I'm thinking of drilling a hole in the floor to install a drain line for my de-humidifier. Likely spot will be next to the low point drain for the FW tank, which is inside the cabin under the bed. The machine sits in a storage space at the end of the bed between it and the outside wall.One thing I'm concerned about, what should I do to keep bugs from nesting inside the drain line, or crawling up it into the machine itself? What are some other reasons not to, that I might be missing?I thought about draining it into the gray water instead, but the machine produces 2-3 gallons per day, that's a lot of water to be running into the gray in addition to my own wasteful behavior at the sink / shower.

Screening over the end of the drain hose secured by a hose clamp OR copper wool stuffed inside the first inch or so of the drain line. Don't use steel wool as it will rust quickly. Hope this helps.Happy camping.

I don't know what your intentions are, but do you know that dehumidifier puts out a bunch of heat? It's not something I would want running in my RV at this time of the year if it was occupied.Bruce

Why not put it on the kitchen counter and let it drain into the sink/gray tank.That should keep you MANY months.That is what I have done for 15+ years.

A gallon per day is probably a very high water output estimate. You could rig up a "P" trap to drain the water into, and that trap full of water will prevent air or bugs from entering the trap. Have 3/4" PVC drain go down to the outside of the RV, then down about 2", then over to the right about 1" then up 1/5" to end. Water will stay in the 1" of pipe and prevent bugs from getting into the pipe.That is what we do with home air conditioners. They tend to put out a lot of water until the air is dry, then very little after that. Fred.

Fred,Ya, no way could you remove a gallon of water a day for more than the first day, unless you are open to the outside or go in and out frequently.We live/store in a humid area. First day, sure, it will remove a lot. But after that (i.e. once it has reduce the humidity of the air in the coach) it doesn't pull a lot more.

de-humidifier drain line | Good Sam Community

wolfe10
Explorer
May 23, 2015
All I can say is WOW.

Right now, here in S. Texas: temperature is 84 degrees. Dew point is 77 degrees. Relative humidity 80%. Ya, hot an humid.

Went over to the coach (stored indoors, but no climate control in the building). Humidity in the coach 48% and it had pulled less than 14 ounces of water in the last three days (since the last time at the coach).

Again, this is with the coach in STORAGE, not in use or with door opened frequently. That would change the whole equation.
ktmrfs
Explorer II
May 23, 2015
wolfe10 wrote:
Fred,

Ya, no way could you remove a gallon of water a day for more than the first day, unless you are open to the outside or go in and out frequently.

We live/store in a humid area. First day, sure, it will remove a lot. But after that (i.e. once it has reduce the humidity of the air in the coach) it doesn't pull a lot more.

come visit us on the oregon coast. It will pull 5 gallons out the first day and another 2.5 every additional day. That's if it isn't raining and we are not dragging any damp clothes inside. And we keep the outside vent open when showering, have the fan vent to the outside when cooking.

Now, if the AC is running, don't really need the dehumidifier, AC does that. Of course dehumidifier is a self contained heat pump, air across the "AC cold air coil", and the hot side vents to the coach.

Eastern oregon another story, it may take a day or more to pull 2.5 gallons out, and then 1-2 gallons/day after that.
John_Joey
Explorer
May 18, 2015
We're by the Gulf for most of the winter with our rig. I did exactly what you're talking about, otherwise I was dumping 2-3 gallons every 24 hours.

No problems with bugs. If you're really concern then put an ever so slight rise in the hose prior to going out side. This will fill with water an act as a stop. Drill the whole the size of the hose and if you have carpet that should be plenty good.

When I pull the hose out, I use some electrician clay to plug the hole in the floor. This hole is in the slide out portion so when the slide is in, I don't even need to do that.
wolfe10
Explorer
May 17, 2015
GordonThree,

We may be talking about different situations. We only use the dehumidifier while the coach is in storage. So we do not introduce much new moisture to the coach.

Once the moisture in the air in the coach is removed, dehumidifier additional removal is minimal.
christopherglen
Explorer
May 17, 2015
Is the rooftop AC working properly? Normally they pull most of the water out of the air by themselves. I have never had to run a dehumidifier and AC at the same time - even in FL in July. I DO run one over the winter in storage, and the drain line is into the sink.
GordonThree
Explorer
May 17, 2015
Wolfe and Fred, I'll call you over next time I've got it running. It's a 90 pint GE, with a 2.5 gallon reservoir. It fills and is emptied almost every other day. Yes, I am in and out a lot, and I give off a lot of moisture naturally.

It does put out some heat, but nothing the rooftop unit can't handle ;) when I'm paying $30+ a night for a cg parking spot with electric only hookups, I'm sure to get my monies worth.

Good idea with the P shaped trap in the hose, I'm sure I can rig that. I'll find a piece of plastic screen and zip-tie it around the outlet end just to be sure.

Thanks everybody!
wolfe10
Explorer
May 17, 2015
Fred,

Ya, no way could you remove a gallon of water a day for more than the first day, unless you are open to the outside or go in and out frequently.

We live/store in a humid area. First day, sure, it will remove a lot. But after that (i.e. once it has reduce the humidity of the air in the coach) it doesn't pull a lot more.
Golden_HVAC
Explorer
May 17, 2015
A gallon per day is probably a very high water output estimate.

You could rig up a "P" trap to drain the water into, and that trap full of water will prevent air or bugs from entering the trap. Have 3/4" PVC drain go down to the outside of the RV, then down about 2", then over to the right about 1" then up 1/5" to end. Water will stay in the 1" of pipe and prevent bugs from getting into the pipe.

That is what we do with home air conditioners. They tend to put out a lot of water until the air is dry, then very little after that.

Fred.
wolfe10
Explorer
May 17, 2015
Why not put it on the kitchen counter and let it drain into the sink/gray tank.

That should keep you MANY months.

That is what I have done for 15+ years.
nomad297
Explorer
May 17, 2015
I don't know what your intentions are, but do you know that dehumidifier puts out a bunch of heat? It's not something I would want running in my RV at this time of the year if it was occupied.

Bruce

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