Camframo "Stor-Dry", model 9406

P

primative

New member
I use a couple of these boat dryers through the winter to control cabin moisture. They have an aluminum housing with holes for circulation, and inside a fan/motor, and small heating element that uses ~ 90 Watts. They have been very effective for me, though eventually they get noisy, or quit after a few years. They are not cheap to replace and I am wondering if the little electric motors can be replaced to refurbish them? Camframo did not have replacement motors available when I contacted them and may have told me the housing is not meant to take apart. I assure you that is not the case, simply drill out the rivets and that will do it.

1)Have you done it?

2) If yes, where did you get the motor?

Thanks,

Tom
 
I don't know about your situation but we bought a small gray cylindrical Honeywell heater from Wal-Mart just before our Erie canal cruise in 2009 for less than 30.00 dollars. We heard on a local weather forecast that the was dropping below forty degrees. We decided to go heater shopping and happened upon this heater at a Wal-Mart It has run all winter since 2009 and is still running in our boat at this time keeping our boats interior warm and dry while the boat is under the winter cover. I has tip over protection and has separate dials for fan speeds and temperature control. I just mention this because it has performed beyond our expectations. We have had a 100.00 Califramo fan fail long before I thought it should. We bought the same fan as we liked it but I wonder about the durability of some of Califramo's products. I don't think they are big on replacement parts. If anyone is interested in the model I'll climb in the boat and get the details on our heater.
D.D.
 
We ran heaters while the boat was in storage to keep mold and mildew at bay. What I discovered was that using a heater and a small table top dehumidifier it kept moisture down more than just the heater alone did.

Just a suggestion for folks who are trying to battle moisture during the winter.
 
D.D.,

Thanks for letting me know you have had good reliability with your Honeywell heater, good price too. I have not liked using the little cube room heaters on my boat as a dryer because they use more wattage even on the lower setting, and I am never quite sure what level to set the thermostat (it's just a dial of small dots increasing in size). I suppose I could just set it at the low wattage setting and the thermostat at the smallest dot. I'm sure I could figure it out with some observation, but I have become accustomed to the predictability/convenience of the Camframo dryer units. Living near Portland OR, I only use a heater when there is an extended freeze forecast ( I do not drain my water tank in winter) with my boat primarily being on a trailer under a garage boat port, or at a dock during colder weather use. I recently purchased a heater from GO2Marine.com, http://www.go2marine.com/product/73209F ... eater.html for $66.82. This was a real upgrade for me from the cube types I have been used to. It has setting choices of 600, 900, and 1500 Watts. Two fan speeds are great in a little cabin decreasing noise and heat output when it is not needed. I like the antifreeze setting and other features. I hope it holds up well.

Redbaronace,

What type of table top dehumidifier were you referring too?

Not to get too side tracked here, I would still like to know if anyone has succeeded with the original questions.

Thanks,
Tom
 
We also use a dehumidifier and also a heater during cold periods so the boat is always stocked and ready to go. We use an Eva-dry midsize model and have used the petite version as well. For the cabin only, the petite model can work fine but for more space (camperback included), use the midsize version.


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control ... &A=details

The Eva-dry makes a big difference in pulling moisture out of the boat and any damp items on board. We even leave wet raingear in the boat and the unit clears it up quickly. It hold enough water to empty every 5-7 days in wet times and 10 days plus in dry periods.

If I had to choose between a heater or a dehumidifier for storage, I would give the heater up first. Our friends use one in a 40ft sailboat and monitor the humidity closely. They were sceptical at first but now they have it wired to the boat 24/7 and even run it away from the dock. Ours draws 64 watts and runs whenever our boat is at home.

Greg
 
I just started with the dehumidifier, too. It helps to get one that can have a drain hose attached - then you just sit it on the counter and put the drain hose down into the sink.

I ordered this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EUN ... UTF8&psc=1

May be a bit of overkill, but after only 1 week in the cabin, when I entered the boat it was like night and day? Smelled and felt like a completely different animal.

BTW, I also have had the same two silver West Marine (may have been pre-Caframo) heater/fan disks running for 8 years every winter on 3 different boats. They are still working well.

