Dehumidifier recommendation please - small and quiet

Bought a Meaco DD8L a few weeks ago. It has been superb in our house but bought on the strength that many had bought them for their boats. You DO NOT need to have it in the cabin while you sleep. This unit has dehumidified our entire house from the confines of the kitchen. On lowest setting it hardly makes a sound, but it might wake you up if you forget to empty the water trap before you go to bed! It's VERY efficient and you will also ge the benefit of a warmer boat.
 
sailorman said:
a floor standing one in the saloon will do the trick, you dont want to be sleeping in the same cabin.
we have an Ebbac it is very good not the cheapest but good
the link is what we have

http://www.ebacdirect.com/product.php?productid=27
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I've used Ebac for the last 20 years (1723 build house with unlined cellar). The first has just died, and needs re-filling.

I have no difficulty sleeping through the noise of the household versions, which is comparable to a quiet fan heater, the big commercial ones are a different noise level - not only from the fan but when the reverse refrigerant flow to de-ice, takes place - that sounds like it's trying to shake itself to pieces, and you definitely won't sleep through that.
 
charles_reed said:
I've used Ebac for the last 20 years (1723 build house with unlined cellar). The first has just died, and needs re-filling.

I have no difficulty sleeping through the noise of the household versions, which is comparable to a quiet fan heater, the big commercial ones are a different noise level - not only from the fan but when the reverse refrigerant flow to de-ice, takes place - that sounds like it's trying to shake itself to pieces, and you definitely won't sleep through that.
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I had a couple of Ebacs.

The Ebac's were never any good on a boat, they can freeze up in cold weather, and after a power cut don't reset to the same setting as they were left on. I first bought a XM "marine" one for the boat - total and utter junk, died after 13 months, supplier and importer no help. Replaced that with a B&Q cheapie "AirForce" dessicant, worked very well but died in 18 months.

Since then switched to Meaco, now have three, two in (very big) house and one on boat. One did stop working, but supplier fixed even though just out of warranty.
 
wowee!

the Meaco arrived on Friday and between 7pm on Friday and 9am on Saturday it extracted over 5 litres from the forepeak! I didn't even think we had a problem in there. Actually, I think the moisture has been held in the clothing we have in the hanging wardrobes as I got it all out and hung it up in the cabinn and everything feels so much better - i'd previously thought items were simply cold.

It's been in the aft cabin since midday yesterday and in 20 hours has taken about 3 litres.

Very impressed. It's quiet when on the low setting, easy to move about and easy to empty. Very happy with the recommendation. So much so that I am going to get one for the house and one for my parents.
 
I tried in our house and it removed quite a bit of water, also used it in both my land rovers after i drowned them and had water dripping of the inside of the roof!
Would buy another for the house, but we have five cats and anything new/unusual left on the floor is asking for it!
 
ChattingLil said:
wowee!

the Meaco arrived on Friday and between 7pm on Friday and 9am on Saturday it extracted over 5 litres from the forepeak! I didn't even think we had a problem in there. Actually, I think the moisture has been held in the clothing we have in the hanging wardrobes as I got it all out and hung it up in the cabinn and everything feels so much better - i'd previously thought items were simply cold.

It's been in the aft cabin since midday yesterday and in 20 hours has taken about 3 litres.

Very impressed. It's quiet when on the low setting, easy to move about and easy to empty. Very happy with the recommendation. So much so that I am going to get one for the house and one for my parents.
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Keep locker doors open or the dehumidifier will "pull" the doors by taking moisture from one side only causing distortion
 
Tradewinds said:
Another thumbs up for a dessicant dehumidifier.

I bought this from Eco-Air in 2010 - used every winter since.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ecoair-DD12...ehumidifier/dp/B00474K8SY/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kh_2

Similar to the Meaco I think.

