The Dessicant Dehumifier - electricity scam?

[MoaterBoater]

My boat has been in a large marina for several years and the marina have now specified that vessels -

"must only use a well-maintained, CE certified 'desiccant dehumidifier' that has been designed to run unattended 24/7 and at low temperatures"

My problem with this is my electric consumption has significantly increased compared to previous years using a compressor style dehumidifier. I would like to add that my 15 year old compressor style dehumidifier has frost protection and shuts off during the cold periods if my heaters were accidentally turned off.

I am starting to think that this is a little bit of a scam from the marinas to basically sell more electricity. I understand that they will have some mark up to use their infrastructure to gain electricity however I basically have a fan heater on in my boat during the summer months because they have specified the style of dehumidfier.

We pay insurance for our vessels so I fail to understand how they can specify what appliances / systems are used on our vessels.

Bit of a rant but the numbers on the invoices speak for themselves...

 

[Minerva]

Well it could be an elaborate scam to get you to spend an extra £20 a winter, or it could be that compressor dehumidifiers can be a fire risk when left unattended.

Fire! - dehumidifier O/B catches alight.........Help!

 

[yotter]

My boat has been in a large marina for several years and the marina have now specified that vessels -

"must only use a well-maintained, CE certified 'desiccant dehumidifier' that has been designed to run unattended 24/7 and at low temperatures"

My problem with this is my electric consumption has significantly increased compared to previous years using a compressor style dehumidifier. I would like to add that my 15 year old compressor style dehumidifier has frost protection and shuts off during the cold periods if my heaters were accidentally turned off.

I am starting to think that this is a little bit of a scam from the marinas to basically sell more electricity. I understand that they will have some mark up to use their infrastructure to gain electricity however I basically have a fan heater on in my boat during the summer months because they have specified the style of dehumidfier.

We pay insurance for our vessels so I fail to understand how they can specify what appliances / systems are used on our vessels.

Bit of a rant but the numbers on the invoices speak for themselves...

Have you had a polite conversation with your marina manager to understand the reasoning, that would be my first port of call. Sorry, apologies, just reread your post, they seem to specify the reason although I have heard of compressor dehumidifier fires, I wonder how common they are, banning fan heaters may make more sense..

 

[Plum]

My boat has been in a large marina for several years and the marina have now specified that vessels -

"must only use a well-maintained, CE certified 'desiccant dehumidifier' that has been designed to run unattended 24/7 and at low temperatures"

My problem with this is my electric consumption has significantly increased compared to previous years using a compressor style dehumidifier. I would like to add that my 15 year old compressor style dehumidifier has frost protection and shuts off during the cold periods if my heaters were accidentally turned off.

I am starting to think that this is a little bit of a scam from the marinas to basically sell more electricity. I understand that they will have some mark up to use their infrastructure to gain electricity however I basically have a fan heater on in my boat during the summer months because they have specified the style of dehumidfier.

We pay insurance for our vessels so I fail to understand how they can specify what appliances / systems are used on our vessels.

Bit of a rant but the numbers on the invoices speak for themselves...

Very frustrating but I don't regard that as a scam. Marinas in the UK are not allowed to add a markup on the unit rate that they pay, just, as you say, a charge on the use of their infrastructure. As has already been said, some dehumidifiers on boats have proven to be a fire risk. Why do you run a fan heater in the summer, are you up north? Unless you have a berthholders Association and can get a significant number to complain and threaten to move out I don't see much choice.

Edit: Warning to boat owners following spate of fires - Practical Boat Owner

 

[Baddox]

I’m struggling to see the point of the complaint unless I’m missing something. Marinas are resellers of electricity and only able to sell it at what it costs them so they get no mark-up.

There have been many fires attributed to dehumidifiers so using the desiccant type makes some sense. If you don’t want the system running all the time then fit a timer or a cheap hygrostat controller.

 

[Momac]

DEHUMIDIFIERS - SAFETY NOTICE

 

[Momac]

Largs Yacht Haven's important safety message to all boat users

 

[Hoist]

I agree that this compressor dehumidifiers is a bit of hype that suits the marinas to sell more leccy

 

[ylop]

I agree that this compressor dehumidifiers is a bit of hype that suits the marinas to sell more leccy

Ignoring any weird argument that it’s a massive conspiracy to make the marina some extra pennies: I thought that they actually worked better at low temps so had the potential to be more efficient if you were currently heating the boat so that the compressor one could work well?

