I had this problem too, and the solution was relatively simple. First of all let me try and explain how the water gets up into the water collector drawer that you usually empty. The water that develops on the condensor unit (in the bottom front left )collects in a 'sump' that is formed in the plastic base of the unit. At the back of this sump there is a drain gallery that leads to the back left corner of the machine to a smaller secondary sump where a scavenge pump is situated. The scavenge pump lifts the water up into the water collector drawer (on the top left of the machine) via a pipe on the outside of the back case on the rear left side. There is another pipe that runs from the drain below the collector drawer that carries excess water back down into the secondary sump. If this secondary sump gets too much water in it (e.g. if the collector drawer is full and can't take any more) a float in the secondary sump lifts a switch that puts on the red light on the front panel of the unit. You haven't said the red light is on (and neither was mine) so I'm guessing your problem is the same as mine. I found the problem to be that wet fluff had built up in the gallery at the back of the sump and was preventing water draining into the secondary sump and being pumped up to the collector drawer. To clean this out, it's probably easiest to pull the unit out and get help to lift the unit outside to clean it out thoroughly. If that's not possible, then you can still clean it out indoors and you get at it through the aperture where the condensor unit slots in. First remove the condensor and then you'll need to lie on the floor and reach inside to the back of the sump. (A torch helps!) You should then be able to feel the water and the wet fluff that develops and forms a paste that blocks the drain gallery. Clean all this out and dry it with clean rags. It may help to clear the gallery by poking something thin and flexible (like a drinking straw) along the bottom where the water goes through to the secondary sump. If you have the unit outside be careful not to tip the unit too far backwards when it still has water in it or else water can find its way up onto the heater element that is situated behind the raised metal cover panel on the right rear corner of the unit. Incidentally, I had the problem of the unit periodically tripping the circuit breaker on the power supply due to the excess water collected causing the heater unit to short out. I suspected an electrical fault before I found the problem was the fluff paste blocking the drain gallery. Since cleaning it out the unit works fine with no more power trips. Needless to say, don't go removing any electrical parts without disconnecting the electrical supply and if you'd rather not tackle cleaning it yourself, I hope this advice will still be of use to any specialist or diy expert that wants to try. I hope you get it sorted ok - Good luck!
Martin, February 2009
