Once you’ve purchased dehumidifiers, you’re likely eager to learn how to install them. In this article, I’ll provide a detailed description of each step involved in installing industrial dehumidifiers with 3-phase power. Whether you’re a professional dehumidifier installation engineer or not, this article will help you acquire the necessary installation skills!

Step One: Choose the Right Location

Before installing a dehumidifier, choosing the right location is crucial as it significantly affects its operational efficiency. When placing an industrial dehumidifier, consider the following points:

1.1 Do Not Place the Dehumidifier Near the Door or Warehouse Entrance

When the dehumidifier is operating, it draws in nearby moist air and exhausts it at a 45-degree angle from the top vent until the surrounding moist air is converted into dry air, reaching the target humidity level. Only then does it enter standby mode.

If the dehumidifier is placed near the entrance of a room or warehouse, regardless of its efforts, there will always be a constant supply of moist air entering from the outside. Additionally, the dry air produced by the dehumidifier may also “escape” to the outside through the doorway. Therefore, for the dehumidifier to work efficiently, you should not place it at the entrance, or simply close the door of your warehouse. This way, after operating for a while, the dehumidifier will quickly reach the desired humidity level.

1.2 Place Multiple Dehumidifiers Evenly Throughout the Area to Be Dehumidified.

1)If You Do Not Arrange the Dehumidifier’s Position Properly and Place It Randomly.

In such a scenario, after the dehumidifier has been operating for some time, you may encounter a situation where some areas have already reached the target humidity level, but other areas still remain relatively humid. At this point, you may notice that the dehumidifier has entered standby mode, while the area farthest from the dehumidifier still hasn’t reached the target humidity level. This imbalance in humidity occurs within the area you intend to dehumidify.

2）If You Strategically Place the Dehumidifiers…

If you evenly place the dehumidifiers in the area to be dehumidified, the humidity throughout the space will quickly decrease. This strategic placement ensures that the humidity levels inside the space are balanced, maximizing the efficiency of the dehumidification process.

1.3 Not Sure How to Position the Dehumidifier

If your project area is large and you’re unsure how to position the dehumidifiers effectively, you can share your factory floor plan with us. Our engineering team will create a simple layout based on your floor plan to ensure optimal humidity balance throughout your facility, ensuring that every area falls within the effective dehumidification range.

Below is an example floor plan we recommended for a client’s warehouse. The dehumidifiers are positioned against columns to minimize interference with daily warehouse operations such as storing and moving goods, and they are evenly distributed throughout the warehouse interior.

Step Two: Arrange the Dehumidifier Power Line

Once you have finalized the placement of the dehumidifiers, we’ll proceed with arranging the electrical circuits for them. The design of the electrical circuits is crucial, and it requires the technical support of professional electrical engineers. After going through this section, you should be able to discuss installation details with your local engineers.

Here, I want to remind you that in all steps related to electrical operations, it’s essential to have a professional electrical engineer to handle them, and electrical safety should be prioritized!

2.1 Design the Wiring Routes.

Designing the wiring routes primarily pertains to scenarios where multiple industrial dehumidifiers are used together. In such cases, it’s crucial to engage a professional electrical engineer to calculate current loads and determine the appropriate wire diameter. The wires should then be installed at the designated locations for the dehumidifiers. Factors such as wire length, thickness, and cost should be discussed and evaluated with your electrician. Alternatively, you can entrust this task to a professional company and simply settle the bill.

2.2 Check Power Supply Voltage

Before installing industrial dehumidifiers, it’s essential to have a professional electrician check if the voltage of the 3-phase power supply in your warehouse or workshop falls within the voltage range suitable for the dehumidifier. This step is crucial and should never be overlooked.

You can refer to this video for checking the power supply voltage:

Both High and Low Voltage Can Damage the Dehumidifier.

If the voltage in your warehouse/room is too high, it will increase the working current of the dehumidifier, causing it to burn out in an instant. Similarly, if the voltage is too low, the working current of the dehumidifier will increase (while the load power remains constant), which can lead to the dehumidifier not functioning properly or burning out.

