Birchsorb damp absorber?

[lustyd]

Dehumidifiers are essential air fridges that work on a heat gradient.

Some of them are compressor types, most of them are not. The most popular Meaco DD8L is not a compressor type, it's a dessicant type and is a fire risk if the power is interrupted since the desiccant gets very hot so needs the fan to cool it, hence them putting in the shutdown sequence. Same with diesel heaters, which should be wired direct to battery (fused, obvs) for this reason.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Some of them are compressor types, most of them are not. The most popular Meaco DD8L is not a compressor type, it's a dessicant type and is a fire risk if the power is interrupted since the desiccant gets very hot so needs the fan to cool it, hence them putting in the shutdown sequence. Same with diesel heaters, which should be wired direct to battery (fused, obvs) for this reason.

We are not talking about big industrial dehumidifiers, but about small portable ones. The Meaco DD8L may be way too big and expensive for the task at hand and at 65W is on about the limit for affordable £110 100W panels, though I note it can run on 12v adapter. Desiccant dehumidifiers use substantially more electricity and the jury is out on relative effectiveness versus compressors, and though I agree desiccants work better at low temperature, the compressor ones in our old cold dampish cellar room sucked gallons of moisture out a week.

If a desiccant dehumidier was simply run on solar with no battery, then as sun set the whole system would slow down and cool down with no abrupt switch off. If system was manually switched to charge batteries as well or instead in summer months - which is only time when the 100w panel might cope with 65W dehumidifier plus give charge, then it would be up to person in attendance to manage shut down routine on a desiccant unit if as hoped dehumidification was not needed in warmer weather. (Just dont sail to Shetland and Norther Scotland as sunny but F cold)

I would be wary of connecting anything dehumidifier permanently to main battery bank, as on short days with poor sunlight it could simply flatten the lot. Certainly at 65W I would not

I however would suggest a Peltier type without compressor of desiccant as a trial, taking 25W or so. It doesnt have to work fully efficiently every hour to be effective.

Having got my 100w panel up I might well take up my own suggestion and monitor things. It is up to the OP to decide what to do on their boat

 

[lustyd]

We are not talking about big industrial dehumidifiers, but about small portable ones

You didn't specify. Important to be specific when you're telling the world there definitely isn't a fire risk.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

You didn't specify. Important to be specific when you're telling the world there definitely isn't a fire risk.

fair comment - I should remember members of public dont process info well - not even boaties. Impecunious folk trying to dry out a large houseboat or liveaboard take heed