Some of your dehumidifier questions answered

One of the most popular features on our website is the ability of customers to ask a question about a particular dehumidifier. We gets lots of questions from customers every single day. Occasionally I post the questions and answers here so that more people can see the answers. Today’s batch cover;

  • Which dehumidifier is best for a conservatory?
  • Does the desiccant need to be replaced on a DD8L?
  • Does the filter need to be changed on the DD8L?
  • Are there any consumables on the DD8L?
  • Can the Meaco 20L be used with an extension lead?
  • What do the symbols mean on the Meaco 10L?

 

Using a dehumidifier in a conservatory

Conservatories tend to suffer from a lot of condensation because they use glass for their walls and ceiling which means that the surfaces are colder and much closer to the outside temperature than a normal brick wall would be. At night temperatures drop faster in a conservatory because of the lack of insulation and condensation forms on the glass.

Conservatories tend to be next to kitchens and/or become a convenient location for drying washing and these factors will increase the amount of moisture in the air.

The correct dehumidifier to use in a conservatory is one that is used to temperatures below 16°C because of that overnight drop in temperature so it has to be a desiccant dehumidifier because the temperature in winter is likely to spend most of its time overnight well below 10°C.

So the best dehumidifier for a conservatory would be the Meaco DD8L or the Meaco DD8L Junior.

 

Do you replace the desiccant on the DD8L?

The simple answer is no – the desiccant will be good for the life of the dehumidifier.

 

Does the filter need to be changed on the DD8L?

No – just vacuum it on a regular basis (every week or so please).

 

Are there any consumables on the DD8L?

No.

 

Can the Meaco 20L be used with an extension lead?

Yes – as long as the extension lead is in good working order (which applies to any electrical appliance really).

 

What do the symbols on the Meaco 10L mean?

On the left from top to bottom we have;

Power
Tank full
Defrost mode

On the right from top to bottom we have the humidistat set points

Laundry mode – which runs continuously
40%rh
60%rh
80%rh

If you have any dehumidifier questions then please feel free to post them via the product page or to email myself directly via askaquestion@meaco.com.

You May also Like

74 Responses

  1. Hello. We have just purchased the MeacoDry Arete One. As instructed, we pressed the smart humidity mode button and it flashed 55. The machine is supposed to stop when it reaches 55 but it isn’t stopping, just continues. I have switched it is at the mains for a while and tried again but it is still not stopping at 55. What are we doing wrong?

    Many thanks

    1. Thank you for your enquiry,

      Your unit will work to reach the target of 55%rh (- 3%rh), meaning that once it can bring it down to 52%rh it will then stop. Allow it to run for longer to achieve this, alternatively you can set your target to a higher number, 60%rh and it will stop when it reaches 57%rh.

      Hope this helps.

      Omar@Meaco

  2. The leaflet says to close all outside doors/windows. But do I need to close the trickle vents too.
    Thank you

  3. Sorry about the slow reply, summer holidays have got in the way, apologies.

    An Arete 25L is going to be using circa 250 watts of electricity when it is dehumidifying, that means it must run for four hours continuously to reach one unit of electricity and 24 hours a day to consume six units a day. If that is happening then it is unlikely that it is set to 55%rh, it is probably set to continuous. But in your message, you have said that it does turn off throughout the day and you are only collecting one bucket of water per day, so it sounds like it is turning off.

    This suggests that something else is contributing to the electricity consumption.

    British summers are very humid, and with all the wet weather we have had since the start of July, this year is particularly humid. This gives dehumidifiers more to do and getting the balance between using the dehumidifier and conserving electricity.

    Our advice would be that if you have windows open in the space then turn the dehumidifier off and consider allowing the relative humidity to sit at 60%rh rather than 55%rh to reduce run times.

