Eva Dry dehumidifier units

[jcpainter]

Has anyone used the Eva Dry dehumidifier units in their RV that is in storage during the hot humid summer? If so, is it accurate that they will shut off automatically and never allow any liquid to come out of them?

I'd hate to set them on carpet or furniture and develop wet spots if they collected too much moisture.

Thanks for any input on the effectiveness of these devices in a closed up RV.

[atreis]

rhagfo wrote:

Lynnmor wrote:
I don't know how they keep selling these "snake oil" units. To remove humidity (water) from the air, the water needs to be collected and disposed of outside.

Well you keep using a Dry-Z-Air until you spill some of the liquid and then you will believe in Eva-Air.

The pellets absorb the moisture, then you plug them in in a "well ventilated space' like a garage or I do mine in the S&B kitchen. Then a heating unit dries the pellets and good to go again.

X2 - work great, not snake oil. I use 4 and plug them in to dry them in the house.

[Bumpyroad]

my "real" dehumidifier is rated at 50 pints/24 hrs and draws 5.2 amps. I will leave it up to the electronic gurus to figure out how much solar would be required. a lesser, 30 pint, etc. one would no doubt require less.

is there any rating given anywhere for the capacity of the eva dry ones? since they sell them in 5 and 6 packs, that speaks to their lack of capacity.
bumpy

[mlts22]

I have used Eva-Dry units with my RV since I got it back in 2011.

The good: They do work in small spaces without much airflow.

The bad:

The effect from them was at best marginal. They were useful in a closet or in a cabinet, but the inside in general? Almost little effect.

They require being plugged in for a number of hours to regenerate. So, they went on a baking pan and an aluminum table outside.

You will be in a world of hurt if you drop them. All those little silica beads will go -everywhere-, and it will take a while before you manage to vacuum them up.

My recommendation: Damp Rid products do work. However, if they spill, they are caustic, so they need to do into a secondary container like a five gallon bucket or a strong plastic tub. This way, any mess is well contained.

The best of all worlds is a real dehumidifer. Eva-Dry models just don't cut it. You need a compressor based model. Ideally, you should be able to place it the shower or bathtub and have it drain into the black water tank, so you don't have to empty it that often.

[jcpainter]

Bumpyroad wrote:
downhome, you seem to be describing a standard dehumidifier, similar to an air conditioner. the item I believe the OP is describing is basically the same as those absorbent containers of material that soak up the moisture from the air, then need to be taken and put in an oven to bake the moisture out of them. the ones discussed evidently have a built in heating element so when "full" they can be taken out and plugged in to remove the moisture.
I question whether the added convenience would be worth the extra cost especially in a situation where the RV is stored elsewhere and one must make a trip to it and remove the units from inside it anyhow.

I would be curious as to an accurate statement on the dehumidification power of these units, pints per day or whatever, vs a standard type of dehumidifier.
bumpy

You have to remember that when a unit is stored on a lot, with no available power, a standard dehumidifier is not an option. I'm sure the Eva-Drys and their copy cats are not as effective as a plug in dehumidifier, but hopefully they are much better than the Damp Rid type products that deposit water into a container and make a mess. We'll see . . . .

[Bumpyroad]

Drew_K wrote:
Those products might be okay for a closet or cabinet, but not for an entire RV.

I think that areas like a gun safe, etc. would be ideal for their use.
bumpy

[Drew_K]

Lynnmor wrote:
I don't know how they keep selling these "snake oil" units. To remove humidity (water) from the air, the water needs to be collected and disposed of outside.

Agree 100%. I tried the Dry Z Air and Eva Dry and, while they do remove some moisture, they were too small to make any noticeable difference in our RV. I didn't realize how poor they worked until we bought a real, plug into the wall dehumidifier. In the summer, that thing will pull out a gallon or more every day, and our RV is NOTICEABLY drier. I never felt a difference with the DryZAir and Eva Dry. Those products might be okay for a closet or cabinet, but not for an entire RV.

[rhagfo]

Lynnmor wrote:
I don't know how they keep selling these "snake oil" units. To remove humidity (water) from the air, the water needs to be collected and disposed of outside.

Well you keep using a Dry-Z-Air until you spill some of the liquid and then you will believe in Eva-Air.

The pellets absorb the moisture, then you plug them in in a "well ventilated space' like a garage or I do mine in the S&B kitchen. Then a heating unit dries the pellets and good to go again.

[Lynnmor]

I don't know how they keep selling these "snake oil" units. To remove humidity (water) from the air, the water needs to be collected and disposed of outside.

[Bumpyroad]

downhome, you seem to be describing a standard dehumidifier, similar to an air conditioner. the item I believe the OP is describing is basically the same as those absorbent containers of material that soak up the moisture from the air, then need to be taken and put in an oven to bake the moisture out of them. the ones discussed evidently have a built in heating element so when "full" they can be taken out and plugged in to remove the moisture.
I question whether the added convenience would be worth the extra cost especially in a situation where the RV is stored elsewhere and one must make a trip to it and remove the units from inside it anyhow.

I would be curious as to an accurate statement on the dehumidification power of these units, pints per day or whatever, vs a standard type of dehumidifier.
bumpy

[down_home]

There are a few with different brand labels. I never did find a table top unti.
We bought a small one at Lowes for a bit over 200.00. It does shut off when the one gallon tank get full. It stays off while you empty it and turns on when you insert the tank again.
It should have/may have a connection for a standard hose end so it can be left running until it reaches set humidity level. Some dehumidifers have been recalled due to fires. This unit runs all the time, in the basement, when we are home now. Have to buy another for the coach.
I would place it on a board, of which I can't thing of the name right now, designed for small stoves to be put on and in the middle of the coach, just for peace of mind from being away from the coach for a long time.
It should be fine. In two years, continous use, this unit has given no problems. It does have an air filter that should be checked or changed once in a while. Ours needs to be cleaned after two years, probably.

[jcpainter]

Thanks. I had previously read "how it works", but sometimes things don't always work the way they are advertised!

I just wanted to hear from someone that actually uses them for confirmation. I have ordered 5 for our stored 5er.

[rhagfo]

jcpainter wrote:
Thank you Russ and Paula, that's what I wanted to hear. Something from someone that had actual experience with one falling over. I assume it was still full and had not been renewed when this happened?

The Eva-Dry unit never has liquid in it. The beads contained in the unit absorb the moisture and change color from Blue to pink as they reach their absorption limit. Then at that point in a somewhat open space you plug them into a 120 Volt out let, and a small heating element in the unit heats and drys the beads and they turn blue again and the unit is ready to work, no danger of spilled liquid with Eva-Air.

How It Works

I will NEVER use Dry-Z-Air again EVER!!!!!

[jcpainter]

Thank you Russ and Paula, that's what I wanted to hear. Something from someone that had actual experience with one falling over. I assume it was still full and had not been renewed when this happened?

[rhagfo]

jcpainter wrote:
Another question on the Eva-Dry: Can they turn over and leak any liquid while moving? I want to put them in the 5er while slides are in and the unit is stored. Can we then hook up and start towing without fear that the Eva-Drys will turn over and leak the accumulated moisture onto whatever they were placed on (furniture, carpet, etc.)?

NO! :S

I had one on the counter and missed it sitting there, slid off the counter and hit the open door of the power panel!! Broke the door, but NOTHING spilled this is a Totally contained system!
I did have a Dri-Z-Air spill and needed to replace a wood counter top, and the shelf below it due to the liquid getting into the wood and attracting moisture. We have two Eva-Dry 500 and they do a great job.

Eva-Dry Web site