 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I have an old Westinghouse dehumidifier that the previous owner left when I bought the house in 1995. He said it was old when HE bought the house in 1977. I've gone through probably 5 or 6 "new" dehumidifiers since 1995, but they break down in maybe 3-6 years, but this oldie just keeps on going!

  • @EK--ry3lr
    @EK--ry3lr 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Great content as usual

  • @petebovenzi8119
    @petebovenzi8119 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Great video Thanks ! You inspired me to install my standby generator awhile back . God bless

  • @davidhumeston5292
    @davidhumeston5292 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Quality video excellent job keep up the good work.

  • @JmpmRA
    @JmpmRA 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Thank you very much for all the information!

  • @jeffsdad8324
    @jeffsdad8324 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great extra info. Thanks

  • @GeoffSeeley
    @GeoffSeeley 2 ปีที่แล้ว +33

    I bet you that in a long term test ye old Amana will be still running in 10 years vs. the others which will be long dead 🙂 Nothing new is built to last anymore 😞

    • @BenjaminSahlstrom
      @BenjaminSahlstrom  2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      You're probably correct!

    • @dennykeaton9701
      @dennykeaton9701 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Agreed

    • @frederickcook87
      @frederickcook87 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Exactly, I’ve gone through 5 over the last few years purchased at Home Depot

  • @Coupal1
    @Coupal1 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Looking to buy a dehumidifier qnd your video was extremely informative. Thanks!

  • @WeatherNut27
    @WeatherNut27 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Love this. awesome! Great content

  • @BenReese
    @BenReese 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Great video posted about 4 days late 😁
    Just bought my first dehumidifier after we had a water leak in our basement. I'll have to plug in my Kill-a-watt to see how it compares to your examples.

    • @BenReese
      @BenReese 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Results are in!! Definitely not apples to apples comparison, but here are the results from the 22-pint (per day) GE purchased at Home Depot:
      Finished basement is climate controlled and stayed around 68~70 deg
      Humidity (59%) didn't drop overnight, but I expect it to soon since the carpet is dryer. It was around 70% a couple days ago.
      - 10 hour run time
      - 2.92 kWh used
      - 17 cups collected
      ** 5.82 cups per kWh **
      This unit doesn't have a pump, but it does have a hose attachment so it can run continuously as long as the drain is down hill. Once I see the humidity drop a bit more I'll probably move it closer to the utility room and connect a hose.

  • @alexko2877
    @alexko2877 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Hi, I watched your video about how to disconnect the AC external unit, it is really great, thanks! You said if you have 410a coolant they results could be iffy, do you have a video where you elaborate more? I happened to have exactly 410a and not not really sure if I can just follow your instructions and need to do extra steps.

  • @FishFind3000
    @FishFind3000 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Most of these you can hookup a garden hose to and run into a separate container. This would help show how much they can remove without getting full. Plus many of us have sump pumps so you run that discharge hose right to it and just let it go. No more forgetting to empty the try.

  • @theloneviking9145
    @theloneviking9145 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Great test Ben!! I think you’re gonna have to hire a team that handled the Chernobyl incident to take care of that old Amana

  • @Austin1990
    @Austin1990 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Thank you! Very interesting.
    Do you have any idea how much these compare to A/C units for dehumidification? Thanks.

    • @yeliab814
      @yeliab814 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Night and day. Most window shaker air conditioner units have published specs on dehumidification capability. I don't think I've ever seen higher than single digit pints per day on those specs..

  • @jeffreywolf5235
    @jeffreywolf5235 ปีที่แล้ว

    I just found a one very similar to that Amana in my basement I need to drag it out and see if it actually works. As if it does I'll have to put it to use.

  • @davidgoff2530
    @davidgoff2530 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Great video, I thank you for that. However, when did the Artic stop running before the test? Im sure it wasn't long but might have changed the outcome of the overall results.

  • @jstaffordii
    @jstaffordii 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    Both the C&H and Artic King are probably Midea manufacturing with different badging. Midea makes about 90% of dehumidifiers globally for all brands. So find the cheapest priced unit that meets your usage needs for dehumidification.