    It is also very important to think about where the moisture is coming from. You mention that you only have the bedroom window open, so is moisture coming from elsewhere within the house? A lack of extractor fans in the bathroom and kitchen, more laundry being dried indoors because of the wet weather outside? What can be done to control and reduce the sources of moisture indoors and would more ventilation help in those rooms?

    It would be beneficial to try and pinpoint the cause of this, what could be causing the dehumidifier to run 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

    With average conditions your unit should be using approximately 250 watts per hour.

    Please revise this and hopefully you can pinpoint the issue.

    Your original message:

    Hi,

    I’ve had my Arete 25L since April running 24/7 and everything seems fine, except for the running cost. Now that summer is here, bringing warmer air, I’ve noticed that the dehumidifier is using roughly 6 units of electricity per day. At 33p per unit that works out at roughly £60 per month, which is quite expensive. Would you please comment on that.

  4. I have had my dehumidifier for a year now. The smell it came with has lessened, however there is still a plastic type smell. Is this ok for caged birds?

    1. Hello and thanks for your message,

      Please note we aren’t able to advise how your caged bird will react to the smell.

      I can say if the bird hasn’t reacted during the 1 year you’ve been using the machine, that so far it seems to prove positive.

      I’d also recommend that you use a HEPA filter with your machine, there will be more dust activity having a bird/furry pets.

      Filters will be available beginning June.

      Rgds,
      Omar

  5. The HEPA filter on our 20l is due for changing. As we don’t have any allergies, we’re wondering if the 20l will happily run without a filter and not clog up over time. Thanks for your help.

    1. Hi,

      Yes you can use the machine without the HEPA filter.

      When using only the dust filter it’s best to maintain it’s health and prevent blockages which will lead to a more noisy machine.

      Please follow the cleaning instructions provided in the user manual.

      > Omar, Meaco.

      Best,
      Omar

  6. Hello,

    I have two of the DD8L dehumidifiers.
    Once the target relative humidity has been reached and the machine goes into sleep-mode for 30 minutes, what happens to the control panel – do the lights (i.e. Fan speed 2, 40% RH) go out, or do they remain illuminated?

    I ask as one of the machines will stop it’s fan, fall silent, but the settings/control panel remain illuminated. Is this normal?

    Thanks,

    Jamie.

    1. I turn on my unit and it runs for a minute then seems to stop and the Humidity counter blinks non stop also the defrost light has been on for days

      1. Hi David,

        The humidity display shouldn’t be blinking non-stop, if this is still an issue then please email us – customerservice AT meaco.com or call us on 01483 234 900 and we’d be happy to help.

        Best,
        Omar

    2. Hello Jamie,

      What you’re describing is 100% correct and all normal for the functioning of your DD8L.
      Please feel free to come back to us if there’s anything else we can assist you with.

      Best,
      Omar

  7. Chris,
    I’ve just purchased two of the DD8L humidifiers, for different positions in the house.
    One of them keeps turning it’s fan off. When this happens, the chosen control panel settings stay illuminated (i.e. fan speed 2, at 40% humidity) but it’s silent.
    Any suggestions? Thanks.

    1. Hello Jamie, 

      Thank you for your message and your purchase. 

      Your machine sounds to be operating at its normal function, the reason for fan switching off is due to it reaching its target set relative humidity (40%rh). We’d like to recommend increasing to 50%rh which is the thumbs up mode.  This will save you electricity and 50%rh is perfectly fine in 95% of all home applications.

      I hope this helps you with your query, should you have any other questions please get in touch. 

      Thank you for contacting Meaco.

      Omar.

  8. Hi there,

    I have a meaco 12l co/ap. I asked a few weeks ago about having no water in the tank and was told nkt to expect any at 58rh and around 19deg.

    I’ve tried everything now. I’m in a 9×4 room, 62rh, it’s 20 deg and I’m so supposed to see an extraction rate of about 3L. In all the time I’ve had it I’ve never had one drop from it. Is it working?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

On Trend

Most Popular Stories

MENU