Humidifiers

[Peegee]

On the advice of those who I think know best, I have taken the plunge and bought a cheap humidifier for the boat. However, the instruction book is not very.. erm.. instructive !. The main dial is marked in percentages, ie. of moisture in the air, the book tells me that 60% is the norm. So, is this the setting I use , or is this more of a domestic setting ?. I'm sure that all will come right with trial and error but that means frequent trips to check whats happening. Do any of you old Pro's have a suggestion or previous experience.
Thanks,
Peegee.

 

[jfkal]

Humidifier or De-humidifier?? Fist time I hear about a humidifier in a boat unless you are in the middle east ??

Anyway set it to 60 %

 

[ccscott49]

60% might be right for home, but I would bring it down for a boat, to ensure its DE-humidified! Then nothing will grow!

 

[jfkal]

Mine is actually around 75 % and nothing grows. We need to take power consumption into account as well. Can go up quite a bit if the settings are lower.
But I guess we agree on the de- in humidifying )

 

[ccscott49]

Sorry, my lectrickery is included in my berth, so don't give a stuff about consumption, I know the ozone layer etc, but they lose more in heat losses in the cables! Less humidity will keep any bugs at bay, and allow it to really! dry out in the lockers etc, where the nasties hide, waiting to leapout on you, oops, sorry wrong forum!

 

[jollyjacktar]

Endless cycle

How do you propose to prevent the moist and humid air from re humidifying your humidified air, or are you just intending to dry out the oceans?

 

[jfkal]

Sorry no offense meant

 

[ccscott49]

Don't understand, didn't take any offence, I've been insulted by professionals! quite a few actually, I have that kind of face/voice/writing! tee hee

 

[Chris_Robb]

Re: Wooden Boats

I gather that you should not over do the extraction on a wooden boat as this can over dry the wood.

The main point of dehumidifiers is to maintain the air above the dew point, below which condensation appears and thats when the mould grows. Dew point for 'standard' humidity at STP in the uk is around 40F. I don't think there is any point in overdoing it especially if you are paying marina electricity rates!

 

[charles_reed]

Dehumidifiers

They have a humidistat on them, the numbering roughly corresponds to the humidity they remove.

ie No 4 on the dial will give you about 60% humidity, No 3 on the dial 70% humidity and No 6 on the dial 40%.

About the best a domestic one will do in a boat is get it down to about 30% during a cold snap in a UK winter.
You have to make sure they are kept in an ambient temperature above about 6C to operate.

 

[charles_reed]

Re: Endless cycle

The dry air does remain in the boat for a considerable period of time - most dehumidifiers left in a 35' boat will quite successfully get it down to 40% and keep it there - but the performance rapidly degenerates below about 6C.

 

[Guest]

Sorry,
I have no advice to give as I am on the hunt for information. I have recently purchased a very fine Snapdragon 26, but it is a long drive from home to boat so I can not tend to it regularly over the winter. I need to know if any body can advise me on the availability of Dehumidifiers that can run off a batteries.