After running the dehumidifier, I would definitely use that first over the heaters.
 
primative":32k26ise said:
D.D.,

Thanks for letting me know you have had good reliability with your Honeywell heater, good price too. I have not liked using the little cube room heaters on my boat as a dryer because they use more wattage even on the lower setting, and I am never quite sure what level to set the thermostat (it's just a dial of small dots increasing in size). I suppose I could just set it at the low wattage setting and the thermostat at the smallest dot. I'm sure I could figure it out with some observation, but I have become accustomed to the predictability/convenience of the Camframo dryer units. Living near Portland OR, I only use a heater when there is an extended freeze forecast ( I do not drain my water tank in winter) with my boat primarily being on a trailer under a garage boat port, or at a dock during colder weather use. I recently purchased a heater from GO2Marine.com, http://www.go2marine.com/product/73209F ... eater.html for $66.82. This was a real upgrade for me from the cube types I have been used to. It has setting choices of 600, 900, and 1500 Watts. Two fan speeds are great in a little cabin decreasing noise and heat output when it is not needed. I like the antifreeze setting and other features. I hope it holds up well.

Redbaronace,

What type of table top dehumidifier were you referring too?

Not to get too side tracked here, I would still like to know if anyone has succeeded with the original questions.

Thanks,
Tom
Click to expand...

Tom

The dehumidifier we use is the Gurin DHMD-210 Electric Compact Dehumidifier found on Amazon for under $50 shipped.

It is small, lightweight and quiet. As a side benefit it uses only a small amount of electricity but still gets the job done. Every time we go to the boat, it has collected water. The interior seems considerably more dry than when we tried to use just fans and heaters. At one point, we were running a small heater and 2 disk heaters on the boat but still had a slightly damp feeling inside the cabin.

Now with a small heater and small dehumidifier, we are good.

Only downside with the one we chose is that the holding chamber is only around 8oz. This means that once it fills up, it will shut itself off. Since I visit the boat every 1-2 weeks, is not a problem to empty the contents each time I'm there. Nice to see the cup of water removed each time that might otherwise be accumulating on the windows, bedding, or compartments.
 
I too have a Eva dry running at all times. Here in the PNW we have a far amount of rain and usually wet feet and coats. I also run one of the best heaters I have ever had.
Broan 6201 N/A Portable Heater Efficient Two-Level Portable Heater
It's one of the most compact 1500 watt heaters I have seen, it's compact, and my first one is still running perfectly. Bought that about ten years ago, use to live in a trailer used it for the only source of heat. Now it's in my shop and runs just about every day to take the chill out. I loved it so much I bought one for the boat and buying another for my camper too.
It pays to shop as the last one I paid $50 for and found one locally once winter started to set in for about $45. In the boat I run a dehumidifier in the v-berth, a heater in the salon, and Eva in the pilot house. I think in a 22' you could easily go with just the Eva and heater and be nice and warm and dry.
 
Thanks for the dehumidifier and heater links. Also your experiences. I had not thought of using a water gathering type dehumidifier. Using the two "stor dry" units seems to manage moisture ok for my situation, but may be at their limit if extended rain like we are experiencing now. A couple years ago I did see a little mold on a floor carpet inside the port forward seat cabinet. I make sure to prop that door open now.

Tom
 
I have a severe sensitivity to molds and fungi, and have explored various methods of reducing my exposure. The dehumidifiers are good as far as they go, and the small heaters equipped with a fan also improve the effectiveness of the dehumidifiers. However, likely you will still want some outdoor air circulating in and enclosed air circulating out, to minimize mold spore buildup.

Lastly, a caveat: the popular HEPA filter equipped air cleaners are ineffective in reducing mold spore levels for two reasons. 1. Some spores are too small to be captured by HEPA filters. 2. The HEPA filters themselves provide a good site for some fungi to grow. If the cabin air or cabin surfaces have the kind of "food" substances fungi like, the filters ensure fungi spores trapped there will initiate a colony, making the filter itself a mold spore source, not a sink. Fungi like fats and oils, so any cabin with a cooking area is certain to have a sheen on its surfaces friendly to fungi. Best preventative on winterization is a good wipe down with a detergent based cleanser, not necessarily one with bleach in it. Open weave cushions are also a source. Better to have cushions with an impermeable surface, also wiped down before storage.
 
Our TC24 in addition to heater, insulation, and small dehumidifier had a solar ceiling fan. Between those 4 items, the interior stayed dry, warm and fresh (not stale) inside.
 
I have been using 2 of the round aluminum WM units with the fan that use about 90 watts. They have worked well for 5+ years and I have had good luck with them running 24/7 for winter weather storage. I also have one of the Camfro heater/fans like Greg mentioned,

http://www.go2marine.com/product/73209F ... eater.html

that I set with a freeze prevention plug. comes on at 36 and goes of at 40 degrees. That is sitting under the table. All the doors and drawers are open, and the round dehumidifiers are up on the floor right at the v-birth bulkhead. Boat always feels dry and warm enough. I do drain the water system and put the pink stuff in, but like the non-freeze for the electronics. The batteries go on a charge cycle about every two weeks.

Hope that helps some.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

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