Dri-Eaz DRITEC 150, DRITEC 325 Owner's Manual
OWNER'S MANUAL
WARRANTY • SAFETY • OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
MAINTENANCE • SPECIFICATIONS • TROUBLESHOOTING
DRITEC™ 150 and DRITEC™ 325
DESICCANT DEHUMIDIFIERS
This manual includes important safety warnings and operating information.
Please read before using the dehumidifier and save for future reference.
PURCHASE DATE: _________________________ SERIAL NO.: _____________________________
DEALER: ___________________________________________________________________________
DRI-EAZ PRODUCTS • 15180 Josh Wilson Road, Burlington, WA 98233 • www.dri-eaz.com • (360) 757-7776
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...................................................................... 2
WARRANTY............................................................................. 2
SAFETY INFORMATION......................................................... 3
PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION ............................................... 3
Process Air.......................................................................... 3
Reactivation Air................................................................... 4
OPERATING CONDITIONS .................................................... 4
Saturated Environments..................................................... 4
Lower Levels of Humidity ................................................... 4
Monitoring Humidity Changes............................................ 4
Moisture Content of Materials ............................................ 5
MAIN COMPONENTS ............................................................. 5
Air Filter............................................................................... 5
Reactivation Air Stream...................................................... 5
Rotor Drive.......................................................................... 5
Main Controls...................................................................... 5
Indicator Lights ................................................................... 5
INSTALLATION & START-UP................................................. 5
Inspection............................................................................ 5
Positioning the Dehumidifier .............................................. 5
Locating the Dehumidifier .................................................. 5
Air Circulation ..................................................................... 6
Duct Connections ............................................................... 6
Connecting the Ductwork ................................................... 7
Connecting the Power ........................................................ 7
MAINTENANCE ....................................................................... 7
Clean the Air Filters............................................................ 7
Check Reactivation Outlet Temperature ........................... 7
Check the Rotor Air Seals.................................................. 7
Check the Rotor.................................................................. 7
Maintenance Quick Reference Summary.......................... 8
TROUBLESHOOTING............................................................. 8
No Indicator Lights.............................................................. 8
"Blower On" Light Is Off...................................................... 8
"Heater On" Light Is Off...................................................... 8
Reactivation Outlet Temperature Too Low........................ 8
Poor Dehumidifying Performance...................................... 9
Rotor Is Stopped................................................................. 9
Checking the Heater Elements .......................................... 9
SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................. 10
TROUBLESHOOTING SUMMARY....................................... 11
Congratulations on your selection of a new DriTec™
325 Desiccant Dehumidifier or a DriTec 150 Desiccant Dehumidifier from Dri-Eaz Products, Inc. It is our goal to offer
you the best high performance dehumidifier available. We
invite your comments and suggestions for modifications and
improvements. Reading this Owner's Manual will help you
achieve maximum benefits from your dehumidifier.
Read Manual and Safety Information. Make sure that
all technicians and operators who use the DriTec read and
understand the owner's manual prior to operation. Pay particular attention to the safety information in order to reduce
the risk of electrical shock, fire, or personal injury.
Inspect on Arrival. When your DriTec arrives, check
immediately for signs of shipping damage. If you do notice
any damage, report it to your supplier and the shipping company immediately. It is important to save the shipping carton
for claim purposes. If your DriTec ever needs repairs at a
remote location, the unit should be packed and shipped in its
original carton.
INTRODUCTION
The DriTec Desiccant Dehumidifier is designed to reduce humidity by removing moisture from the air. Proper
dehumidification helps to speed the drying of wet carpet,
cushion, floors, walls, contents and structural materials. It
also prevents mold and mildew growth caused by moist or
humid conditions.
The DriTec Desiccant can create extremely low humidity
conditions, and can operate efficiently in very low temperatures. These two benefits of the desiccant dehumidifier are
not possible with refrigerant dehumidifiers.
Your DriTec Desiccant Dehumidifier is durable and simple to operate, needing very little maintenance. The DriTec
can give you years of trouble free service if you follow the
recommendations in this manual.
We strongly advise that you read and study the manual.
You will learn how your desiccant dehumidifier works and
how to get the best service from your DriTec Desiccant.
If you do not understand something in this manual or if
you have a question about your dehumidifier, call the Service Department at Dri-Eaz Products, (360) 757-7776.
WARRANTY
Please stop before proceeding to complete the warranty
card enclosed with the unit. Return the card promptly to DriEaz Products.
1-Year Comprehensive Warranty: Dri-Eaz Products,
Inc. promises to the original purchaser to repair or replace
any part of a DriTec Desiccant Dehumidifier that proves to
be defective in workmanship or materials for a period one
year from the date of purchase. During the first year, DriEaz Products Inc. will cover all material, labor and shipping
costs to and from the service center.
