Capacity
The nominal capacity of the dehumidifier is the maximum amount of moisture that the unit can remove from the air per day.
For efficient operation, the capacity of the dehumidifier must be no less than the amount of excess moisture that accumulates in the room during the same time. This amount can be calculated using special formulas or calculator programs. However, the results of such calculations are quite approximate, but they can be used in the selection, and for a full guarantee it is worth taking a performance margin of at least 10–20%. If desired, this margin can be more; but note that high performance significantly affects the price, dimensions and energy consumption of the dehumidifier.
As for specific values, entry-level models for small spaces provide
less than 25 L/day. Indicators of
26 – 50 L/day can be called average,
51 – 75 L/day — above average; there are also many powerful professional units with a capacity of
more than 75 L/day.
Power consumption
Power consumption of the dehumidifier in normal operation.
From a practical point of view, this characteristic is secondary — manufacturers select power in such a way as to provide the necessary operating parameters (performance, air flow, etc.), and when choosing, you should focus primarily on these parameters. However, certain practical points also depend on the power consumption. Firstly, only models of less than 3-3.5 kW can be connected to ordinary household outlets; higher power consumption will require either a 400 V supply (see Power supply) or a direct connection to the panel. However, even power of
more than 2 kW is rare in modern dehumidifiers — for most of these devices, the energy consumption is in the range
from 500 to 1000 W or
from 1000 to 2000 W, and in the most modest models it does
not exceed 500 W at all. Secondly, power data may be required to calculate the load on the power grid. Such a need arises mainly for the selection of additional equipment — circuit breakers, AVR, UPS, etc.
Also, note that models with similar performance may differ in power consumption. However, a more economical dehumidifier often costs more, but with regular use, this difference pays off by reducing energy costs.
Controls
The type of control provided in the design of the dehumidifier.
The type of control determines how external control elements (buttons, knobs, sliders) interact with the hardware of the unit. There are two options here:
—
Mechanical. Systems in which the control elements act directly on the individual parts of the dryer. For example, fan speed adjustment (see "Features") in such systems can be carried out using a slider that directly changes the resistance of the resistor in the fan power circuit; the shutdown timer (see ibid.) is a rotary knob with a clock mechanism, etc. The mechanical control is simple and reliable, it is suitable for all basic functions of the dehumidifier and at the same time, it is inexpensive. On the other hand, such systems are inferior in accuracy to electronic ones, and besides, they do not allow many additional features (remote control, display, etc.). Therefore, although this type of control can be found in all categories of dehumidifiers, there are fewer such models on the modern market than electronic ones.
—
Electronic. Control is carried out through a special electronic circuit: each user action (pressing a button, turning a knob, etc.) is processed by this circuit, and from it control signals are sent to the working elements of the dehumidifier. Such systems are more functional and advanced than mechanical ones. Electronic control is conveni
...ent and allows you to use various additional functions — for example, displays and remote controls; and individual parameters can be controlled with very high precision and small adjustment steps. The disadvantages of electronic systems are considered to be higher cost and lower reliability than mechanics, as well as repair difficulty. At the same time, these shortcomings are not so often critical: for example, differences in cost are usually almost imperceptible against the the overall price of devices, and the probability of failure in modern electronics is still very low. Nowadays, it is the most popular type of control among dehumidifiers of all categories. And it can be implemented either by buttons or by touch panel. The second option gives the device a solid look.Noise level
The maximum noise level produced by the dryer during operation. The lower this number, the more comfortable the use of the unit will be; this is especially true for residential premises. For workshops, warehouses and other similar places, the noise level is not so critical — this type of climate control equipment is often installed in places where there are almost no people, or in the vicinity of such noisy equipment, against which the noise from the dehumidifier can simply be lost. However, for non-residential premises, data on the noise can be useful — for example, to assess the need for special ear protection and other labour protection measures.
Note that this parameter is measured in decibels, and this is a non-linear value: for example, a change of 3 dB approximately corresponds to an increase/decrease in power by 2 times, by 10 dB — by 10 times, etc. Therefore, to assess the noise level, it is easiest to use comparative tables. Here is a simplified table for the range that most modern dehumidifiers fall into.
35 dB — muffled conversation;
40 dB — quiet conversation; the maximum noise level allowed in residential premises during the daytime;
45 — 50 dB — conversation in a normal tone;
55 dB — background sound in the office without special noise sources;
60 dB — loud conversation;
65 dB — city street with average traffic intensity;
70 dB — a conversation of several people in raised tones.