The stability of the voltage in your power grid is crucial, as it can inadvertently affect the normal operation of the dehumidifier. This not only impacts the lifespan of the dehumidifier but also affects all electrical devices in your warehouse.

Damage caused by voltage fluctuations persists even after the voltage returns to normal. Only after being repaired by a local engineer can the equipment be used normally. Before installing and using any electrical equipment, always have an electrical engineer check the voltage.

2.3 Install Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB)

You might say, “My voltage is often unstable. Does that mean I can’t use dehumidifiers and other electrical equipment?”

Not at all. As long as you install an air circuit breaker for each dehumidifier, you can use them confidently. It will protect your industrial dehumidifiers in your warehouse/workshop at all times, even when the voltage in your power grid is unstable.

The Working Principle of an Air Switch With Leakage Protection.

When the current supplied by the power source is too high, the air circuit breaker will trip. It will also trip in case of leakage.

For example, during a moment of unstable voltage in your area, if the current suddenly increases beyond the range of the air circuit breaker, it will automatically cut off the power to prevent damage to the dehumidifier.

Leakage refers to when the casing of an electrical appliance becomes live, posing a danger to anyone who touches the live metal casing. If there is leakage from the power source or the dehumidifier casing, the air switch will immediately cut off the power to ensure personal safety.

So, even if your warehouse/workshop is unattended at night, it won’t affect the use of the dehumidifier. Doesn’t that provide a sense of security?

Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB)Installation Recommendations

Each industrial dehumidifier should be equipped with an air circuit breaker.

This is especially crucial in warehouses containing flammable materials such as clothing or wooden furniture. Safety precautions regarding electricity must be strictly observed, necessitating the use of air circuit breakers with leakage protection.

After installing the air circuit breaker, if there are any malfunctions with the power source or the dehumidifier itself, professional electrical engineers can promptly identify the faulty wiring or dehumidifier unit and carry out repairs.

Before installing the air circuit breaker, it is advisable to consult with the dehumidifier supplier/dealer to confirm the maximum current rating of the chosen dehumidifier model. Then, based on the advice of a local professional electrical engineer, select an appropriate air circuit breaker model and proceed with the installation. Below is a circuit diagram for each dehumidifier installed with an air circuit breaker for your reference.

Supplementary note for the diagram: One industrial dehumidifier with 3-phase power requires the installation of one air circuit breaker. For x units of dehumidifiers, x air circuit breakers need to be installed, and then the wires are connected to the main power supply. This pertains to the external circuitry and is independent of the internal structure or model of the dehumidifier.

2.4 Install Surge Protector

The main function of a surge protector is to prevent damage to circuits caused by lightning strikes during periods of high lightning activity. Depending on the climatic conditions in different regions, you may consider installing a surge protector based on the advice of your electrical engineer before making a decision.

Step Three: Arrange the Water Drainage Way

All industrial dehumidifiers come with hoses that can be used for direct drainage. So, how do we properly arrange the drainage work for dehumidifiers? We generally recommend two drainage methods: direct drainage and installing a drainage system.

3.1 Two Drainage Methods for Dehumidifiers

May 1: Water Bucket Method

Collect the condensate water discharged from the hose in a bucket and regularly empty the bucket to prevent overflow. Due to the large dehumidification capacity of industrial dehumidifiers, a large-volume bucket should be used for this method. If you have a small warehouse or are only using a few dehumidifiers simultaneously, this method can be used as long as you remember to empty the bucket regularly.

Way 2: Drainage Pipe Method

Pre-install a drainage system inside the warehouse to allow condensate water to flow directly into the company’s reservoir through the hose. If you have a large warehouse and use multiple dehumidifiers, I recommend using this method for drainage to save time compared to manual emptying of water.

3.2 Preparation for the Drainage Pipe System

Installing Water Pipes Underground: If your factory/warehouse is brand new and hasn’t been put into use yet, I recommend directly installing the water pipes underground or within the walls, as it will be very convenient for construction at this stage. See Figure 6 for reference.

Installing Water Pipes Along the Wall: If your factory/warehouse is already in use, burying the water pipes underground will require construction, which can make it very inconvenient for moving your current goods. In this case, I suggest placing PVC water pipes along the wall to extend them directly to the drainage tank or a convenient construction location. See Figure 7 for reference.

