Vent or not Vent with dehumidifer

[Tim Good]

Ok I'm on a trot mooring without electricity so I have bought three of these:

http://www.toolbank.com/4071/p/C11294/UNI1554723

Nothing like as good as an electric dehumidifier but worth a bash. Question is:

Am I:

a. better off covering the vents in the wash boards so it is a sealed cabin for these dehumidifiers to try and work or ...
b. just leave the cabin vented somewhat in addition to these.

Thing is, if the cabin isn't sealed aren't' I just going to be suck water out of fresh air?

 

[Halo]

No point in trying to dry the earth's atmosphere. Dehumidify and seal OR ventilate
My conventional de humidifer takes out around 2 litres a week. Probably worth working out what this device would absorb to ee if its worth it

 

[VicS]

Thing is, if the cabin isn't sealed aren't' I just going to be suck water out of fresh air?

Yes

I suspect you will be better off just ensuring good ventilation without the "humidity absorber devices"

 

[Georgio]

I would go for ventalation and these will help keep the moisture level down. I don't think they would absorb enough moisture to make shutting the boat up worth while.

I have used these moisture absorbing traps over the winter and they do seem to help.

 

[V1701]

Yes

I suspect you will be better off just ensuring good ventilation without the "humidity absorber devices"

I agree, those little "devices" do absorb a little water over a long time (I've tried a couple of different types in clothes lockers). Better to have some ventilation, but by all means leave them where it does get particularly damp, they will help a little bit. Having tried them I'm not going to bother using them again...

 

[jwilson]

Ok I'm on a trot mooring without electricity so I have bought three of these:

http://www.toolbank.com/4071/p/C11294/UNI1554723

Nothing like as good as an electric dehumidifier but worth a bash. Question is:

Am I:

a. better off covering the vents in the wash boards so it is a sealed cabin for these dehumidifiers to try and work or ...
b. just leave the cabin vented somewhat in addition to these.

Thing is, if the cabin isn't sealed aren't' I just going to be suck water out of fresh air?

Absorbers do some good in shut-up locker spaces, etc, but do nothing useful in an open space. Totally pointless out in the open in a ventilated space.

 

[sarabande]

thise SG packets absorb about 1/3rd of their weight of water before they become saturated and have to be dried out to recycle and re-use. They could become full within a day.

Not worth it.

Lots of ventilation instead.

 

[wotayottie]

Thing is, if the cabin isn't sealed aren't' I just going to be suck water out of fresh air?

Yes but given how wet my veggie patch is, I would be grateful for you leaving the vents open.

 

[Momac]

I use moisture traps over the winter and I am convinced they have a benefit.

The traps I have are from Lakeland. Water collects in the bottom of the trap. The refill crystals gradually dissolve.

My boat interior has no ventilation. I do visit it most weekends and while I am there allow some air to ciculate and to tip out water collected in the traps.

 

[Tim Good]

Ok so I'll scrap the idea of non power dehumidifiers then.

I'll create a new thread entitled ventilation so not to mix up topics for others reading down the line.

 

[KellysEye]

It depends how big you boat is, ours was 38 feet, we used four packs of chrystals and they weren't sufficientl to stop condensation. Maybe if we had twenty of them spread around maybe they would have worked, but I have my doubts. We weren't living on the boat.

Using an electric dehumidifier we were taking out four to five litres per day but we were living on the boat.

 

[Tim Good]

It depends how big you boat is, ours was 38 feet, we used four packs of chrystals and they weren't sufficientl to stop condensation. Maybe if we had twenty of them spread around maybe they would have worked, but I have my doubts. We weren't living on the boat.

Using an electric dehumidifier we were taking out four to five litres per day but we were living on the boat.

Arrr Kellys Eye. How did you get on. Sounds like you sold her then? Really lovely boat and wish I had the time to commit to a boat like that.

 

[lw395]

It depends how big you boat is, ours was 38 feet, we used four packs of chrystals and they weren't sufficientl to stop condensation. Maybe if we had twenty of them spread around maybe they would have worked, but I have my doubts. We weren't living on the boat.

Using an electric dehumidifier we were taking out four to five litres per day but we were living on the boat.

It depends where the water is getting in. Four or five litres a day is a lot.
The chemical dehumidifiers are not going to do anything about that.

I use them in my lockup garage, which is basically pretty dry anyway, but not really ventilated. Ventilation only helps when it is either less humid or colder outside, here in Portsmouth, mist, fog and drizzle can be pretty common. The only thing that prevents condensation in those conditions is either a dehumidifier or a heater and some ventilation.
So I think the chemical dryers are useful in a near-sealed, fairly dry space, but no match for a boat with a wet bilge or a rain leak, or water vapour from combustion.