Troubleshooting: common problems and what actually causes them
Published 24 August 2026 · 6 min read
Most faults reported on these machines are not faults. Working through this list first will usually find the cause, and it costs nothing.
Short version: low output is almost always dry air or a clogged air filter, not a broken machine. Odd taste is usually an exhausted carbon filter. Before assuming a fault, check the humidity, check the air filter, and check the machine has room to breathe.
It is producing much less water than it used to
The most common complaint, and usually the most easily explained.
- Check today's humidity. Below 40% relative humidity, reduced output is expected behaviour, not a defect. Compare against what the air was doing when it was performing well. A seasonal drop is not a fault.
- Check the air intake filter. The single most common physical cause. A filter clogged with dust starves the machine of airflow and output declines gradually enough that nobody notices until it is severe.
- Check clearances. Has the machine been pushed back against a wall or into a corner during a clean-up? It needs 20–30 cm of clear space to breathe.
- Check for an air conditioner running in the same room. AC actively dries the air the machine needs.
- Check the room temperature. Cold air holds less moisture. A machine moved to a cooler room will produce less.
If all five check out and output is still poor at decent humidity, then it is worth investigating a fault — most likely refrigerant or compressor related, which is a technician job and typically a warranty matter.
The water tastes strange
| Taste | Most likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Flat or bland | Mineralisation cartridge depleted | Replace it. Demineralised water tastes of nothing. |
| Musty or earthy | Carbon filter exhausted, or biofilm in the tank | Replace carbon, sanitise the tank |
| Metallic | New unit settling, or tank issue | Discard a couple of tanks; if it persists, contact us |
| Plastic | Common on a brand-new unit | Discard the first two or three tanks — it should clear |
| Chlorine (purification mode) | Carbon filter exhausted | Replace the carbon filter |
| Sour or genuinely off | Bacterial growth | Stop drinking it. Sanitise fully and replace filters. |
That last row is the one to take seriously. Water that tastes actively bad rather than merely different should not be consumed until the machine has been sanitised and the filters replaced.
It runs constantly and never seems to stop
Often normal. In low humidity the machine works much longer for the same water, so long run times are the expected response to dry air rather than a malfunction.
It becomes a concern if it runs continuously in humid conditions and still produces little, which suggests it is not condensing properly — a refrigeration issue worth having looked at.
It has stopped completely
- Power. Check the socket with another appliance, and check your DB board.
- Full tank cut-off. Most units stop generating when the internal tank is full. This is correct behaviour — draw some water and see if it restarts.
- Ambient temperature. These units have an operating range, typically around 15–38°C. Below that they may not run at all. A cold garage in July can put a machine outside its range.
- Error codes. Check the display against the manual before assuming the worst.
- Recent power event. After a surge or an abrupt outage, switch it off at the wall for a few minutes and restart.
Water flow from the tap has slowed
Nearly always filtration rather than pumping. A clogged sediment filter or a fouled ultrafiltration membrane restricts flow progressively. Replace the sediment filter first — it is cheaper and more often the culprit. If flow is still poor, the membrane is due.
It is noisier than it was
- Rattling or vibration — usually the machine is not level, or is touching a wall or cupboard. Move it slightly and check the floor.
- Fan noise increased — often dust build-up on the fan or a restricted intake.
- Gurgling — normal. That is water moving between tanks.
- Clicking as it starts and stops — normal compressor cycling.
- A new grinding or screeching noise — stop using it and contact us. That is the one sound worth acting on.
Water is pooling around the base
Not normal, and worth acting on quickly. Possible causes are a full tank overflowing because a level sensor has failed, a loose internal connection after transport, a cracked tank, or condensation forming on the exterior in a very humid room. Switch it off at the wall, unplug it, and contact us before running it again.
Before you call anyone
Have these ready and any support conversation gets much shorter:
- Current room humidity and temperature
- When filters were last changed, and which ones
- What changed recently — moved, cleaned, power event, season
- Litres per day now versus before
- Any error code on the display
- Whether the problem occurs in both atmospheric and purification modes
That last one is genuinely diagnostic. A problem that appears only in atmospheric mode points at condensation or airflow. A problem in both points at filtration or dispensing.
Preventing most of this
Nearly everything above is avoided by three habits: change filters on schedule, keep the intake clear and the machine away from walls, and sanitise the tank periodically — especially after the machine has stood unused.
Something not behaving?
Send us what it is doing along with your humidity and last filter change, and we will help you work out whether it is a fault or the weather.