De-Humidifier, which type for a boat

[oldestgit]

Hi Chaps:

I have just taken my boat out for a winter on the hard and will be spending a fair time in it working on the internals, so considered a de-humidifier... Wow. what a selection available and claiming almost everything.

What type or make should I be looking for other than what I have already picked up from another thread that is it should not have a time cut out and should have a self draining kit.

Thanks... Peter

 

[johnwest]

So long as it has self-draining, the cheapest and most reasonable size for the space you have avaliable. Look in B @ Q, Homebase etc.

j

 

[Richard10002]

There was an article in PBO or YM, (or ST), around february 2006 where surveyors were finding dehumidifiers responsible for causing fires aboard. I know I've got the mag on board, but have flicked through every page this year and must be missing it.

So I was wondering if anyone knew which mag/issue it was in.

I think it has been posted here that the cause of the fires was failure to change the filter/s, but I would like to see that it is that simple in black and white.

Cheers

Richard

 

[BAtoo]

I bought the best one on offer @ B&Q a few years ago; it runs constantly from October/November to April and drains out through the sink. I shut the boat up tight - windows vents closed & also run 2 fans to move air in the cabins - works OK for me.

 

[guernseyman]

There's a free de-humidifer called ventilation. And no running costs, either.

 

[Guest]

I am the moderator on a Westerly Oriented Yahoo Egroup, and one of our members from Sweden highly recommends using a simple bucket of salt!, lasts a couple of months according to him, and is common practice in Sweden.

The salt soaks up all the moisture from the atmosphere inside the boat.

Worth a try innit? after all, no power consumption, and as cheap as chips! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif He uses a bucket full with a colander placed upside down on the top, not sure what that does? but hey! works for him.

 

[ChasB]

Just a quick pointer that if your mooring ever has a power cut (I think most do) it will render any electronic timer useless. If you plan to leave the boat for long periods get an external mechanical timer.

I like the salt idea. Presumably you can heat it up later to dry it and use again? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Shanty]

Just a thought - is a dehumidifier such a good idea for you, if you are going to be spending a lot of time on board?

To be effective, dehumidifiers require the boat to be sealed up tight. Every time you go on board & open a hatch, you are allowing the nice dry air from your dehumidifier to mix with the damp air outside. Visit her often enough, and you will find yourself trying to dehumidify the whole area.

A better solution might be a small heater - possibly one of the tubular greenhouse types. This will dicourage mould growth, and will have the bonus of giving you a rather more pleasant working environment.

 

[sailorman]

Ebbac works for me

see thier site

 

[Richard10002]

Ebac ?

 

[sailorman]

/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif



http://www.ebac.co.uk/products-2000-series.php

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[ChasB]

You'll need a heater during the winter anyway - the de-humidifier doesn't do anything at low temperatures. It relies on condensing out the water by using a fridge of it's own, so the air must be warm for it to work. It's best to put it somewhere the air is warmest. I leave some electricals on, like the fridge (now go draw a heat flow diagram of all that!).

 

[pvb]

Dessicant dehumidiefiers...

[ QUOTE ]

You'll need a heater during the winter anyway - the de-humidifier doesn't do anything at low temperatures. It relies on condensing out the water by using a fridge of it's own, so the air must be warm for it to work.

[/ QUOTE ]
The newer technology of dessicant dehumidifiers works at very low temperatures - close to freezing. They don't use a "fridge" system, so can cope with low temperatures.

 

[ChasB]

Re: Dessicant dehumidiefiers...

I'll get one of those when my current one from Argos (they had a sale!) breaks down. Cheaper for now to keep the boat a bit warm than dump what I have. That said, it only needs to be warm for a few hours in the day. So the afternoon is a good time for the whole shebang to come on for a bit.