    • @yeliab814
      @yeliab814 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      yes either Midea or Gree. a lot of current Midea made units discharge air out a port on the side, whereas the Gree built units discharge out the top. I have some newer 50(70-2012)pint units by both manufacturers (a Tosot - made by Gree, a homeLabs made by Midea, and an actual Midea ). They all run basically the same .
      Main thing is to keep the dust screen clean and to use the direct drain hose wherever possible. Using the direct drain bypasses the bucket completely. The bucket gets really dirty , even for units with the automatic pump (because it still fills the bucket, and empties it with the pump whenever it gets full). The bucket is a royal pain to clean..

    • @rondail5675
      @rondail5675 ปีที่แล้ว

      Do you recommend any around $500.
      I now have 3 units from Home Depot that have failed in the last 4 years.. Present Toshiba unit just went bad.

    • @yeliab814
      @yeliab814 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@rondail5675 I would recommend buying the largest size units (50pint/[70 2012]) for the cheapest price you can find. There will be some crazy deals in a few days for the Amazon prime day event. Target price: 200 dollars or less. Brand is somewhat unimportant as you are getting either a Midea or Gree unit with near certainty, regardless of brand.
      I have had a trouble free two years so far with my units, but as far as I can tell from my research it appears these things just don't seem to last. Even the expensive ones from Santa Fe and Aprilaire - a lot of folks only get a few years on those and then are furious. So I have decided to just use a bank of multiple lowest possible cost consumer units and replace them as they fail.
      Dehumidifiers are constantly dripping wet inside and corrosion happens. They run R410A refrigerant which is higher pressure than the R22 or R134a of older units. So they corrode and then leak out refrigerant more prematurely it seems. Try to keep them clean and well filtered.

  • @VampireOnline
    @VampireOnline 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I want to paint those basement walls lol

  • @salemdunning5954
    @salemdunning5954 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Great video!!!
    I'm here because of older dehumidifiers vs new conversations, longevity, and my crap hOme brand that died.

  • @FindLiberty
    @FindLiberty 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Can you add an external automatic condensate pump (to the other units) to pump the collected water up and away to the outside?
    That old unit might also have a slight Freon leak that is causing very low, low-side pressure that makes the evap coil temp run so low that it quickly freezes up. I miss the days of R12 and those sweaty, 34 degree return lines.

    • @donaldmasters9642
      @donaldmasters9642 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yea, R12 pressurized correctly could pull temperature into the 30's and really cool fast and efficient. Too bad is was such a detriment to the ozone layer. We used to say those old GM A6 compressor systems would really "blow ice cubes" on a hot summer day.

  • @vinnygoombatts1458
    @vinnygoombatts1458 ปีที่แล้ว

    How hot was the air coming out of the big dehumidifier? If you use it in the summer inside wondering if it will heat the house back up

  • @publicmail2
    @publicmail2 2 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    That Amana was outside its operating range, so what it collected don't count as a comparison. I'd like to see this done at 60F, my bet is the Amana isn't as bad as you think. Try running them outside on a 60 degree day with 70% humidity, that would be a fair test, because humidity would be more even and more at night.

  • @waltk7624
    @waltk7624 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I have new house and needed a dehumidifier, 1st one lasted 1yr 4 m , second one 1 yr 3 months, 3rd one just stop dehumidifing after 1 yr all past warranty, their must be a better way? This is also with not being needed in the winter.

  • @goiterlanternbase
    @goiterlanternbase 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    5:27 There are two reasons for this. The first one, is that your AC heat exchanger ist probably too big and thus won't get cold enough during normal operation. The second is, that the dehumidifier heats up the place and basically every extra degree reduces the relative humidity by 5%.
    Not exactly, but there are calculators out there and the results will shock you😉

  • @adamlesandrini312
    @adamlesandrini312 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    bro, forget the dehumidifier, you have MAD unadressed structural damage in that foundation

  • @hotpuppy1
    @hotpuppy1 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Always need to run them when it is at least 70 degrees. Minimum 60-65. Warm air also holds more moisture. The old unit doesn't have auto defrost so it will freeze up when it is colder than 60. Issue with new models is poor quality. I had an old Sears from 1972 that ran for almost 30 years before it lost charge and froze up. Not as high capacity or efficient but we got our money out of it. None of the ones after lasted much more than 5 years. Most died just after warranty was up. The Danby I have now is a little over that but it is a replacement for a unit that died under warranty.

