Quick answer: A commercial portable dehumidifier is a wheeled refrigerant unit that removes roughly 60–140 litres (about 125–300 pints) of water a day at 30 °C/80 % RH. It is built for temporary and moving jobs: drying after a leak or flood, drying new concrete and plaster, covering a breakdown, or controlling humidity in a zone that changes. For a permanent job in one place, a fixed floor-standing or ceiling unit is usually the better buy.
Quick answer
- Uses: water-damage drying, construction drying, temporary capacity, moving duties.
- Size by the water you must remove per day at the room's real temperature, not by floor area alone.
- Run them on a drain hose or pump; at these capacities a tank fills in hours.
What makes a dehumidifier "commercial portable"?
| Feature | Home portable | Commercial portable |
|---|---|---|
| Removal | about 10–30 L/day | about 60–140 L/day |
| Build | Plastic casing | Metal frame, large wheels and handles, stackable or rugged casing |
| Drainage | Small tank, optional hose | Continuous drain hose; optional condensate pump |
| Duty | A few hours a day | Continuous running on job sites |
| Airflow | Low | High, to dry large rooms and help circulation |
Where commercial portable units fit
- Water damage and floods: dry walls, floors and contents after a leak, with air movers circulating air across wet surfaces. See our guide to desiccant dehumidifiers for water-damage restoration for cold sites.
- Construction drying: new concrete, screed and plaster release large amounts of water before flooring and finishing can start.
- Temporary capacity: cover a fixed unit during maintenance or a seasonal peak.
- Moving duties: warehouses, maintenance zones or events where the wet area changes week to week.
- Trial before a fixed installation: run a unit for a few weeks and record conditions to confirm the load.
For a space that needs the same humidity all year, fixed units cost less to install and run per litre. Compare our floor-standing and ceiling-mounted ranges.
How to size a commercial portable dehumidifier
- Estimate the water to remove per day. For drying jobs, it is the water in wet materials plus water entering from outside. For a room, it is the moisture load from people, processes and outdoor air.
- Correct for temperature. Ratings at 30 °C/80 % RH overstate removal in cool rooms. At 20 °C/60 % RH the air holds about 40 % of the water it holds at 30 °C/80 % RH, so expect much less per day. See how much water a dehumidifier collects in a day.
- Check airflow. The unit's airflow should circulate the room air several times an hour. Add air movers in large or divided spaces.
- Choose quantity. Two medium units spread through a building dry more evenly than one large unit in a corner, and keep working if one fails.
Commercial portable dehumidifier models
| Model | Removal (30 °C/80 % RH) | Pints/day | Airflow | Maximum power | Supply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RYCM-60C | 60 L/day | 127 | 480 m³/h | 0.78 kW | 220 V, 1-phase, 50 Hz |
| RYCM-90C | 90 L/day | 190 | 1,000 m³/h | 1.35 kW | 220 V, 1-phase, 50 Hz |
| RYCM-138C | 138 L/day | 292 | 1,300 m³/h | 1.68 kW | 220 V, 1-phase, 50 Hz |
All three run on single-phase power and are available with R410A or R290 refrigerant. See R290 vs R410A dehumidifiers.
Placement and drainage
- Leave space around the inlet and outlet so the unit draws room air, not its own discharge.
- Aim the discharge along the room, not into a wall, so dry air reaches the far end.
- Run a drain hose to a floor drain or sink, falling all the way. Where there is no drain, use a condensate pump with an overflow cut-out.
- Close the space. Shut windows and doors you are allowed to close; outdoor air adds moisture.
- Keep it upright when moving, and wait before restarting after transport if the manual asks for it.
- Electrical safety: use a correctly rated outlet with earth-leakage protection, keep cables off wet floors, and do not use extension reels coiled up.
When to switch to a desiccant unit
Below about 15 °C, refrigerant coils start to ice and spend time defrosting. For unheated buildings in winter, cold stores or when you need very dry air, use a desiccant dehumidifier instead.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What size commercial dehumidifier do I need?
It depends on how much water the space produces per day and its temperature, not on floor area alone. Send us the room size, temperature, humidity and what is wet, and we will recommend a model and quantity.
Are commercial portable dehumidifiers better than home units?
For large or very wet spaces, yes. They remove several times more water, run continuously and drain by hose. For a single small room, a home unit is cheaper.
Can a commercial portable dehumidifier run 24 hours a day?
Yes. They are designed for continuous running with a drain hose, and switch off at the humidity setpoint.
How much electricity does a commercial portable dehumidifier use?
Our models draw at most 0.78–1.68 kW. Running cost depends on hours and your electricity price; see dehumidifier power consumption.
Should I buy or rent?
Rent for a one-off job of a few weeks. Buy if you run drying jobs regularly, as restoration contractors do, or need the unit for more than a season.
Sources
- ENERGY STAR, Dehumidifiers: capacity ratings and test conditions.
- ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals, Psychrometrics.