They do sometimes let out a slight chuff though (which is mentioned in the user manual as a bi-product of the process).
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That's what I've got, seems fairly quiet and it's been running for months without attention, using the permanent drain feature, not the inbuilt tank. Thoroughly recommended, the boat always feels and smells fresh and dry.
 
pvb said:
You just need ventilation. Why a dehumidifier? What on earth are you doing to create so much moisture? ;)
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This twaddle is peddled every time dehums are mentioned, ventilation is not sufficient on its own to dry a boat that is being used to sleep and live on, except in exceptional conditions.


To illustrate this, in winter I get condensation on the underside of my carport where ventilation would be difficult to improve.

Having sailed in boats, with and without dehums, those with are noticeably more comfortable and pleasant to be on.
 
In case anyone's interested I've just bought the Meaco DD8l (not the junior) from a place called FreeNet Electrical for £144.99 with free delivery. I was a bit sceptical because it was cheaper than anywhere else I saw, but I ordered it yesterday and it arrived this morning.
 
a further update from us. After a week, we are still drawing over 3 litres a day. My bilges look bone dry, but I have a horrible deep dark sump under the engine (that is indeed a deep dark mysterious hole that is impossible to see in to) and I'm wondering if I am eventually drying that out. Or else there is a vent I haven't discovered. HOw much moisture would you expect to take up via vents? Or via cabin sole boards and carpets?
 
ChattingLil said:
a further update from us. After a week, we are still drawing over 3 litres a day. My bilges look bone dry, but I have a horrible deep dark sump under the engine (that is indeed a deep dark mysterious hole that is impossible to see in to) and I'm wondering if I am eventually drying that out. Or else there is a vent I haven't discovered. HOw much moisture would you expect to take up via vents? Or via cabin sole boards and carpets?
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We livaboard and dependant on weather and humidity Hughey will "draw" between 1 and 2 litres a day. Rainy days are worst, coming aboard with wet clothes. I doubt that you are drawing from the bilges unless you have big gaps in the sole. We have a couple of vented lockers and it doesn't dry them unless we leave the doors open. Don't forget that living aboard, cooking, washing and breathing is kicking out loads of moisture daily.
 
Hadenough said:
We livaboard and dependant on weather and humidity Hughey will "draw" between 1 and 2 litres a day. Rainy days are worst, coming aboard with wet clothes. I doubt that you are drawing from the bilges unless you have big gaps in the sole. We have a couple of vented lockers and it doesn't dry them unless we leave the doors open. Don't forget that living aboard, cooking, washing and breathing is kicking out loads of moisture daily.
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thanks. that's reassuring. it has rained quite a bit in the last week and the kettle is on the go almost constantly!
 
If you are living on the boat then 3l wouldn't be out of the way.

On my smaller boat when we are on board about 1.5l per day is normal. When away and the boat is closed up the draw is about 2l a week.

The bilge sump which takes fridge run off, dries noticeably after a week.

As pointed out for lockers and mattresses I find it useful to open/prop them up to allow the dehumidifier to do its work.
 
ChattingLil said:
a further update from us. After a week, we are still drawing over 3 litres a day. My bilges look bone dry, but I have a horrible deep dark sump under the engine (that is indeed a deep dark mysterious hole that is impossible to see in to) and I'm wondering if I am eventually drying that out. Or else there is a vent I haven't discovered. HOw much moisture would you expect to take up via vents? Or via cabin sole boards and carpets?
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With two of us and a dog onboard the dehumidifier runs 24/7 and takes out about 2 litres a day. Obviously varies with external relative humidity but humidity on board normally less than 50%. The lockers, bilges bedding etc is all bone dry and we don't have that 'classic damp boat smell'. One of the best bits of kit we ever bought.
 
I've also just bought the Maeco 8DL for my Azimut. In our old Sunline we were able to get away with desicant traps, but not on the Azi, which has a lot more accommodation. Appliances Direct for £140 ish inc delivery and 2 yr warranty.
 
Stemar said:
Thanks for that. I looked at it in our local Aldi and wondered. I put it back when I saw Peltier effect. My understanding of Peltier kit is cheap to make, expensive to run.
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Peltier anything currently usually means inefficient and fairly useless .... though it may improve in years to come.
 
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