    • @jeffa847
      @jeffa847 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      That's my issue with old units - I need to use them in cool weather.

  • @JeanPierreWhite
    @JeanPierreWhite 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    When we had our crawlspace encapsulated the company put in an AprilAire dehumidifier. It drains to a sump pump. It keeps the crawlspace at a good humidity level. 53% in the middle of August right now. The company changes the filter each fall and checks the status of the dehu.

    • @jeffa847
      @jeffa847 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      How many years have you had the AprilAire running?

    • @JeanPierreWhite
      @JeanPierreWhite 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@jeffa847 6 or 7 years I believe

    • @jeffa847
      @jeffa847 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@JeanPierreWhite Well, that sounds better than the 1 or 2 years everyone else seems to be saying consumer dehumidifiers last.
      So you would buy that brand again?

    • @JeanPierreWhite
      @JeanPierreWhite 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@jeffa847 Totally.

  • @MrKenstar2
    @MrKenstar2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great job

  • @weberaudio
    @weberaudio ปีที่แล้ว +2

    At the very least, keep the Amanda as a backup. You will need something every time a newer unit fails. LOL

  • @allconstruction1
    @allconstruction1 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    great test thanks but our old machine like the amana beats all the new ones we got! so we keep the old ones ! if basement is warm enough they are the best

  • @brandontscheschlog
    @brandontscheschlog ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Its not so much about the level of humidity as it is keeping it consistent. I have a small machine shop in my basement and before Installed a small dehumidifier all of the bare metal machined surfaces and tooling would rust but now that I control the humidity from high or low peaks I do not get any rust. Slowing down the changes in humidity throughout the day is your best bet at controlling it.

  • @bartofilms
    @bartofilms 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    YES… High Humidity in my attic is killing my Furnace controller board and igniter. I think… I have replaced them both 2x this winter. Going to try using a dehumidifier or wicking filter in the system next year. 🤞

    • @waleyefish9026
      @waleyefish9026 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I think you have something there. I got one because my tools were rusting. When I got a new furnace it was already there, no trouble with the board.

    • @donaldmasters9642
      @donaldmasters9642 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      You have a furnace in your attic or you are in a high humidity zone in the summer, or both?

    • @waleyefish9026
      @waleyefish9026 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@donaldmasters9642 My furnace is in a basement. I got the Dehumidifier because of rusting tools. But a benefit was less corrosion in the furnaces P.C. Board.

  • @ricardobernardo2603
    @ricardobernardo2603 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thanks for sharing

  • @JBK63
    @JBK63 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Mini dehumidifiers are all made by the same overseas companies.
    Where is the Cooper and Hunter manufactured?

  • @tullgutten
    @tullgutten ปีที่แล้ว

    Instead of having a space heater in my basement i use a dehumidifier to heat it 😅
    So for me efficiency isn't really important but if it doesn't dehumidify it's pointless .
    I had to empty the 5L bin 1.5 times a day to keep it from turning off, now have a direct hose to the drain.
    And it really impoves the feel and smell in the basement, doesn't smell basement at all just clean and wood that I'm storing.
    I would like it a little more dry but it's average for whole basement is 50% at about 18°C.
    No more calcium leaching in the concrete walls (have to redo exterior drain/waterproofing and insulate the outside soon)

