dehumidifiers

[chasthedagger]

what dehumidifiers do people use when storing the van for the winter, i used the throw away type but cant get the ones i have used before.

 

[Jaws]

Lots of conflicting ideas about such things.
On one side, there is the thought that using anything ( from a big plate of salt to silika bags to.. well commercial dehumidifiers )will only draw in more humidity..
On the other side folk swear by using something to try and keep everything dry

To my mind, unless every single tiny gap is blocked to stop further ingress of moisture, it is better to just use nowt.
All we do is open all the cupboards and rely on the vans own ventilation to keep things dry
Have used this method for the past 8 years without issue
When we first get in to the van things do feel damp.. But we soon learned they are not actually damp, just cold .. And once the van warms up everything returns to normal ( Our van is usually stood up from about the 2nd week in November until mid January when we chase the sun )

 

[Zains Pops]

You can't dehumidify a motorhome as it has inbuilt ventilation, which means as you try and lower the water content of the air within the van, the same volume of water vapour is drawn in through the ventilation system, it can't be done. Therefore follow Jaws advice and open everything up to allow a good circulation of air and simply warm it up before you next use it.

 

[TerryL]

As Jaws says, keep it ventilated (but dry - leave the windows shut!!!) is the best way to avoid the dreaded damp.

 

[rosalan]

.....and the possible addition of a small heater?

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[Boringfrog]

.....and the possible addition of a small heater?

 

[Lenny HB]

A heater will warm the air and warm air holds more moisture so you make the situation worse. As everyone else says do nothing is best.

 

[two]

Don't do nothing. Open all lockers, especially corner ones, to allow air to move about freely. Put cushions up on end )or take them inside.

 

[icantremember]

You can deffinitely reduce the moisture content inside a motorhome as I have done sometimes using a domestic dehumidifier along with a humidity meter to check the effectivness.
The dehumidifier, normally, will only work above about 6°C so may require some form of heating as well.
Keep any interior doors and lockers open.
I agree with other posters that a certain amount of air/moisture will be drawn in through any permanant ventilators but it does make a huge difference to the feel of the moho and keeps things like bedding & matresses in good condition.

 

[Cliffdale]

Coming from a boating background, I would choose a desiccant dehumidifier. they are much more expensive but work at lower temperatures. I have the Meaco and think its wonderful. Not only it works at low temperature, but it also heats up the air inside the cabin.

This is worth a read

http://www.pbo.co.uk/gear/alex-bell-tests-8-dehumidifiers-find-sea-worthy-17169

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[icantremember]

Coming from a boating background, I would choose a desiccant dehumidifier. they are much more expensive but work at lower temperatures. I have the Meaco and think its wonderful. Not only it works at low temperature, but it also heats up the air inside the cabin.

This is worth a read

http://www.pbo.co.uk/gear/alex-bell-tests-8-dehumidifiers-find-sea-worthy-17169

Thanks for that .... I have two (fairly old) compressor types both of which work very well, but as I said "will only work above about 6°C" so I will look into getting a desiccant model as an alternative.

 

[Revolvor]

Coming from a boating background, I would choose a desiccant dehumidifier.........

I also have a boat, and I work for a desiccant air dryer company! The boat has two solar-powered extractor fans in the cabin roof, and vents in the doors, so there is always a slight air-flow. I also leave cupboard doors open and put open tubs of surplus desiccant in them, which I periodically re-activate by drying in the oven. The boat remains mould-free through the winter, despite being surrounded by water.

 

[2657]

I also have a boat, and I work for a desiccant air dryer company! The boat has two solar-powered extractor fans in the cabin roof, and vents in the doors, so there is always a slight air-flow. I also leave cupboard doors open and put open tubs of surplus desiccant in them, which I periodically re-activate by drying in the oven. The boat remains mould-free through the winter, despite being surrounded by water.

But the experts tell us that dehumidifiers don't work unless in a hermetically sealed space

 

[two]

Dehumidifiers will be much more effective in an enclosed space. To work at all, they must be able to remove any moisture faster than it can get back in. A dehumidifier is likely to struggle in a m/h as the space is impossible to seal off. Good ventilation is the easiest and cheapest solution for combating damp.

 

[2657]

Dehumidifiers will be much more effective in an enclosed space. To work at all, they must be able to remove any moisture faster than it can get back in. A dehumidifier is likely to struggle in a m/h as the space is impossible to seal off. Good ventilation is the easiest and cheapest solution for combating damp.

In much the same way as heater works better in a sealed space perhaps?

Doesn't mean to say that it doesn't work at all!

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[Boringfrog]

In much the same way as heater works better in a sealed space perhaps?

Doesn't mean to say that it doesn't work at all!

If will draw moisture, but as you said it's not sealed so moist air from outside will just replace the removed air, repeat until summer.

 

[Revolvor]

But the experts tell us that dehumidifiers don't work unless in a hermetically sealed space

I believe that it is because of the good ventilation that I don't get mould in the boat. The open tubs of desiccant in the cupboards will absorb some moisture, and won't do any harm.

 

[2657]

My post was meant to be ironic, I have been using both desiccant, in a static caravan over winter, and mechanical ones in our 5'er when in use,to good effect for many years

 

[two]

Shame you don't have a 'control environment' which is simply left open to free ventilation. Then you could start to draw comparisons.

 

[funflair]

Our caravan lived outside for 12 years, drained the boiler and opened taps for the winter, never drained the toilet flush, never opened cupboards, never removed bedding or lifted cushions never a trace of mould or damp.

Oh and never used heat or dehumidifier when we weren't living in it.

Martin

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[Cliffdale]

Despite what the experts say, how many get mouldy growth in may be the bathroom? My boat didn't and I put it down to the de humidifier and not

 

[Cliffdale]

Our caravan lived outside for 12 years, drained the boiler and opened taps for the winter, never drained the toilet flush, never opened cupboards, never removed bedding or lifted cushions never a trace of mould or damp.

Oh and never used heat or dehumidifier when we weren't living in it.

Martin

Not in Cornwall I presume. 6 month in mist and the rest in drizzle!

 

[pappajohn]

I'll stick to the scientific approach...if you remove moisture in an unsealed room then external moist air will enter to replenish what you took out.
Or
If you open a tap and leave the plug in the sink it will fill up, remove the plug the sink will empty but the water still flows from the tap...until the tap is closed....
a hermetically sealed room cannot let moist air back in whereas a ventilated room can.

 

[funflair]

Not in Cornwall I presume. 6 month in mist and the rest in drizzle!

North East, sun always shines here NOT.

Martin

 

[Cliffdale]

But despite what you say, I believe the humidity in the boat mh is less than not having one running at all

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[pappajohn]

But despite what you say, I believe the humidity in the boat mh is less than not having one running at all

How long does it take a dehumidifier to remove 2 litres of moisture ?
A lot longer than it will take a few open vents to let that amount of moisture back in.

 

[Cliffdale]

The only way to establish this is to have a moisture meter out side the cab and one inside the van. Which one would you say would be lower? Or put money on being equal?

 

[DAVWOD]

Check out http://www.dry-it-out.com/
DD1 Simple Desiccant Dehumidifier. £129.99 3 yr warranty

 

[EssexBoy]

I don't think that anyone is saying a dehumidifier won't work, merely that it's probably not necessary. I personally equate it to leaving your car engine running 24x7 just to make sure you don't get a flat battery
It'll work, but at what cost when other simpler methods are just as effective
Cheers
Steve

 

[Cliffdale]

Just wondering like,

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What would be the humidity in a mh running a de humidifier??

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