I have a drain near the location I want to put my dehumidifier. Does the pump function have to run, or can I just let it drain using gravity?
224854
You can use simple gravity to drain the dehumidifier. Note that several of these units, however, have had internal electrical problems that required replacement or repairs.
224855
The hose is too long for us and therefore the pump runs instead of using gravity. If we cut the hose so it runs directly into the drain, will it keep the pump from running? Has anyone tried this??
2065832
For this to work the right way it has to be inserted at least to the point where the drain king is no longer visible. To forget that it has to inflate before it can work. If it has to pipe wall to inflate on it won't work.
2044100
The answer is no ONLY if you do NOT install the pump outlet attachment. This attachment triggers a microswitch in the unit to turn on the pump when the predetermined level is reached. If not installed then it will gravity drain (if desired).
545900
Yes you need to drain it. If you are running it continuously and you don't drain it the water will drain onto your floor.
2150018
It doesn't need to drain,but its reservoir can fill up and you would have to empty it. However it does a good job evaporating the condensate so it doesn't fill up often.
1349630
No. It has an attachment that allows a hose to drain the unit into the sink or sump or wherever. It is gravity activated
873509
I personally do not leave the pump on when not in use. Grey water flowing by gravity should go thru, but if there is any debris, it may stick in the pump.
971500
Obviously you need a pump, electrical connections. this is not a gravity fed operation. You need to add power. I guess you could try gravity but all you will get is a trickle at the nosseles of no value
1024879
You would be far better off using a sump pump designed to do that task. There is no drain port, sump pumps can be rented cheaply, and if you did try to make your own drain and use this to empty large volumes of water you would burn out the motor quickly.
2169463
well...yes. It's a sewage pump meant to sit in a sump that receives sanitary service. I have an "overhead" sewer system, meaning the gravity sewer lines exit the basement just below the first floor level. I wanted a bathroom in the basement and the only way to do that was to pump the sewage from the bathroom (it first drains to a plastic sump) vertically about 6 ft into the overhead sewer line. It works just fine...keep in mind you'll need to vent the sump to meet plubing codes...
1043474
The hose connection comes out above the tank inlet. So the dehumidifier does not set any higher off the floor. But to gravity drain the drain the hose goes to has to be lower than the unit.
1235980
We recently had significant flooding in our basement and used similar pumps to pump out the standing water. Our method was to attach garden hoses to each pump and drag those up the stairs and out the back door, allowing the water to be directed outside. Here's the problem with this particular model of pump. It has a discharge vent or some darn thing that shoots water up straight up into the air when it's pumping. I'm not sure what the function of this is and I have other pumps, none have this vent. So while pumping out the basement water, I'm afraid this pump would be spraying water all over and making a bigger mess. The Little Giant, if you can locate one, or a sump pump from your local hardware store may be a better option.
1470053
Your question is incomplete. You state you are using this unit on a portable dehumidifier. Assuming you are not present and want the unit to pump out the dehumidifier when it becomes full. I understand your theory but disagree with your thought process. The unit is built for removing condinsate from certain HIVAC furnaces and works quite well for it's intended purpose. If your portable dehumidifier has a reasonable reservoir tank why not place a small sump pump elevated about half way up the level of the tank reservoir. You could use a marine application attached to a 12 volt battery, for example. I think your asking a good unit to do a job it was not designed to do. P Your question is incomplete. You state you are using this unit on a portable dehumidifier. Assuming you are not present and want the unit to pump out the dehumidifier when it becomes full. I understand your theory but disagree with your thought process. The unit is built for removing condinsate from certain HIVAC furnaces and works quite well for it's intended purpose. If your portable dehumidifier has a reasonable reservoir tank why not place a small sump pump elevated about half way up the level of the tank reservoir. You could use a marine application attached to a 12 volt battery, for... » Read More Your question is incomplete. You state you are using this unit on a portable dehumidifier. Assuming you are not present and want the unit to pump out the dehumidifier when it becomes full. I understand your theory but disagree with your thought process. The unit is built for removing condinsate from certain HIVAC furnaces and works quite well for it's intended purpose. If your portable dehumidifier has a reasonable reservoir tank why not place a small sump pump elevated about half way up the level of the tank reservoir. You could use a marine application attached to a 12 volt battery, for example. I think your asking a good unit to do a job it was not designed to do. P « Show Less
1416860
Sorry to say but yes a hole or sump pit is necessary. The motor needs to be under water if it runs very long in order to have the motor cooled. Also the pump will only pump the water level down to about 3 or 4 inches before it sucks air or the float switch turns off. I dont know of any pumps that will do what you want it to do without a sump hole. I have a 50 gallon plastic drum buried in the floor of my basement to act as a sump. You should only need like maybe a 5 gallon bucket buried in your floor if the water just seeps in gradually. If the incoming water comes in in gushes or like a river you might want something bigger. Sorry to say but yes a hole or sump pit is necessary. The motor needs to be under water if it runs very long in order to have the motor cooled. Also the pump will only pump the water level down to about 3 or 4 inches before it sucks air or the float switch turns off. I dont know of any pumps that will do what you want it to do without a sump hole. I have a 50 gallon plastic drum buried in the floor of my basement to act as a sump. You should only need like maybe a 5 gallon bucket buried in your floor if the water just seeps in gradually. If the incoming water comes in in gushes or like a... » Read More Sorry to say but yes a hole or sump pit is necessary. The motor needs to be under water if it runs very long in order to have the motor cooled. Also the pump will only pump the water level down to about 3 or 4 inches before it sucks air or the float switch turns off. I dont know of any pumps that will do what you want it to do without a sump hole. I have a 50 gallon plastic drum buried in the floor of my basement to act as a sump. You should only need like maybe a 5 gallon bucket buried in your floor if the water just seeps in gradually. If the incoming water comes in in gushes or like a river you might want something bigger. « Show Less
1620517
I built a sturdy shelf five feet off the basement floor so that my dehumidfier could drain outside without the need for a pump. You will need to build raised edges on the shelf so that the dehumidifier can't vibrate itself off the shelf.
1556586
Yes I think that it does, but I'm not using it. I placed the unit on top of my dryer, so it can drain by gravity into the utility sink in the basement. This unit is still working great. It performs well even when the basement is cold, since it has an auto defrost cycle for when the coils freeze up. It really is the best dehumidifier that I have ever owned for the past 20 years.
1672996
I am not sure where you are looking because the machine with the drain pump costs more. If you are able to use the machine with the gravity flow, you will love the machine. We had to have the drain pump and it is VERY noisy. We love the ice, but the noise from the pump is driving us crazy.