  • @dbradleyb7500
    @dbradleyb7500 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Benjamin, How did you get so smart at such a young age. Your video is helping our family find the best Dehumidifier for our home here in south east Louisiana (Baton Rouge). Recently our weather has provided high heat and high humidity (yesterday was 90 percent) Our air conditioner has been out for 8 days, so our indoor humidity equals outside. early evening before reaching dew point temperatures outside we close up the hose and run multiple fans. To combat the heat I have dropped down the attic latter to allow the heat to rise and exit the roof. The high humidity has made it very difficult to breath. I put a large fan in up in the mouth of the attic opening, however there is no real circulation of air because all windows and vents are closed. The reason I close up the house is to keep the humidity from getting worse. After loosing power after hurricane Gustav, we left the windows open for air flow. Humidity was so bad our ceramic tile started separating from the foundation. Now, with closing off the house, we are experiencing soar throats, ear aches and sinus issues. Tonight I will keep one or two windows open for air flow. I'd rather lose the tile than our health. Thank you for your time making videos and sharing your knowledge on TH-cam. Any misspelled words are due to lake of sleep and heat delirium.

    • @yeliab814
      @yeliab814 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Consider a big window AC unit as a backup to central AC. When my central went down I ran a 25,000 BTU frigidaire unit 24/7 and a bunch of fans throughout the house to move it around. It couldn't get the temperature as low as the central AC, but it was still very comfortable because the dehumidification effect of having it run 24/7 was very significant . So look for a deal on a big 24-25k BTU window unit. Maybe amazon prime day deal or something, or big box store etc...

  • @kevinkall8547
    @kevinkall8547 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    that water coming through those bricks on your right is damaging the blocks and mortar. you should consider very soon adding drainage tile on outside before the wall collapses.

  • @jeromewelch7409
    @jeromewelch7409 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I used to run a dehumidifier in my basement until I upgraded my hot water heater to a hybrid model Super efficient that runs an air conditioner to heat water , dehumidifies the basement summer and winter 5° differential between ceiling and floor, it's awesome saving 50% on propane after switching over no dehumidifier needed. Low electric bills... Putting a dehumidifier on a timer where it might be prone to freezing that gives it a guaranteed off cycle for defrost works perfect..Peace.

    • @miamiracer
      @miamiracer ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Can you share the brand name and model of this water heater? Sounds like a very efficient way to do this.

    • @Jon-hx7pe
      @Jon-hx7pe 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@miamiracer there's more than one brand.

  • @elmernovak2203
    @elmernovak2203 ปีที่แล้ว

    I have a crawlspace, dehumidifier, can you tell me about the settings what it should be set it to go on

  • @clifforddicarlo9178
    @clifforddicarlo9178 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    How much energy did you use to defrost the old Amana?
    This amount of defrost energy should be added to Amana's energy usage.
    Need to add energy used to run CH's water pump

    • @BenjaminSahlstrom
      @BenjaminSahlstrom  2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      I knew that would come up! Decided not to add that since it already was at a huge disadvantage. Plus I think it was mostly the low ambient temperature that was causing it to freeze up as when we retested it at Reuben's it didn't have that issue.

    • @clifforddicarlo9178
      @clifforddicarlo9178 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      The old Amana reminded me of the Emerson dehumidifier I inherited from my dearly departed Uncle Matt. Even looked Ike your Amana, only mine was colored blue. I acquired this old dehumidifier back in 1980. Toward the end I was running it to drive up my electric bill. But that's OK because I own stock in the electric company and, thus, my old dehumidifier helped to contribute to my quarterly dividend payment.

    • @BenjaminSahlstrom
      @BenjaminSahlstrom  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@clifforddicarlo9178 Haha, that's awesome!

    • @HobbyOrganist
      @HobbyOrganist 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      In reality that unit should have been shut off, the low temp was not realistic, it should be retested when the temperature is normal, over 50-60F which would represent warmer weather like a summer month when humidit will be high anyway.

    • @chumleye1112
      @chumleye1112 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@HobbyOrganist Agreed, the temperature is far too low to be using a dehumidifier

  • @publicmail2
    @publicmail2 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Once coil iced up, dehumidification stopped, and these where designed to operate down to 60F. Redo this outside when 60F+ and 70% humid, even at night. Even r12 Amana will be within 20% of others....you'll see.

    • @BenjaminSahlstrom
      @BenjaminSahlstrom  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      We did retest in higher ambient conditions at 20:44.

