DEHUMIDIFIER

[bobblangley]

Can anyone recommend from first hand experience a dehumidifier that will handle the space inside a Bigfoot 17G trailer (approx 800 cu ft). I live on the NW coast where the winters are very wet so it will get a workout. It will have to have the capability of being drained with a hose as well as with its built in collection tank.

[tractors1]

Hi Bob,


I'm in Hillsboro. Any dehumidifier will work fine if you have AC power available


https://www.amazon.com/Dehumidifier-...%2C277&sr=8-17


I use a small one with a removable reservoir for emptying. Collects maybe 1/2 cup per month in the winter; I generally check the trailer once a month or more (depending on mod activity) and just dump that into the sink.

[Darwin Maring]

I run one all the time and drilled a hole in the floor and installed one of those through the hull that they use on a boat and attached the hose to it so i will not have to empty it.

[Derek Johnson]

I used two different sizes of these for a few years, but the aluminum fins freeze up with ice and they stop working when the temp drops into the 40's.

https://www.amazon.com/Eva-Dry-Edv-2...827415&sr=8-21

I purchased one of these and ran a drain hose to the sink:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It monitors the humidity and cycles on and off. I set it to about 45% humidity, where before I was barely able to get down to 55%. So far so good, although some reviews suggested that it will only last a few years.

Derek

[Defenestrator]

Skip the little Peltier-based ones like the Eva-dry. I had one for a while plus a data collection setup that tracked humidity. Having it on or off didn't actually affect the humidity noticeably. They're just not powerful enough to keep up with active moisture sources like a human or outside air. Good enough for storage in small sealed areas, but that's it.

Unfortunately, there's not a lot of middle ground. Go with either the linked dessicant-wheel Ivation, or the smallest compressor-based one you can find. Probably the desiccant-wheel one since it's for winter (they do better at lower temperatures, where the compressor ones do better when it's hot).

[jerrybob]

I live in Southwest Washington....we get 80 to 100 inches of rain per year....I have used this dehumidifier by Davis for years in our Casita......never have had a moisture problem.....simple to use....no emptying water container.....many boat owner use them. Some will say they don't work and argue their point for hours.......from experience....they work quite well. Good luck.

https://www.amazon.com/Davis-Instrum...97263917&psc=1

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by jerrybob

Some will say they don't work and argue their point for hours.......from experience....they work quite well. Good luck.

They work as well as a 60 watt bulb, in that they warm the air so it can hold more moisture.

If they actually remove moisture, it would be somewhere.

[redbarron55]

"I run one all the time and drilled a hole in the floor and installed one of those through the hull that they use on a boat and attached the hose to it so i will not have to empty it."
If you did not do this in Florida you would have rotted out floors very quickly!
Personally I leave my FrankenScamp plugged in and the Mini-Split running in Dehumidify mode or with the AC on. The condensate drain is always running with a little puddle under it.

[jerrybob]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

They work as well as a 60 watt bulb, in that they warm the air so it can hold more moisture.

If they actually remove moisture, it would be somewhere.

Like I said.....they work well.....never have/had a moisture problem with tons of rain......success is in the eye of the beholder.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by jerrybob

Like I said.....they work well.....never have/had a moisture problem with tons of rain......success is in the eye of the beholder.

Yup. I had one, given to me by a buddy. Buddy had replaced it with a light bulb in the hold of his tug. I ended up tossing it and replacing it with Dri-Z-Air desiccant containers. Empty them every couple, three weeks.

[sokhapkin]

I use a "passive dehumidifier" here in Florida. https://www.homedepot.com/p/DampRid-...01FS/203908838

[jerrybob]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Yup. I had one, given to me by a buddy. Buddy had replaced it with a light bulb in the hold of his tug. I ended up tossing it and replacing it with Dri-Z-Air desiccant containers. Empty them every couple, three weeks.

Whatever floats your boat.....happy emptying.....mine has been working great for years.....I recommend them.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by jerrybob

Whatever floats your boat.....happy emptying.....mine has been working great for years.....I recommend them.

I hear that sometimes... people like them. However I would like to see a controlled, or at least semi-controlled experiment. Have you ever tried a 130 watt light bulb instead and compared the results? Because that is what is is.. a 130 watt heater. Just saying... 130 (or so) watt light blub... $1.50. Davis Instruments Air-Dryr.. $60. At that price differential it seems like it would be a worthwhile experiment.

[Darwin Maring]

What is the cost of running a 130 W bulb!

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

What is the cost of running a 130 W bulb!

The same as a 130 watt heating element.

[redbarron55]

A heating element does reduce the relative humidity, but not the amount of water in the air, actually the relative humidity is reduced because the air can hold more water.
A dehumidifier does three things.
1. it removes water from the air as condensate on the cold coil and
2. the dehumidified air goes through the hot coil and decreases the relative humidity further.
3. The heat from the operation of the fans and the compressor heat the area increasing #2 above.
Back in the day we kept a relatively low power on relatively high power motors to keep them dried out. Of course relatively is a relative term since we had 120 volts on a 4160 volt 2000 hp motor.
Heat helps, but chilling and reheating will do more good than just heat.
Again back in the day we controlled the humidity in a large critical production plant with a rotor spray of very cold water to cool the air, resulting in a cold, but saturated air stream and then reheated it to the desired temperature with coils heated with steam. The humidity was controlled by how cold we made the air with the chilled water.
Science and stuff. about 25% of the population will never understand.
My wife who is sensitive to smells insists that we keep FrankenScamp air conditioned year round all the time to prevent mold from getting back in everything here in North Florida . The Mini - Split heat pump we have has a dehumidifier setting as well. The condensate drain is putting out water all of the time!

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by redbarron55

A heating element does reduce the relative humidity, but not the amount of water in the air, actually the relative humidity is reduced because the air can hold more water

The Davis is just a heating element in an aluminum container. No fan, no container for condensate. nothing.

[jerrybob]

Originally Posted by gordon2

I hear that sometimes... people like them. However I would like to see a controlled, or at least semi-controlled experiment. Have you ever tried a 130 watt light bulb instead and compared the results? Because that is what is is.. a 130 watt heater. Just saying... 130 (or so) watt light blub... $1.50. Davis Instruments Air-Dryr.. $60. At that price differential it seems like it would be a worthwhile experiment.

Never tried and don't plan too. I've had the Davis dryer for about 12 years.....never have had a moisture problem in two trailers during this time.....with 80 to 100 inches of rain per year.....I am totally satisfied with the product......if it went out tomorrow....I'd buy another one in a heartbeat. It costs me more than $60 to fill up my gas tank.....so the price seems pretty reasonable for something that works well and has for many years......BTW....global warming is real!

[jerrybob]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

The Davis is just a heating element in an aluminum container. No fan, no container for condensate. nothing.

And it works well....lets not forget that!

[Natalie21]

I have used the RV dehumidifier Pro Breeze in my 2002 Riatla QD. My motorhome is about 1000 cubic feet. This winter was very wet and the interior was showing signs of mold on some interior surfaces. I am well aware of the damage mold and mildew can do to motorhome interiors. I use two small rechargeable dehumidifiers that turn pink when wet and blue when dry. These were not enough this winter. So, I bought the Pro Breeze Mini and couldn't be happier. I have a gauge in my motorhome that shows the temp and humidity. It has reduced the interior humidity by 20%.