Air vents open or closed with dehumidifier?

[srah1953]

Hi
I am proposing to leave boat in the water over winter, with a couple of heaters on a frost setting and a dehumidifier on for a couple of hours a day (based on a previous forum recommendation).
Should I still leave a couple of air vents open or close everything up? I'm assuming the latter but thought I'd check for a more informed opinion.
Thanks

 

[pvb]

Hi
I am proposing to leave boat in the water over winter, with a couple of heaters on a frost setting and a dehumidifier on for a couple of hours a day (based on a previous forum recommendation).
Should I still leave a couple of air vents open or close everything up? I'm assuming the latter but thought I'd check for a more informed opinion.
Thanks

Closed, obviously, unless you're trying to dehumidify the world.

 

[srah1953]

That's what I thought but thought I'd check.

 

[claymore]

I'd leave em open, the Mournes are damp at the moment

 

[fisherman]

Doubt if it applies to you, but someone left a dehimudifier in a space with sinks/basins, all the water in the traps evaporated and there was a bit of a smell.

 

[sailorman]

Doubt if it applies to you, but someone left a dehimudifier in a space with sinks/basins, all the water in the traps evaporated and there was a bit of a smell.

yes in a building drop the loo lid as well.
leave it on a timer too

 

[Mistroma]

Doubt if it applies to you, but someone left a dehimudifier in a space with sinks/basins, all the water in the traps evaporated and there was a bit of a smell.

I imagine that OP's humidifier will be draining the water somewhere e.g. sink drain. If not, it would eventually overflow the humidifier container and leak back into the boat. It would then be picked up by the humidifier again and recycled. Not actually doing dehumidifying of course, just moving the water from one place to another inside the boat.

I don't imagine that the sink will have a U-bend or trap (unless the boat is a lot bigger than I'd imagined). Normal practice is to just drain sinks straight overboard as there isn't a large system of drain pipes on most boats.

Heads should be drained as well, so little chance of smells there either (as long as holding tank flushed and emptied pre-layup). I suppose OP could put cling film over the bowl just in case. It should provide some amusement in spring if it's left on by mistake.

 

[sailorman]

I imagine that OP's humidifier will be draining the water somewhere e.g. sink drain. If not, it would eventually overflow the humidifier container and leak back into the boat. It would then be picked up by the humidifier again and recycled. Not actually doing dehumidifying of course, just moving the water from one place to another inside the boat.

I don't imagine that the sink will have a U-bend or trap (unless it's a lot bigger than I'd imagined). Normal practice is to just drain straight overboard as there isn't a large system of drain pipes on most boats.

I used to place the dehumidi over the sink with a hose & the seacock open. Now i only used the inbuilt tank & when its full it turns off all done via a timer

 

[onesea]

Doubt if it applies to you, but someone left a dehimudifier in a space with sinks/basins, all the water in the traps evaporated and there was a bit of a smell.

A drop of cooking oil in the relevant drains can resolve that issue...

 

[Leighb]

I used to place the dehumidi over the sink with a hose & the seacock open. Now i only used the inbuilt tank & when its full it turns off all done via a timer

That would mean that it would only remove that one tankful of moisture, unless you go regularly to the boat and empty the tank?

I close all vents and dehumidifier drains into sink.

 

[Koeketiene]

That would mean that it would only remove that one tankful of moisture, unless you go regularly to the boat and empty the tank?

I close all vents and dehumidifier drains into sink.

+1

 

[sailorman]

That would mean that it would only remove that one tankful of moisture, unless you go regularly to the boat and empty the tank?

I close all vents and dehumidifier drains into sink.

O/b most w/e. you do not want a dehumidi set to extract loadsa moisture, my tank is about 2.5 lt

 

[Leighb]

My dehumidifier has variable settings, so will only dry down to a reasonable level, it also maintains an air circulation within the boat which I am sure helps keep everything sweet.

If I was on board regularly I would probably just use the tank though, as getting the exact level so that it drains correctly can be a fiddle.