    • @publicmail2
      @publicmail2 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@BenjaminSahlstrom I missed that, I still like my 90s 50 pint R22 whirlpool built like a tank. I think the amana should've had coil fins.

  • @ottoroth9377
    @ottoroth9377 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I think you need more than a dehumidifier my friend! But if they are working....by all.means keep up what you're doing. Is there any ventilation in that basement?

    • @BenjaminSahlstrom
      @BenjaminSahlstrom  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      It wasn't my basement and yes, it does need additional help with the foundation and ventilation issues. Was a great place to do the test though!

  • @sandrafright9048
    @sandrafright9048 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    This guy looks like beaver from leave it to beaver lol.

  • @wingloading
    @wingloading 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I'm on my fourth dehumidifier in 7 years. That Amana is laughing at me.

    • @BenjaminSahlstrom
      @BenjaminSahlstrom  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      That's ridiculous. You would think you should be able to get at least 5 years out of one.

    • @reubensandwich9249
      @reubensandwich9249 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I get about 5 years.

  • @rondail5675
    @rondail5675 ปีที่แล้ว

    Ben,
    I now have 3 units from Home Depot that have failed in the last 4 years.. Present Toshiba unit just went bad.
    Any units under $500 that you like?

    • @rob4197
      @rob4197 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      It's likely your dehumidifiers' compressors were cycling on/off at high frequency. When the compressor kicks in, it may draw +1500 watts initially. Buy one with a good in-store warranty (extend the in-store warranty if you can ).

  • @50hellkat2
    @50hellkat2 11 วันที่ผ่านมา

    The middle one looks like it weighs a lot more. The smaller one on your left would be my choice as a result. How big was the water collection container? You used a pump and hose which can be a pain. So i assume the weight of carrying it and doing it manually would be heaviest of them all. Women do not want to lug heavy.

  • @citticat2
    @citticat2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I just had one delivered yesterday and the device is not collecting the water. I called the company. Supposedly I was supposed to leave the unit in the box in an upright position for 24 hours before I turned it on. Not knowing this when the box arrived I rolled it into the foyer because the unit was heavy. Now it is sitting up right - waiting? The unit is working more like an air conditioners and I don't feel anything warming up. Now the device is setting in cold wet environment.

  • @sorento231
    @sorento231 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Hi I have a Danby humidifier and started to blow cold air what Should I do

  • @mattv5281
    @mattv5281 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Does the fan speed affect efficiency? My dehumidifier has three fan speeds, and I'm not sure which one is most efficient.

    • @donaldmasters9642
      @donaldmasters9642 ปีที่แล้ว

      Those older (Amana like) dehumidifiers do not blow as much air and only have one speed. Checking the fan speed of the motors and settings on each unit should have been included in the calcs. May not have affected much, but the Amana was at a big technology disadvantage.

  • @jeffreytraeger316
    @jeffreytraeger316 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    So if your central air conditioner is sucking up 4000W, does it make sense to also have a dehumidifier at 200W so that AC doesn't run as often?
    Cost efficient...?

    • @rob4197
      @rob4197 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      If it's humid. 75F @ 40% humidity is just as comfortable as 70F @ 60% humidity. A ~10% power saving from the central AC is expected. In your example, a net saving of ~200w ( ~$300 per year ). Depending on the house/environment, some people claim they can save ~$100 per month running a dehumidifier(s).

    • @jeffreytraeger316
      @jeffreytraeger316 ปีที่แล้ว

      So you answered my question thank you!

    • @dmiller9786
      @dmiller9786 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      No, A properly sized AC is much more efficient than a dehumidifier when sufficient heat load is present.

    • @dmiller9786
      @dmiller9786 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@rob4197 Your math forgets that a dehumidifier puts heat into the house while an AC provides cool air. A dehumidifier is simply a window AC with the hot parts indoors.