But not all marinas / boatyards insist on this. You are free to go elsewhere - but it might give you a moment of thought - if the other yard has not insisted on this, are there other fire risks they’ve not enforced? Are their (or worse your) insurers going to try to back out if there is a fire from a recognised risk?

 

[Momac]

I think the desiccant type does go to slightly lower air temperatures but not by much as cold air can't hold as much moisture as warm air .
I don't have the dehumidifier on more than the lowest power setting and it works fine in that there is never any mould on the boat . But only use it mid November to mid March.
If vents on the boat are blocked up the dehumidifier uses less energy (on an unoccupied boat).

 

[Hoist]

Ignoring any weird argument that it’s a massive conspiracy to make the marina some extra pennies: I thought that they actually worked better at low temps so had the potential to be more efficient if you were currently heating the boat so that the compressor one could work well?

But not all marinas / boatyards insist on this. You are free to go elsewhere - but it might give you a moment of thought - if the other yard has not insisted on this, are there other fire risks they’ve not enforced? Are their (or worse your) insurers going to try to back out if there is a fire from a recognised risk?

I don't see how your insurers can back out unless they have specified that compressor dehumidifiers are a no no. Where does the line stop then?

Everything in my opinion is a risk, it is the likelihood of failure that is minimal. If a battery charger goes on fire on your boat should they be banned?

 

[wonkywinch]

I use a UK designed and built Ebac compressor type designed to operate in 3-35C.

It has several protection modes, and the 2850e currently selling for £279 direct from Ebac.

No connection to the business, just a satisfied customer of 15/20 years.

Ebac 2850 Dehumidifier with Smart Control

 

[B27]

Should be a moot point on a decent well maintained unoccupied boat.
The dehumidifier will dry the boat to a level then switch off.
If it's using enough electricity to matter on top of a marina bill, best to sort the rain leaks out.

 

[Sandy]

Should be a moot point on a decent well maintained unoccupied boat.
The dehumidifier will dry the boat to a level then switch off.
If it's using enough electricity to matter on top of a marina bill, best to sort the rain leaks out.

Out of interest, I'm a big fan of ventilation over dehumidifying, would a dehumidifier absorb, for want of a better word, a puddle of water in the bilge?

 

[Momac]

Out of interest, I'm a big fan of ventilation over dehumidifying, would a dehumidifier absorb, for want of a better word, a puddle of water in the bilge?

Eventually it would if the bilge area is open to the atmosphere that is being circulated by the dehumidifier . But it would be a very inefficient use of energy .

 

[Sandy]

Eventually it would if the bilge area is open to the atmosphere that is being circulated by the dehumidifier . But it would be a very inefficient use of energy .

Thanks.

 

[MoaterBoater]

Very frustrating but I don't regard that as a scam. Marinas in the UK are not allowed to add a markup on the unit rate that they pay, just, as you say, a charge on the use of their infrastructure. As has already been said, some dehumidifiers on boats have proven to be a fire risk. Why do you run a fan heater in the summer, are you up north? Unless you have a berthholders Association and can get a significant number to complain and threaten to move out I don't see much choice.

Edit: Warning to boat owners following spate of fires - Practical Boat Owner

My post was maybe misleading. A desiccant style dehumidifier uses a fan and heating element to dry the air. This means it uses a lot more electricity so I was comparing it to a fan heater for the summer months.

 

[GEM43]

This is the power usage profile of our Meaco junior desiccant dehumidifier on board our boat in Scotland. It is permanently supplied with power.



This is over two days last week, I haven’t used this week data because I’ve had bar heaters on these past two nights. You can see that the dehumidifier comes on to sample the air and then switches off very soon afterward. It is on the lowest setting and maintains 66% RH. Total power usage is 9kw/week but that includes the charger on float/storage. So about £4/wk to keep the boat dry, that’s fine with me. Personally I think dessicant dehumidifiers are much better on board, I wouldn’t use a compressor type.

 

[Alicatt]

View attachment 185634

Largs Yacht Haven's important safety message to all boat users

CE in the UK?
Should that not be UKCA approved?

 

[Momac]

My Meaco DD8L is using about 30p per day in electricity at the moment. As temperatures are so cold that indicates its not working very hard.
The dehumidifier used more like 66p per day when temperatures were milder last week.
I haven't blocked the vents in the boat up yet but when done this should reduce energy use.