I need a de-humidifer

[mchero]

Like to hear from full timers who have purchased a de-humidifier for winter. Don't want a full size due to amp draw but don't want too small to be ineffective.
Like to hear from others using de-humidifiers.
Purchased a small Eva-Dry but its not working well. Sending back.

Suggestions?

Thanks

[mchero]

pianotuna wrote:
Try this worksheet to decide how to heat!

http://www.maxmcarter.com/fuels/fuelscalc.html

mchero wrote:


Will need to get the cost of propane and electricity when we move to our winter site 11/1/18

Thanks pianotuna

[pianotuna]

Try this worksheet to decide how to heat!

http://www.maxmcarter.com/fuels/fuelscalc.html

mchero wrote:


Will need to get the cost of propane and electricity when we move to our winter site 11/1/18

[mchero]

pnichols wrote:
Hmmm .... but your handle reads "Camarillo CA"?

Hmmmm, looks like ill need to change my handle. Put 38k miles in the last three years, sorry pnichols for the confusion.


Henniker New Hampshire now.

Correct location should now be in my profile.

Great info from all.

Will need to get the cost of propane and electricity when we move to our winter site 11/1/18

Stay tunned, and thanks for the replys

[GordonThree]

Planning wrote:

S Davis wrote:
You will get some heating from a dehumidifier as well.

in your experience, how much heating? Enough to be problematic in a hot AND humid climate?

My 90 pint unit puts out a lot of heat. I tried running it in my shower during the summer, and spiked the bathroom temperature quite a bit.

If your AC unit struggles to keep the trailer cool in the summer, the extra heat from a large dehumidifier isn't going to help.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

"in your experience, how much heating? Enough to be problematic in a hot AND humid climate?"

Stick your hand behind the condenser outflow of a regular air conditioner. That will give you some idea. More heating BTU than cooling evaporator influence.

In the tropics, when air conditioning cannot reduce R/H to <50% we use a dehumidifier. This means an oversize air conditioner is necessary if the original power of the original A/C is borderline capacity.

The lower the ambient temperature the harder it is for a dehumidifier to extract moisture.

[pnichols]

Hmmm .... but your handle reads "Camarillo CA"?

[mchero]

Planning wrote:

S Davis wrote:
You will get some heating from a dehumidifier as well.

in your experience, how much heating? Enough to be problematic in a hot AND humid climate?

Who's talking hot and humid? I'm talking winters in New Hampshire.

[pnichols]

I don't know how many hours of the day you need the electric heater to be on plus at the same time have the humidity reduced ... but once we needed to dehumidify our RV and didn't have a dehumidifier.

We just ran an electric heater in the RV and the RV's air conditioner at the same time. We found a balance point for a heater's temperature setting and the A/C's thermostat setting such that the inside of the RV was held at about 72 degrees with greatly reduced humidity. This worked like a champ in our 30 amp RV.

[Planning]

S Davis wrote:
You will get some heating from a dehumidifier as well.

in your experience, how much heating? Enough to be problematic in a hot AND humid climate?

[pianotuna]

As temperatures drop it becomes harder and harder for a dehumidifier to work well. They used to rate them on extraction at 26 c (80 F). Once you approach 20 c (68 f) their capacity to lower relative humidity becomes poor. They will still work--but they spend a lot of time in "defrost" mode.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Can't you rig up something to dump directly into the shower? Also it is better to use a different style of fan than what the dehumidifier has. Look for a computer muffin style 120mm unit for 120vac. Much more efficient, and it allows the airflow passing through the evaporator to get much colder which extracts more water. Place the extra fan on the floor main aisle facing the bathroom but locate it in the galley.
From the school of mold, electric bills, and frustration.

[pianotuna]

Hi mchero,

I use electric heated carpets.

The safest heaters may be the oil filled units, because their surface temperatures are well below most materials ignition point. They are slow to warm up a room as they rely on convection currents. I tuck them away into otherwise unused spaces by using 1/2 size units. Mine draw 462 watts.

I carry a radiant heater which I love because it heats what it is pointed at. The air is then warmed by heat reradiating from the item being warmed up. They are useful for thawing out a frozen storage panel door, even at low temperatures (tested to -27 c (-17 f)).

I use fan based heaters in several locations. For example my water hose compartment, and the waste tanks. When I know I'll need water I flip a switch and the heater warms the storage compartment.

I don't have any "toe" heaters (base board units), but if I were to continue to full time I'd be moving in that direction.

I do use mechanical thermostats to prevent freezing.

Possibly my best heating modification is the twin window fans that replaced the cold air return grill for the furnace. When they are on they circulate warm cabin air though the duct work and prevent fresh water line freeze ups. Mine is on a mechanical thermostat. I do use a 240 volt bulb in a reflector fixture to keep the water pump protected. It is on the same thermostat as the fans.

I added two extra shore power cords, so I have the OEM 30, a 20 and a 15 amp circuit available for running heat. My peak load is 7100 watts. Average is between 5000 and 6000 watts. Daily usage on Oct 14, 2016 was 3.3 kwh for 24 hours.

Plan well and keep the propane furnace set on at a low temperature in case there is a power failure.

I don't have any issues with moisture. It is -2 c right now and relative humidity inside the RV is 28%.

[GordonThree]

I really enjoy the slow steady heat from my oil filled electric heater. I recommend two modifications, first buy or build an external thermostat for it, since the built in thermo is skewed by the heat from the heater itself.

Second modification, maybe not required, is to bypass the built in thermostat internally. Mine would still switch off even set to it's highest setting. I did leave the tip over switch and over-temp cut out wired in however.

[mchero]

Looks like one should NOT go "on the cheap" when purchasing. I don't want mold growing along the bottom of the windshield and windows and I don't want to be emptying the collection bin two toms or more/day.
Now that i know we will have 50 amp service I don't have to be too concerned about amp draw.
Swung by Sears and looked at some units. Thought it be a good idea to swing by the Manchester NH location that's closing. BIG liquidation sale but the place was picked clean!
Will return to the Concord store today AFTER finalizing the winter site with the camp ground owner.
I think ill request grease fittings on the electric meter so it won't be squealing during high electric usage! Lol
The next project will be locating an electric heater. The ones you see at sams dont look like they could handle the job. Get a bit nervous when I see the sentance, "supliment heating" ceramic, infrared ..... Hmmm
Whats your take on the infrared heaters/ceramic/oil filled. That might have to be a different post.

Thanks again all, great posts for myself and others looking to winter in a COLD climate.
Can't wait for the first RV top snow removal! When we purchased this rig I had this rig and my much missed Pace Arrow Diesel. Not fun removing snow from TWO 35 plus foot rigs. Plastic skylights get a tad brittle when real cold!!