    • @rob4197
      @rob4197 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@dmiller9786 It's more like an art to get the proper size. No two houses are the same. Rule of thumb is to double the capacity? The fix/upgrade cost is a few thousands more. Getting the humidity down from 70-80% to just 50% in an 85F space is equivalent to lowering the temp by 7F (heat index/feel temp) with a fan(s) running. The dehumidifier may increase the room temp by 3F (room size is a factor of course ). Central air cost to raise a hot and humid room temp by 7F?

  • @Jon-hx7pe
    @Jon-hx7pe 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    This is not a fair test, because it was done in continuous mode.
    The new dehumidifiers may be more efficient steady state, but they also have the sensor too close to the evap coil and cycle on very shortly after turning off, then shut off a couple of minutes after due to sampling the real humidity level, not really pullout out any moisture. The machine is typically sized for extremes and the rest of the time cycles.
    The mechanical humidistat with a wide swing that just shuts the compressor/fan off at once is superior, reducing part-load cycling loss.
    As well, the new units are poor quality, they last 2-3 years -> they develop leaks fast lose their charge and some have been recalled for going up in flames. The new units are shipped all the way from china and you can be sure at end of life, the plastic casing is not recycled.
    If the old one has a fire, the metal cabinet contains it - unless it is the cord that burns.
    I would take a vintage one over new any day, the short lifespan of new probably means old produces less pollution and has a total lower cost of ownership.

    • @BenjaminSahlstrom
      @BenjaminSahlstrom  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Good points! I definitely could have tested them in intermittent mode and maybe I'll do that sometime. Seems unlikely that the new ones would be less efficient than the old one but it would be worth investigating! Pretty amazing that the Amana is still working!

    • @Jon-hx7pe
      @Jon-hx7pe 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@BenjaminSahlstrom Would be interesting to see the results. Window a/c units suffer from a similar short cycling problem but due to pulling the cold air right back into the return where the sensor is - but the solution in that case is to buy an external plug in thermostat or a unit with a follow-me style remote that gets accurate reading.

    • @brianleeper5737
      @brianleeper5737 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      The work-around for the short cycling due to the stupid sensor location is to aim a box fan at the front of the unit.

    • @donaldmasters9642
      @donaldmasters9642 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@BenjaminSahlstrom I've found over the years, the only thing that goes wrong with the older units is the fan. The fans have bronze bushings instead of bearings and once they wear , the bushings overheat and freeze up. If you can find a replacement motor, it's an easy fix. If it's a strange size, shape, or rotation, it's near impossible to find a replacement. So the unit is dead just because of a fan motor.

  • @raulrobles2961
    @raulrobles2961 หลายเดือนก่อน

    The amana would last longer but these are more efficient and better for your 💰

  • @jackwilson8051
    @jackwilson8051 ปีที่แล้ว

    Dehumidifiers are usually rate in pint per day.

  • @Nilocsemliw
    @Nilocsemliw หลายเดือนก่อน

    I used to live in St.Louis where everyone had humidifiers. Now I live somewhere so dry that I don’t think anyone knows what one is.

  • @redleader6442
    @redleader6442 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    The Cooper Hunter and Arctic King units will probably last you 5 years at most, while the old Amana will keep on working as long as you keep it clean. The new stuff is awful. You'll spend more on replacing new crap over and over than you'll spend on electricity, running the old units.

  • @tomlewitt
    @tomlewitt 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    It's crazy to run that old one at 41 degrees F ! They shouldn't be run below 60 . If they haven't got a frost detector where they cut off and wait when the coils are frozen, then these evaporator coils will just get colder and colder until the refrigerant doesn't evaporate. So liquid refrigerant ends up going into the compressor and it dies. Sad. I'm amazed you're running these things at 41 deg!

  • @wyatt1153
    @wyatt1153 ปีที่แล้ว

    Beaver Cleaver?

  • @tedlahm5740
    @tedlahm5740 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Emptying that big capacity unit (poor pump). would be a bear?

    • @BenjaminSahlstrom
      @BenjaminSahlstrom  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Actually the pump is really fine as it doesn't need to be fast once the line is ran to a suitable discharge location.

    • @tedlahm5740
      @tedlahm5740 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@BenjaminSahlstrom Thank you.