Step Four: Wire Connection

By now, I believe you have planned out the circuit and water routes in your warehouse/room. Now, we can proceed with installing your dehumidifiers and connecting them to the power supply, getting ready to start using them.

Firstly, ask your electrical engineer to connect the dehumidifier to the power socket. We have placed a small sticker on the wires of each dehumidifier, as shown in Figure 7. The sticker indicates the color of each wire. Make sure to remind the electrician to check this, as the colors of live, earth, and neutral wires vary from country to country, to avoid any mistakes.

When connecting the wires, make sure to connect the L1 wire to the L1 terminal on the socket, and the L2 wire to the L2 terminal. Please note that grounding is essential! This is crucial for the daily operation of industrial dehumidifiers. Failure to ground the unit can pose serious safety risks.

Step Five: Test if Your Dehumidifier Is Working

At this point, you have connected the dehumidifier to the power source and are ready to perform a test run.

Step One: Turn on the switch. The dehumidifier’s control panel will indicate the dehumidification mode is activated by flashing the dehumidification mode circle repeatedly.

Step Two: Check for airflow. Verify if air is immediately coming out of the air outlet. You can feel the airflow by placing your hand near the top air outlet.

Step Three: Check compressor operation. After 3 minutes, the dehumidifier will experience a slight vibration as the compressor starts. If you don’t notice it, proceed to the next step.

Step Four: Set the target humidity. Refer to the instructions provided to set the desired target humidity level.

Step Five: Check drainage. Wait for 5-15 minutes, and you will observe water draining out through the hose.

By following these five steps, you can confirm that the industrial dehumidifier is operating effectively.

Problems That May Occur During the Installation

After completing the installation of the dehumidifier smoothly, you may encounter some issues during the installation process. Here are some common problems:

E6 Phase loss: Not all power lines are properly connected.

E7 Phase sequence error: Exchange the positions of the live wires L2 and L3, then restart the test.

E8 Single-phase compressor protection: Voltage is too high or too low. The problem caused by high or low voltage is not only about compressor protection. A moment of high voltage can cause irreversible damage to other components. Therefore, before installing and using the dehumidifier, it is necessary to test the voltage of the power supply.

Installation and Usage Precautions for Dehumidifiers

During the installation and usage of dehumidifiers, there are many important precautions to keep in mind. Please stay focused as you continue reading.

Nearby Shelves Where Dehumidifiers Are Placed Should Not Be Overcrowded With Items.

Because the dehumidifier works by drawing in humid air from its surroundings through the intake vent and expelling dry air from the top, the shelves in its vicinity should not be overcrowded with items. Otherwise, it can hinder the flow of humid air from reaching the dehumidifier and the dry air from dispersing effectively. This can limit the control of humidity to only the immediate area around the dehumidifier, leaving the humidity levels farther away from it unregulated.

Mark the Area Where the Dehumidifier Is Placed.

After placing the dehumidifier in the designated area, please draw a yellow and black diagonal zebra crossing pattern in the dehumidifier placement area.

Remind your workshop and factory workers to pay attention to safety and not to move the dehumidifier arbitrarily.

Please Try to Close Doors and Windows as Much as Possible When Using the Dehumidifier.

If your warehouse needs to be loaded and unloaded throughout the day, it’s not possible to keep the doors closed all the time. Similarly, there may be frequent movement of personnel in the workshop. However, please try to ensure that the space remains as sealed as possible. Whenever feasible, close the doors and windows to maintain the efficiency of the dehumidifier. Especially on rainy days when outdoor humidity is high, the exchange of dry indoor air with humid outdoor air can significantly affect the performance of the dehumidifier.

Conclusion

Before installing the dehumidifier, please review these articles, and also ask your installation engineer to browse through them. Once the dehumidifier is installed, I believe the humidity in your workshop/warehouse will be under control soon. If you encounter any problems during the installation process, feel free to consult me at any time.

Lastly, a reminder again: All steps related to electricity should be handled by professional electrical engineers, and attention should be paid to electrical safety.