Electrical – Is it safe to turn off dehumidifier by switching power off

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I am thinking of plugging my compressor dehumidifier to a smart switch so I can control it when it should turn on/off by controlling the power outlet.

The dehumidifier has an "Auto Restart" feature so that if power cuts off, it will go back to its last operation it was on before the power cut off.

In the manual it does state the following:

Turning off: Never unplug the power cord without press the "Power" key
to off first, as this could damage the unit. Never unplug the
dehumidifier before the fan has stopped blowing. Always unplug the
unit when not in use or moving location. To disconnect from the power
supply, grip the plug and pull from the power socket. Never pull by
the cord.

Not sure whether or not that was added just as a precaution or whether there is an actual cool down cycle of the compressor that it has to do in order not to damage the unit.

Anyone have any idea?

Best Answer

Refrigerant cycle dehumidifiers have some sensitivities, and I would recommend operating in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations.

I operated several types of conventional and LGR commercial grade dehumidifiers for many years. I don't know what your machine needs, but there were several reasons why our machines needed to be operated properly.

Since we don't know which type of machine you have, we don't have enough information to tell you why it might be a bad idea to operate it contrary to the manufacturers recommendations. However, there are a few reasons why it may be a bad idea to unplug a unit rather than turn it off properly. There are additional reasons why turning the machine off and on via a smart switch could be a bad idea.

These reasons could include:

  • The need to dissipate heat before the machine shuts down completely (from the directions you quoted it sounds like your machine has a blower that operates for some period after the "Power" key is pressed)
  • The need to let the remaining water collect before purging the drip pan (depending on how your machine collects and purges water)
  • The need for a compressor delay between on-off cycles (many machines handle this automatically)
  • The need to protect sensitive electronics from voltage spikes
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