  • @davidchoi6068
    @davidchoi6068 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    How about LG ?
    It is a silent water sucking machine.

  • @stans5270
    @stans5270 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    By having the Amana constantly run it wasn't able to operate efficiently. That is why not much water was collected.
    That is also why it used more electricity.
    Running it at 80% would provide a vastly different outcome.

    • @BenjaminSahlstrom
      @BenjaminSahlstrom  2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      If you watch to the end we retested it for that very reason!

    • @stans5270
      @stans5270 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@BenjaminSahlstrom Thanks. I stopped at what I perceived as the outro. I have a newer model that replaced my older Amana, because of the cost of running it. When it "kicks in", it kicks like a mule, but mules last a lot longer.

  • @EvanMoon
    @EvanMoon ปีที่แล้ว

    TURBO !!!

  • @vinceferraccioli4661
    @vinceferraccioli4661 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    The dame things seem to only work for a few years all the new ones are junk I had one for 1o years it worked great I'm on my 3rd one since noma junk

  • @cranbers
    @cranbers 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    i'm a little confused why you measured things in "cups" instead of pints like the machines use for ratings. Also, the little unit stopped running once it got full, so stating total amount of water in 30 hours was 13 cups wasn't really fair. I'm sure it would of been a lot more then that had you emptied it when it was full.

    • @BenjaminSahlstrom
      @BenjaminSahlstrom  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Haha good point! Only reason I used cups was because it was a tad more convenient since cups were marked on my measuring device. Probably should have used pints though!
      The small unit stopping before the others likely didn't affect the test much since the unit shut off and therefore shouldn't have affected the efficiency ratio.

    • @rob4197
      @rob4197 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@BenjaminSahlstrom - you had 750 watts of dehumidifiers running. The room temperatures during the last half (~12 hours) of the test were much warmer ( 6-8 degree celsius warmer on average). Humidifiers can pull in a lot more water in warmer temperatures. The Artic King is likely no more than 25% less efficient.

    • @overmysholder
      @overmysholder ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@BenjaminSahlstrom When I was a kid, before metrics and computers, 2 cups equaled 1 pint.

    • @giG_apP_haCks_
      @giG_apP_haCks_ ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Technically it should have been measured in liters. Watts is a metric unit defined as 1 Kgm^2/s^3 (kilogram* meter square per second-cubed) If you're gonna do cups/pints then use BTUs. Since people all over the world watch this, liters would be better understood. That's actually how they are officially rated for efficiency. (in L/kWh) A good efficiency rating is >1.5 L/kWh, however this is achieved under optimal conditions. >60% humidity and >80degrees....errr i mean >27C.

  • @gsman1
    @gsman1 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I wouldn't pay more for that dehumidifier with the pump. It didn't seem very effective. I liked your video, even though your methodology was a little weird.

    • @jeffa847
      @jeffa847 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      I think those pumps are not meant to empty the containers - they are meant to move the tiny amounts of water out as they are collected by the machine

  • @bgregg55
    @bgregg55 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    The old ones seemed to work forever but the new ones leak their refrigerant out under 5 years.

    • @MrScottie68
      @MrScottie68 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      So true. My 1984 white Westinghouse was working just fine but the power company urged me to get an energy star model to “save money”. Well I caved in and bought a new modern unit and yes, my electric bill dropped about $9 dollars each month. Sounds good, right? Wrong. During the first month of operation in the third season, the new unit failed. Unit was used 5 months each in years one and two and 1 month in season 3. So 11 months in total. So 11 months x $9 is $99 dollars in electric savings BUT the unit cost $229 plus tax to purchase…..so my wonderful energy star investment has me in the red for $130. However there is a happy ending to this story….I never got rid of my 38 year old Westinghouse and it’s now taken it’s energy hungry place back in my basement while the 3 year old Chinese made energy star unit sits out at the curb waiting for garbage pickup. Trust me, keep your older unit as long as it works.

  • @mackfisher4487
    @mackfisher4487 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Perhaps installing drain tiles and sealing your foundation walls to help prevent water infiltration would better protect your foundation.