5-Year Rotor Warranty: Dri-Eaz promises to the original purchaser to repair or replace, at its option, parts necessary to correct any desiccant rotor found to be defective in
materials or workmanship for a period of 5 years from date
of purchase. The customer is responsible for all labor and
shipping charges after one year.
7-Year Housing and Frame Warranty: Dri-Eaz will
repair or replace, at its option, parts necessary to correct the
housing and frame from metal cracks, weld separations, or
defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 7 years
from purchase date. The customer is responsible for all labor and shipping charges after one year.
Limitations: This warranty shall not extend to any products showing effects of misuse, disassembly, alteration, lack
of proper maintenance, corrosive chemicals, improper voltage, accident damage, unauthorized repairs, use of other than
genuine parts and materials, fire, flood, normal wear or any
other causes beyond Dri-Eaz Products' control. The warranty
obligation extends only to the repairs or replacement of parts
found, upon Dri-Eaz Products' examination, to be defective.
The foregoing constitutes the entire warranty and no
other warranty, liability, contingency or responsibility, direct, indirect, consequential or in any way connected with
the sale or operation of equipment products is expressed or
implied. This warranty gives you specific legal rights. You
may have additional rights under law, which vary from state
to state.
To receive warranty service: You must write in or call
for a Return Authorization. No parts will be accepted without the serial number of the equipment the part was taken
out of and an authorization number, nor will any credit be
given until the parts are received. Please direct questions on
the warranty to an authorized distributor or Dri-Eaz Products
Inc. at (360) 757-7776. If damage was sustained during
shipping, be sure to retain the shipping materials for a possible freight damage claim.
SAFETY INFORMATION
Dri-Eaz is concerned about the safety of anyone who
uses or performs maintenance on the DriTec Desiccant unit.
It is dangerous for an untrained individual to attempt to use
or perform maintenance on the unit. Throughout this manual
we point out some of the precautions which should be taken
in use or maintenance of the. We use three different kinds
of messages to warn you of possible problems or precautionary measures:
Danger – Immediate hazard which will result in severe
personal injury or death.
Warning – Hazard or unsafe practice which may result in
severe personal injury or death.
Caution – Hazard or unsafe practice which could result in
personal injury or property damage.
Please keep these points in mind as you use or service
the unit.
• Never use the DriTec 325 or the DriTec 150 without a
proper extension cord. Do not use the 325 with any extension cord other than the one available from Dri-Eaz Products. Use of any other extension cord may cause an electrical
short or fire hazard.
• Never alter the grounding plug or remove it from the
electrical cord. Do not use an adapter that defeats the dehumidifier’s electrical grounding. This could cause an electrical shock or fire hazard. Do not use the unit for any reason if
it cannot be properly grounded.
• Never operate the unit in standing water, because of the
risk of serious electrical shock hazard. The unit may be operated on damp surfaces but not in standing or pooled water.
• Never allow any materials, such as draperies, to obstruct
the air inlet or outlets. This could cause the unit to overheat
and result in a fire or electrical hazard.
• Never allow children to play on or around the unit. Be
sure the unit is inaccessible to children when left unattended.
Children could seriously injure themselves or others by
playing with or around the unit.
• Never operate or store the unit outdoors, or otherwise
expose the unit to water. The housing is not waterproof, and
water allowed inside the unit could cause an electrical shock
hazard or damage to the unit. If electrical components become wet, allow the unit to dry thoroughly before operating.
• Never insert any implement or device into the unit when
it is operating, which could cause an electrical shock or
damage to the unit.
• Never operate the unit with a damaged electrical cord or
plug, which could cause a severe electrical shock or fire hazard. Visually inspect the electrical cord and plug for damage
before each use.
• Never direct fogged chemicals or chemicals of any type
into the unit, which could cause a fire hazard or damage to
the unit.
• Never operate the unit in temperatures above 105°F
(41°C), which could cause damage to the desiccant rotor or
electrical components.
• Never allow condensate water which may collect in the
reactivation ducting during operation to run back into the
unit. This could cause a shock hazard or damage to the unit.
Keep at least part of the ducting lower than the reactivation
outlet at all times.
• Never operate the unit without the air filter, which could
cause damage to the desiccant rotor from contaminants.
• Never open the unit cover with the power connected,
which could cause an extreme electrical shock hazard. The
power source provides enough voltage and current to cause
death or severe burns. Always turn off the power before you
work inside the unit. Do not work with the electrical parts
unless you are a trained electrician.
• Never wash the rotor with any solvent. This could per-
manently damage the rotor.
• Always ensure that correct voltage is used. Failure to do
so could cause an electrical shock or fire hazard.
• Always secure the unit to prevent sliding when trans-
porting in a vehicle, which could cause injury to vehicle
occupants, or damage to the vehicle or unit.
PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
DriTec Desiccant Dehumidifiers are designed to reduce
humidity by removing moisture from the air. This helps to
dry wet carpets, cushions, floors, walls, contents and structural materials. It also prevents mold and mildew growth
caused by moist or humid conditions.
Figure 1 shows how DriTec Desiccants remove moisture
from the air. The heart of the system is the rotor, which has a
series of air passages or channels. Air can be forced through
these channels in either direction.
The passages inside the rotor are coated with a special
silica gel substance which is a "desiccant," a material with a
unique affinity for water. When damp air passes through
rotor, the desiccant material "adsorbs" or captures the water
vapor, thus drying the air. The DriTec's desiccant material
employs rare metal technology to increase the attraction of
water to the silica gel.
Process Air
When in use, the DriTec Dehumidifier draws in air from
a room through the air inlet. This air passes through the honeycomb channels of the rotor. As this happens, the desiccant
material captures most of the moisture present in the air.
Once this "process air" has been dried out, it is vented back
into the room.
As the rotor captures water vapor from the air, it becomes saturated with water. The saturated rotor eventually
loses its ability to capture additional moisture. The process
of removing this water from the rotor is called
"reactivation."
DriTec 325 shown (dual air outlets)
Reactivation Air
During operation, a portion of the rotor is constantly being dried or "reactivated." In the DriTec, heated air is directed to the reactivation sector and is forced through the
channels in that portion of the rotor. The heated air releases
the moisture captured in the desiccant material. The moisture
is discharged into the heated "reactivation air stream" and is
then vented from the unit to the outdoors. As the DriTec
operates, the rotor slowly turns so that only a portion of the
whole rotor is exposed to the heated reactivation air at any
one time.
At this point, the moisture has been removed from the
room, stored on the rotor, and then released from the rotor
into the outside air. The desiccant dehumidification process
cycle is complete.
Here is a quick review of the operation:
1. Moist process air is drawn into inlet and through the de-
humidifier.
2. Moisture in the process air is captured on the desiccant
rotor and the dry process air is vented through process
outlets back into the room.
3. Reactivation air is heated within the dehumidifier.
4. The wet area of the rotor turns into the reactivation sec-
tor.
5. The moisture in the desiccant rotor is released into the
heated reactivation air.
6. The reactivation air, laden with moisture, is vented
through the reactivation outlet to the outdoors.
7. The reactivated rotor rotates into position to capture
more moisture.
OPERATING CONDITIONS
The DriTec Desiccant Dehumidifier effectively removes
moisture at virtually any job temperature without the freezeup problems associated with refrigerant dehumidifiers. Lowtemperature operation is one advantage of using desiccant
technology.
The DriTec dramatically reduces ambient humidity to
very low levels not obtainable with refrigerant dehumidifiers. This allows faster and more thorough drying of dense
materials like hardwood flooring and structural woods.
The DriTec also uses improved technology that removes
humidity When a desiccant dehumidifier is first put into
operation in a saturated environment, it will constantly reduce humidity. Its rate of water removal is determined by the
volume of the area, the environmental conditions, and the
capabilities of the machine.
Saturated Environments
On many restorative drying jobs, the initial humidity is
very high as porous materials like carpet and cushion give
up moisture to the air. However, as the job progresses and
humidity levels fall, moisture may need to be evaporated
from less porous materials including drywall and wood.
Refrigerants are most effective when both humidity and
temperature are high. They are much less effective in ambient conditions under 50% relative humidity or 50°F (10°C).
Desiccant dehumidifiers are generally effective in all ranges
of temperature and humidity.
In saturated environments it is often helpful to use the
DriTec Desiccant together with refrigerant units to speed the
drying process. In these conditions the DriTec removes water as well as a comparable refrigerant unit. Also, it is actually more cost effective. (For example, a 25-gallon/day
refrigerant dehumidifier that costs $2,195 removes water at
$87.80 per gallon. The 48-gallon/day DriTec 325 that costs
$3,699 is removing water at $77.06 – a cost savings of over
$10/gallon.)
Lower Levels of Humidity
When the relative humidity falls to 40%, a refrigerant
dehumidifier will remove little additional water. At this
point many materials in the room such as carpets and wall
surfaces may feel dry, but moisture may remain in structural
materials. Ceilings, walls, and structural flooring materials
typically take longer to dry. The DriTec Desiccant is superior for drying these materials. It has the capability to lower
humidity over time to below 1% Rh. The low humidity environment created by the DriTec speeds the drying of structural materials which dry very slowly in conditions of
normal, comfortable humidity.
The DriTec Desiccant also can be more cost-effective
than refrigerant dehumidifiers in low-temperature conditions. The DriTec continues to remove moisture at tempera-
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