De-Humidifier

[TugCE]

Does anyone know if it is possible to put a de-humidifier switch / controller on a RV AC unit? I know they work great on home AC units but I have never heard of anyone trying it on a RV.

My Buddy is going to leave his Fifth Wheel in Florida while they take their TC to Alaska this Summer and he was wondering what he could do to protect everything in the Fifth Wheel. They are full timers and will be leaving most of their belonging in the FW.

[thestoloffs]

TugCE wrote:
A lot of the Snow Bird homes down here in Florida use one of these De-Humidifier Switches to control the AC during the Summer months. You set the AC Thermostat on 85 and then set the De-Humidifier Switch to whatever level of Humidity you want. This way the AC runs a lot less and saves a lot of $$$$.

I will do some more research locally and report back.

If you're going to do this research, also Google "Humidistat". That's what the unit in our condo is called -- just like a thermostat switches the A/C on/off depending on the temperature; the Humidistat does the same thing when the relative humidity goes above a certain level. (My condo complex has the mandatory maximum humidity level as 60%, when you leave your unit unattended.)

[TugCE]

A lot of the Snow Bird homes down here in Florida use one of these De-Humidifier Switches to control the AC during the Summer months. You set the AC Thermostat on 85 and then set the De-Humidifier Switch to whatever level of Humidity you want. This way the AC runs a lot less and saves a lot of $$$$.

I will do some more research locally and report back.

[2oldman]

Sounds like there's nothing that goes with the a/c unit, as I understand the op's question.

[Gdetrailer]

2oldman wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:
.. I would not want to use a A/C unit in the winter or cool outside temps as a means of dehumidifying since it will pull heat out of your RV and then you will have to run the furnace to put heat back into your living space :S

Yeah, I hear it gets pretty cold in FL in the summer.

Winter or summer, doesn't matter, as others have mentioned it is far cheaper to run a dehumidifier for the sole purpose of dehumidifying..

I run a dehumidifier in my basement of my sticks and brick YEAR ROUND, even in the winter the basement can reach a humidity level above 45% and once you reach 50% you now enter the forbidden mold growth zone. Right now my basement is 65 degrees with 38% humidity and my first floor is 73 degrees with 28% humidity with an outside temp of -.6F..

I have a 70 pint dehumidifier which draws less than 5A, compare that to a 13.5K roof A/C at 13.5A draw..

That little 70pint dehumidifier WILL remove MORE humidity than a roof air ever could..

But you are welcome to do it your way if you like.

[fcooper]

If your friend decides to use a dehumidifier (which I think is the best solution), he needs to be sure it will restart with the same settings after a power failure. Without this feature, he may return to find an inoperative dehumidifier simply because the power in the campground went out briefly.

Fred

[2oldman]

TugCE wrote:
..he was wondering what he could do to protect everything in the Fifth Wheel. They are full timers and will be leaving most of their belonging in the FW.

Protecting everything may include removing things subject to heat damage.

[2oldman]

wolfe10 wrote:
.. though an A/C will remove moisture (usually drips off the roof), the evaporator coils stay WET. The filters are poor, so you end up with MOLD growing on the wet, dirty evaporator. Difficult to clean (from the roof only, and only after removing the cover and all the screws holding the cover for the evaporator).

Can't say I've ever had that problem, and I've run my RV air a lot. I guess I've never run it high-humidity.

[2oldman]

Gdetrailer wrote:
.. I would not want to use a A/C unit in the winter or cool outside temps as a means of dehumidifying since it will pull heat out of your RV and then you will have to run the furnace to put heat back into your living space :S

Yeah, I hear it gets pretty cold in FL in the summer.

[Airstreamer67]

Yep, the dehumidifier typically draws only a small fraction of the power needed to operate an air conditioner. The dehumidifier only has to draw some of the moisture out of the air, a much easier job than trying to cool it.

I live in a very humid state and run a dehumidifier during the hot months. In the winter, when I'm not camping I use simple heating units designed to keep humidity down similar to keeping a light bulb on for the heat. Most dehumidifiers have a minimum temperature operating level of maybe 60F or so, at which point they can freeze up and stop being effective.

[wolfe10]

Been on the Gulf Coast for decades with sail boats and RV's.

Get a house-type dehumidifier, set it SECURELY on the galley counter draining into the galley sink, set it at 50% humidity and forget it. Done this on every sail boat and RV we have ever had.

Sorry, though an A/C will remove moisture (usually drips off the roof), the evaporator coils stay WET. The filters are poor, so you end up with MOLD growing on the wet, dirty evaporator. Difficult to clean (from the roof only, and only after removing the cover and all the screws holding the cover for the evaporator).

Since a dehumidifier has both hot and cold sides, far less chance of mold. And really easy to clean.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

A.C.? ROOF AIR? ON ALL THE TIME?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$/

[Gdetrailer]

2oldman wrote:

TugCE wrote:
Does anyone know if it is possible to put a de-humidifier switch / controller on a RV AC unit?

Air conditioning is a good dehumidifier all by itself. What am I missing here?

A dehumidifier recirculates the HEAT removed by and generated from the unit BACK INTO THE SAME LIVING SPACE..

"Air conditioners" on the other hand are not designed to put the heat back into the living space.

Big difference, I would not want to use a A/C unit in the winter or cool outside temps as a means of dehumidifying since it will pull heat out of your RV and then you will have to run the furnace to put heat back into your living space :S

While A/C units do remove moisture they are not really designed primarily for that function..

[mabynack]

I live in Florida and I keep a dehumidifier going in my RV. It has a built in humidity switch. I empty mine twice a week, but you could add a drain line that goes to the exterior.

[2oldman]

TugCE wrote:
Does anyone know if it is possible to put a de-humidifier switch / controller on a RV AC unit?

Air conditioning is a good dehumidifier all by itself. What am I missing here?