    • @BenjaminSahlstrom
      @BenjaminSahlstrom  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Wasn't my property but those things definitely would help more than dehumidifiers can.

    • @n9wox
      @n9wox 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      True, but in general, basements need dehumidifiers regardless.

    • @donaldmasters9642
      @donaldmasters9642 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Those basement walls were shot. There would not be such step cracks if the footer or soil was not failing. Needs significant investigation to determine the cause of the movement before trying to put another patch on the cracks in the walls.

  • @redrocket5183
    @redrocket5183 ปีที่แล้ว

    welll, a 50 pt is almost 20lbs heavier than a 30pt...wch can make&mainly break some of us lifting the damthing up/down those basement steps...sure beats a twisted ankle/knee/back, & paying for osteopathic sessions, eh?

  • @AtomicEy
    @AtomicEy หลายเดือนก่อน

    7:29 why im here

  • @joeprete7424
    @joeprete7424 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Dehumidifiers have an unusually high recall rate

  • @petermaz701
    @petermaz701 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Great fun watching this but I must say inaccurate comparison. The Amana with frozen coils does not count because after a while the moisture no longer forms on the coils so even though you defrosted it it never captured the humidity that it would in the proper temperature setting.

  • @JasonFlorida
    @JasonFlorida ปีที่แล้ว

    Emanuel is hot! Forget about the humid basement and keep him around

  • @solstar4778
    @solstar4778 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    All units too close together, best to separate them

  • @kendexter
    @kendexter 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    the other stole Armadas moisture.. run one by one :)

  • @naomisahlstrom
    @naomisahlstrom 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    First comment! 😂🥰

    • @tedlahm5740
      @tedlahm5740 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Where are the children?

  • @williamnunez9609
    @williamnunez9609 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    should've of just stopped after arctic got full

  • @reallifejenni
    @reallifejenni 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    GHOST!

  • @NoferTrunions
    @NoferTrunions 25 วันที่ผ่านมา

    If the old one works, DO NOT REPLACE. New Chinese dehumidifiers last 1-2 years. You will not find "old" Chinese dehumidifiers - they are all broken or leaked.

  • @ranger178
    @ranger178 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    i wish i still had the old dehumidifier i had when i bought house all the new ones are chinese garbage and die after a couple years of use
    your test is not realistic you don't run dehumidifier in full always on mode and you do not run it in a 40 degree basement

    • @BenjaminSahlstrom
      @BenjaminSahlstrom  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      20:44

    • @ranger178
      @ranger178 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@BenjaminSahlstrom well either i have terrible luck or these new model dehumidifiers only work a few years then they seem to just run and make basement hot but don't take any humidity out I tried a few of them over the years and they all seem to stop working after 3 years or so

    • @BenjaminSahlstrom
      @BenjaminSahlstrom  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@ranger178 Would be interesting to actually test them like we did in the video. Then you would know for sure if they had died or not.

    • @ranger178
      @ranger178 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@BenjaminSahlstrom i have hose attached to them down drain so not sure if they are removing any water but room gets up to 80 and still high humidity around 70 percent if i remember

    • @rondail5675
      @rondail5675 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@BenjaminSahlstrom Which unit around $500 do you like?

  • @TheArabConservative
    @TheArabConservative 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Too much hose

  • @efrahaimrn
    @efrahaimrn 28 วันที่ผ่านมา

    using pints when you can just use the metric system 🤦‍♀️

  • @billr8667
    @billr8667 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    When this video started, I hoped the "test" would be somewhat scientific, however, the low ambient temperature made this a total waste of time. Your videos are usually pretty informative, so I have to say I'm pretty disappointed that you published this.

    • @BenjaminSahlstrom
      @BenjaminSahlstrom  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Pretty sure you didn't watch until the end of the video where at 20:44 we did actually test in higher ambient conditions. Not sure what about this isn't scientific enough for you? Low ambient humid locations are fairly common in crawlspaces in many regions.

    • @donaldmasters9642
      @donaldmasters9642 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@BenjaminSahlstrom Fan speed.