andrew humphries
Member
advice on your experiences of the best units, I have a 31ft cruiser.
dehumidifyer
- Thread starter andrew humphries
- Start date
rafiki_
Well-Known Member
I have a Maeco dessicant dehumidifier. About £140 off Amazon. 3 seasons so far, safe and reliable. The water is piped into the galley sink, which exits straight out. Be cautious of the Piezo uits, there has been 1 or 2 "thermal" incidents with these.
andrew humphries
Member
excellent thanks
Sandyman
Well-Known Member
Go for one with ''marine' written on it. It will work just as well as a domestic one, but cost you three times the price 
Seriously We bought a cheapo from B & Q which we have used every winter for the past 10 years (liveaboards)
Seriously
We bought a cheapo from B & Q which we have used every winter for the past 10 years (liveaboards)Gwylan
Well-Known Member
Sadly Maeco have a mixed reception here and a doubtful customer service ethic - well my experience. My experience supports this.
Desicant are the way to go for a boat - that is also our experience.
We have a unit that came from China [ of course] via Germany on the boat and it does the business.
Turns out to be a Trotec TTK30E - seem quite cheap on internet right now.
But this is our third unit on board in 5 years.
Meanwhile the cheap and cheerful non desicant B&Q one is thudding along with tennants in a flat we rent.
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maby
Well-Known Member
My experience of Maecos is that they are very good though a have to admit that I've never had to test out their customer service. I'm currently on our second Maeco having run one into the ground over three winters in the boat powered up continuously from October to March.....
RupertW
Well-Known Member
Maeco Junior fan - 42 foot Jeannea where we leave all clothes and bedding over the winter. The best bit for me is that the controls remember what they were set to after the power goes off then on again, which will happen a few times over the Winter.
gjgm
Well-Known Member
You need a desiccant..the compressor type works well at sort of plus 25 degrees..not alot of use in winter!
stuartwineberg
Well-Known Member
There have been a number of boat fires over the years down to dehumidifiers. I have no proof but suspect that the desiccant type are more likely to be the cause as they heat the desiccant to dry it out for reuse as the wheel rotates inside the unit. As other posts have said the compressor type don't work too well at low temperatures but I have used one for years and it keeps the boat at about 60%humidity all winter butI do have frostat heaters as well. Another point to watch is to get one that will restart after a power cut. Mine doesn't and it is a pain to come to the boat and find it has been off for a week because someone tripped the power supply . Sorry, just noticed someone has already made that point
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Freeloader
Well-Known Member
I have used Meaco DD8L's at home and on the boat and been very pleased with them. Certainly, they keep the boat very dry, add a bit of warmth and don't make much noise or use much electricity even though I leave them switched on.
Incidentally, they will go back to their last setting if the power is interrupted too.
Incidentally, they will go back to their last setting if the power is interrupted too.
andrew humphries
Member
thanks all for the posts
rafiki_
Well-Known Member
Sorry, but the dessicant versions are safer. The fires have been with the piezo versions.
superheat6k
Well-Known Member
Whatever you use, do not set it to dry if you have wooden finish and trim. If the RH falls much below 60% then the wood will start to dry out and crack, particularly thinner woods such as veneered panels.
I prefer fridge based units, but then I am biased.
I prefer fridge based units, but then I am biased.
No Regrets
Well-Known Member
I would only use a compressor type on a boat despite the temperature range.
If a Dessicant type is running and there's a power cut, it will damage the gel and reduce it's efficiency, as they run a cool-down mode after heating! Do that a few times and it's bin fodder.
A couple of strategically placed tube heaters should keep a compressor type running.
The Fire risk thing is a thought, but more likely nasty unbranded units just failing.
I have a Di Longhi Dessicant at home and a small compressor on the boat, both work perfectly in those environments.
If a Dessicant type is running and there's a power cut, it will damage the gel and reduce it's efficiency, as they run a cool-down mode after heating! Do that a few times and it's bin fodder.
A couple of strategically placed tube heaters should keep a compressor type running.
The Fire risk thing is a thought, but more likely nasty unbranded units just failing.
I have a Di Longhi Dessicant at home and a small compressor on the boat, both work perfectly in those environments.
Firefly625
Well-Known Member
I to have a B&Q (I think rebranded Enatair) WDH-610HA dehumidifier, I got it certainly 10 years ago & it has worked faultlessly. It has a control setting which I leave on pretty low but I know it comes on every now and again as sometimes when I arrive at the boat its running. I leave it on board all year round, however I am pretty concerned about the possibility of a fire on board and I guess what I have is a domestic dehumidifier. We also leave an oil filled radiator and 2 tube heaters on board. I have electric and temperature monitoring so I know for instance right now Tulana is 14c and the electrics are on. I think I heard somewhere the issue with compressor type dehumidifiers were if they get down to freezing point, now if the boat falls below 5c I get sent a text and I can switch off the dehumidifier remotely so am I ok... or should I be rushing out and buying a dehumidifier from the chandlery ?
rafiki_
Well-Known Member
Spi D
...
I have both a compressor type and a dessicant at home. The compressor unit happilly working on it's 10th year whereas the dessicant is one year old.
Both decent devices - we do however find the dessicant version rather smelly (chemically, presumably from the process inside). The older box has been diassembled a couple of time for cleaning which is neccessary but not an easy task due to the way it is built.
Both decent devices - we do however find the dessicant version rather smelly (chemically, presumably from the process inside). The older box has been diassembled a couple of time for cleaning which is neccessary but not an easy task due to the way it is built.
KevB
Well-Known Member
100% agree. Pointless having a compressor type on a cold boat in the winter, all you're doing is moving cold air about. I've had the maeco dessicant for about three years now and the beauty is you don't need to leave any other heating on because the dehumidifier kicks out warm air. Perfect.
And it's much quieter than the compressor type so you can use it overnight without earplugs.
bigwow
Well-Known Member
I've just put the Maeco back on the boat for the winter, and taken the ice machine off:disgust: they go over the same sink as there's no room for both. Maeco junior is in it's third year and keeps the whole boat dry, warm and mildew free.
Phildorset
Well-Known Member
What a great set up - I'd like to have that level of remote monitoring, particularly knowing when the shorepower goes off, was it simple to put together? Phil
