Crawl space dehumidifier wiring

[SilentType]

I have a dehumidifier and condensate pump in the crawl space under the main part of our house on a dedicated 20 amp circuit and receptacle.

There is another room that was added on to the house with the only access to the rest of the crawl space being an opening that was occupied by a foundation vent. I want to put another smaller dehumidifier and pump in that space.

My question is can everything be ran on the one circuit? Here's the amp rating of all items:
Larger dehumidifier 9.9A
Smaller dehumidifier 4.1A
Condensate pump 1.6A
Condensate pump 1.0A
Total 16.6 amps if everything is running at once.

I am not an electrician. What I've found from scouring the internet is the"80 percent rule" that says a breaker cannot exceed 80 percent of its rated load for more than 3 hours. 16.6 is slighly more than 80 percent however all the pieces do not run continuously. Both dehumidifiers do monitor humidity levels but I'm not sure how much current they draw for that, probably not much.

Should I add another dedicated circuit? Tie in to existing outlet?

 

[Geekhead]

I have a dehumidifier and condensate pump in the crawl space under the main part of our house on a dedicated 20 amp circuit and receptacle.

There is another room that was added on to the house with the only access to the rest of the crawl space being an opening that was occupied by a foundation vent. I want to put another smaller dehumidifier and pump in that space.

My question is can everything be ran on the one circuit? Here's the amp rating of all items:
Larger dehumidifier 9.9A
Smaller dehumidifier 4.1A
Condensate pump 1.6A
Condensate pump 1.0A
Total 16.6 amps if everything is running at once.

I am not an electrician. What I've found from scouring the internet is the"80 percent rule" that says a breaker cannot exceed 80 percent of its rated load for more than 3 hours. 16.6 is slighly more than 80 percent however all the pieces do not run continuously. Both dehumidifiers do monitor humidity levels but I'm not sure how much current they draw for that, probably not much.

Should I add another dedicated circuit? Tie in to existing outlet?

When motors start there is a brief higher than rated load on the circuit. On AC outside units for example you will see a LRA rating(locked rotor amp) and a FLA (full load or running amps). Breakers are designed to handle the brief surges at start till the FLA phase of operation. The dehumidifiers would be the ones who have the largest LRA due to compressors but you should be fine unless all 4 loads start at the exact same time then you may get a breaker trip. With normal cycling of the loads I think you should be fine. If the breaker frequently trips you will have your answer if you need to add another circuit.

 

[mrsilv04]

I'd try it since it is a dedicated circuit. If you start getting a tripped breaker... then there's your answer.

The other thing... if the does breaker trip, how will you know? It could be days before you realize that you haven't heard a dehumidifier running.

When I wired my house, I put my master bedroom ceiling light on my dedicated sump pump circuit. One evening, I came home from work, and didn't have any lights in my master bedroom. Sump pump had dead shorted, tripped the breaker, and needed to be replaced. Much better than figuring it out when there's already several inches of standing water.

 

[Number_35]

I'd try it since it is a dedicated circuit. If you start getting a tripped breaker... then there's your answer.

The other thing... if the does breaker trip, how will you know? It could be days before you realize that you haven't heard a dehumidifier running.

When I wired my house, I put my master bedroom ceiling light on my dedicated sump pump circuit. One evening, I came home from work, and didn't have any lights in my master bedroom. Sump pump had dead shorted, tripped the breaker, and needed to be replaced. Much better than figuring it out when there's already several inches of standing water.

That's a really good idea - our sump pump is on a dedicated circuit that feeds a duplex receptacle. I should plug a low-wattage lamp into the unused half of the receptacle, and let it run full-time.

 

[MasterSolenoid]

It would be nice to have some kind of water-alarm hooked up to the condensate pump.
Maybe some kind of wattage-meter in the living area so you can see the dehumidifier working ?
Is there a wi-fi setup you could hookup and check wattage with your smartphone ?
Note: I was raised in a flood area.

I believe in keeping things simple, but how about this-
https://www.amazon.com/Failure-Noti...JRPDJSK/dp/B0FJRPDJSK/ref=dp_ob_title_hi?th=1

To others with a basement (NOT crawl-space), I plugged an LED night-light into the dedicated outlet for my sump-pump.
As soon as I walk downstairs, I know the sump-pump has power .... it's just reassuring.

 

[zzyzzx]

I would just tie it to the existing circuit.

 

[SilentType]

I'd try it since it is a dedicated circuit. If you start getting a tripped breaker... then there's your answer.

The other thing... if the does breaker trip, how will you know? It could be days before you realize that you haven't heard a dehumidifier running.

When I wired my house, I put my master bedroom ceiling light on my dedicated sump pump circuit. One evening, I came home from work, and didn't have any lights in my master bedroom. Sump pump had dead shorted, tripped the breaker, and needed to be replaced. Much better than figuring it out when there's already several inches of standing water.

I'm pretty well tuned in listening for it run. The dehumidifier that's already under the house did quit working recently, I noticed that I hadn't heard it running in a while and the drain line was no longer producing water. Got it fixed under warranty.

My biggest concern is if both units kicked in at the same time, no doubt it would trip the breaker.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I had similar happen with the dehumidifier in my garage. The hose kinked and it filled up the container on the unit then shut off. Not sure how long it was like this for because it has been raining and the driveway was wet.

I'd probably run the dehumidifier and sump pump on a separate circuit, but the dehumidifier can probably be combined with the others on a 20A circuit. If it trips the breaker, there's your answer.

In my old house, I had the sump pump on it's own 20A circuit with a GFCI just because I didn't want to risk it tripping during an inconvenient time and me not noticing it.

