# Thermo in Basement Phenom?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thermo-in-basement-phenom/91718>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 6, 2001, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thermo-in-basement-phenom/91718 "2001-11-06T02:55:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2001, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thermo-in-basement-phenom/91718/1 "2001-11-06T02:55:40Z")

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Ok, I have a dehumidifier in the basement. Actually, it was given to me, so I don’t have a manual which might give me a clue, but…I am certain the device doesn’t have a compressor. You only hear a fan running. The other day, the coil on the back was covered in a block of ice! How could this be? (My basement is a cool ~60 F)

Then, I started wondering…how does it dehumidify across this coil without a compressor to provide a cool working fluid by which to cool the air and thus dehumidify?

In short, how does this thing dehumidify, and why am I getting ice build-up? (What’s running through the coil?) No, there’s no piping to this stand-alone unit except the condensate drain is hard-piped.

Weird! A thermo mystery. I can’t believe I’ve sucked the sensible AND latent heat out of the air to create ice without some kind of prime mover! Can someone explain the seemingly impossible?

- Jinx

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**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2001, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thermo-in-basement-phenom/91718/2 "2001-11-06T03:25:32Z")

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[howstuffworks](http://www.howstuffworks.com/question76.htm) seems to think there is an air conditioner in there somewhere.