Heat-Pump Dryer Problem
S K| Posted inEnergy Efficiency and Durabilityon
I just got a Samsung heat pump dryer DV22N6800HW and I am disappointed in its performance. The drum does not seem to get hot at all…is this normal? I know that it drys at a lower temp than a regular dryer, but the clothes are actually cool to the touch even mid-cycle. It appears to be running fine, but the clothes are still not dry after 2 hours. Any insights from others who have a heat pump dryer are appreciated. Thank you. –Sid
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Replies
Sid
A heat pump or condensing dryer will not roast clothing like a conventional dryer. It is not unusual for clothes to feel cool or even slightly damp when the cycle ends. This level of "dry" is better because it means clothing will last longer.
Steve,
I was mostly concerned/curious if the heat pump dryer drum EVER got warm over the drying cycle. That's why I checked the drum mid-cycle, vice end of cycle. My unit appeared to never get noticably warm (let alone hot), so does this mean that the moisture extraction process is mainly via dehumidification, vice heating/cooking the clothes to drive of moisture like in a traditional dryer? I had expected the clothing/air to be warmed, but not cooked.
I "dried" some towels and pillowcases for about a total of 5 hours and they were still damp! If this is the normal performance to be expected, then I will be returning the unit. After being impressed and satisfied with heat pump performance in my Mitsubishi mini-split and Rheem hybrid water heater, this dryer feels like an epic fail. I was really excited to get it and go vent free, so I am doubly disappointed.
I had read spotty reports on the performance of condensing dryers (I see them on Craigslist at fire-sale prices) and that's why I specifically went for a heat pump unit.
Sid,
你检查水箱看到佤邦多少ter is being extracted? If the dryer runs for a couple of hours, but the tank is relatively empty, that suggests an operational issue.
Even bulky items shouldn't take 5 hours or longer to dry. You might try Samsung again and ask them to escalate your problem. I would look at (1) a free service call or (2) a replacement unit.
If it runs for that long and the clothes aren't dry, it's not working.
The clothes that come out of my heat pump dryer are bone dry, and very warm. The heat pump dryer reuses the heat, it doesn't operate without any heat.
Most ventless dryers drain directly to the house drain, like a washing machine. While a tank is an option, I suspect that is only used in applications where a household drain is not available, like some remote cottage with just a composting toilet and no septic system.
Steve, I'm glad you mentioned the water tank...it's not collected any water! I may have gotten a defective unit. I've asked to return it, but now I am thinking I should get a redelivery of another unit to see how it really should work? Definitely feeling gun shy now and concerned about reliability/repairability of the Samsung.
Trevor, is your dryer a Samsung? Has it been mechanically reliable for you? Thanks.
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My Miele heat pump dryer also can get the clothes fairly hot. I would agree that it likely won't get as hot as a gas-fired or resistive electric heat unit, but that is a good thing for your clothes' longevity (as @Steve noted)! However, for a more delicate load of clothing, I often turn down the temperature to medium even on this Miele unit and I have noticed the clothes being less "cooked". This is another verification that the drum can get hot.
Trevor, what is the brand you purchased and do you still like the dryer?
I have a Whirlpool Hybridcare, now discontinued. It's ok. It dries well, and it does use less energy than a regular drier, even ignoring the savings of not pulling in unconditioned air from outside, which I think is the biggest contributor.
It's got some well documented design flaws. One is that it doesn't do a very good job of filtering the lint out of the air stream. This results in the coil fins directly behind the filter screen getting clogged up over time, and it also means you get a small amount of lint accumulating on surfaces in the room the dryer is in. The second design flaw stems from the first, in that it's impossible to access the coil to clean it without half disassembling the whole dryer. I've done this once, and it took a couple of hours. Assuming I manage to retain what I learned the first time, I think next time it will be not much more than half an hour. I plan to do this annually. So if you're looking for set and forget, look elsewhere. While this model is discontinued, I suspect their current models probably followed on from the same basic design.