 

[Donald]

Get a Samsung SmartThings Hub and a few water sensors, a few RH sensors and a smart outlet for each dehumidifier. Total cost maybe $200 to $250.

You can then see the RH in those areas, can monitor watts via Smart Outlet and water leaks via smartphone. Set up alarms in the SmartThings.

Drop a could of the of condensate pan tablets in the condensate pumps so you don't get gungo (very technical) building up in condensate pumps.

The Samsung SmartThings are mostly Aeotec now. Still SmartThings, just Aeotec not Samsung.

I have this setup plus water sensors all over my house and in crawlspace. Behind every toilet. Under dishwasher. Near washing machine. Under kitchen sink.

 

[repairman54]

Whats the circuits wire gauge ? If 12 you can go to a 20a breaker safely. Most likely only 14.
I would just run them and see if breaker trips are a problem. Only issue I could see is if both dehum's turn on at the same time after an extended power outage. You could stagger each units humidity setting by 5% to minimize that in normal conditions.
Ratings are maximum at start up and lower during normal run and as said breaker does have small start up load ''cushion''.
I'm no fan of GFI's in humid areas that are not near sinks, tubs, etc. where they are needed with ungrounded small appliances. I've seen too many false trip issues.
Water sensor is a must since its a inconvenient area to easily monitor.

 

[MasterSolenoid]

Get a Samsung SmartThings Hub and a few water sensors, a few RH sensors and a smart outlet for each dehumidifier. Total cost maybe $200 to $250.
I have this setup plus water sensors all over my house and in crawlspace. Behind every toilet. Under dishwasher. Near washing machine. Under kitchen sink.

Any type of water alarm is great.
I also have them:
* behind refrigerator
* next to sump pump pit
* top & bottom of hot water heater

I have a ranch house and twice a year I use a flashlight and look for any leaks/staining in the basement.

 

[Donald]

Any type of water alarm is great.
I also have them:
* behind refrigerator
* next to sump pump pit
* top & bottom of hot water heater

I have a ranch house and twice a year I use a flashlight and look for any leaks/staining in the basement.

I have a crawlspace and crawling around down there is just not fun.

 

[Donald]

Any type of water alarm is great.
I also have them:
* behind refrigerator
* next to sump pump pit
* top & bottom of hot water heater

I have a ranch house and twice a year I use a flashlight and look for any leaks/staining in the basement.

Why on top? I have a heat pump water heater so the hop of the heater is really the compressor area. And this water heater is in a pan with a SmartThings leak detector. And the water heater has its own leak detector connected to the water heater and has an electric shutoff solenoid also connected to the water heater.

 

[Donald]

A guy a work changed the filter in refrig and something must not have been right. Latter in the evening they found water all over the kitchen floor and dripping into finished basement. Made a real mess of things.

 

[SilentType]

I'd try it since it is a dedicated circuit. If you start getting a tripped breaker... then there's your answer.

The other thing... if the does breaker trip, how will you know? It could be days before you realize that you haven't heard a dehumidifier running.

When I wired my house, I put my master bedroom ceiling light on my dedicated sump pump circuit. One evening, I came home from work, and didn't have any lights in my master bedroom. Sump pump had dead shorted, tripped the breaker, and needed to be replaced. Much better than figuring it out when there's already several inches of standing water.

There's a blank face GFCI receptacle under the panel in our utility room, I can glance to see if the indicator light is on.

Whats the circuits wire gauge ? If 12 you can go to a 20a breaker safely. Most likely only 14.
I would just run them and see if breaker trips are a problem. Only issue I could see is if both dehum's turn on at the same time after an extended power outage. You could stagger each units humidity setting by 5% to minimize that in normal conditions.
Ratings are maximum at start up and lower during normal run and as said breaker does have small start up load ''cushion''.
I'm no fan of GFI's in humid areas that are not near sinks, tubs, etc. where they are needed with ungrounded small appliances. I've seen too many false trip issues.
Water sensor is a must since its a inconvenient area to easily monitor.

It is a 20 amp breaker and IIRC 12 gauge wire must be used (IDK what's there) 14 gauge does not meet code according to Google

 

[Donald]

There's a blank face GFCI receptacle under the panel in our utility room, I can glance to see if the indicator light is on.

It is a 20 amp breaker and IIRC 12 gauge wire must be used (IDK what's there) 14 gauge does not meet code according to Google

15 amp is #14. 20 amp is #12. 30 amp is #10.

 

[repairman54]

A guy a work changed the filter in refrig and something must not have been right. Latter in the evening they found water all over the kitchen floor and dripping into finished basement. Made a real mess of things.

Possibly he didn't purge enough air out of the system. Water tank and filter in a ref. is not feed line pressurized after it passes through the inlet valve so air can push water out later on. Or filter not seated right when ice maker called for water. Some knock off filter can be problematic.

 

[zzyzzx]

Get a Samsung SmartThings Hub and a few water sensors, a few RH sensors and a smart outlet for each dehumidifier. Total cost maybe $200 to $250.

You can then see the RH in those areas, can monitor watts via Smart Outlet and water leaks via smartphone. Set up alarms in the SmartThings.

Drop a could of the of condensate pan tablets in the condensate pumps so you don't get gungo (very technical) building up in condensate pumps.

The Samsung SmartThings are mostly Aeotec now. Still SmartThings, just Aeotec not Samsung.

I have this setup plus water sensors all over my house and in crawlspace. Behind every toilet. Under dishwasher. Near washing machine. Under kitchen sink.

I have a second main valve that I just shut off when I'm away....