Winter dehumidifier & heater?

D

Doryman

New member
I've been advised by long-time PNW boaters to have both a humidifier and a heater going in my boat to prevent mold and to cook off manufacturing toxins/fumes.

What's the consensus opinion on this? And if the opinion is to get either or both, what brands are recommended? Cafarano? Other? And is it necessary to keep a heater going once the boat is "broken in"?

Thanks,
Warren
 
I have never had a dehumidifier but I have always kept a heater on in the boat when it was moored in a marina. Same would go for parked outside. I made the mistake of using the West Marine heaters a couple times. They used to be labeled "Sopac" or something like that. One morning I was sitting in the salon looking at that heater after I had felt the cord. The covering on the cord at the plug melted and started burning. Could have just as easily happened while I was asleep, or gone. This heater was a replacement for an identical one that the cord got hot on. Now I use nothing but ceramic disc heaters. No more hot cords. I have had the current one about 12 years with no problems and in the winter in puget sound it would sometimes run 24 hours a day. I think a dehumidifier would be really nice as well.
 
Warren – if you use a heater with a fan, you will not need a dehumidifier. The heater fan will move the air and greatly reduce any condensation in your boat.

I keep a heater with fan in my boat set on the lowest heat setting and do not have a condensation problem.
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Dave dlt.gif
 
Dave-

Is it necessary to keep a very small opening in a vent or window to let the humidity out that you drive out of the lower boat cabin so it doesn't just condense on the cold upper windows and run down?

Joe.
 
Dave,
We keep two dehumidifiers on duty. They are safer than a heater in my opinion and draw about the same as a 100w light bulb each. We crack the window in the head a quarter inch and tape the door open. We also open the cabinet doors for the water heater and under-sink areas. Also added anti freeze to fresh water system. So far, so good.
 
Roger – you are right about the safety issue. Some times I try to mix a little of my common sense (which may not be too good) with the safety issue. If I have a 1500 watt heater that draws 12.5 amps and it has two additional settings; one at 1000 watts that draws 8.33 amps and another that is 750 watts and draws just a little over 6 amps and I am using the low setting and the heater, the cords, and the wiring are designed for 15 amps, I think I am safe on the lowest setting. If I wanted to be as safe as possible, I would not have a boat or heater.

Do you have to empty the dehumidifiers and if you leave bedding material or cloth material in your boat, does it feel clammy or wet when it is cold and humid?

PS, it was a pleasure meeting you at the Sequim CBGT. I hope we do not have to wait until the next Sequim gathering to cross paths again.
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Dave dlt.gif
 
Dave,
Nothing to empty on these units. They are actually low temp heating units. We leave bedding, towels, clothing on the boat with no noticeable mildew odor. As an added plus, they make great foot warmers when hanging out on the boat in Winter. They seem to just dry the air enough to prevent any problems.

It's finally above freezing here (34). Maybe some of this white stuff will melt soon. And, No Jim, I don't want to hear how warm it is in S. Texas!
 
Dreamer,

Just so that you can feel better about 34 degrees, it's -8 degrees now in Richfield ,Utah. I fully winterized Discovery with the pink stuff. Time will tell if anything is broken. Probably won't get things to thaw out until we get south of Las Vegas, but that won't be until after Christmas.
 
Maybe some clarification is needed regarding the type of "dehumidifier" being used. Some are the round, dome type that in reality just slightly heat the air, allowing it to absorb more moisture. Some have the small air conditioner units which chill the air and the excess water drips off the coils into a tank or hose for draining. The first example does not need to drain the excess water.

Since cold air hardly has any moisture in it, when you heat the air, it absorbs most of the water available and can easily be vented away. The chiller type dehumidifiers are mainly needed in warm, moist climates.

John
 
ON the farm outbuildings, pump houses, and in the RV, I use the inexpensive, oil filled radiator type units. They never get too hot to touch, turn off if tipped, have no fan to worry about and have a "no freeze" 40 degree setting that uses about 650 watts.

John
 
Warren, We use the dome type from West Marine. There's a foto of one on the last page of our album. I'm going to try to get to the boat today and get rid of snow. I forgot to empty the bowl on the raw water wash down strainer. Having been 15 deg. the other night, it may be a goner.
 
I keep my tug in a dry boat house during the winter....on a trailer.. the weather up there is really cold with snow on the building much of the winter.....(4800' elevation) all I ever do is leave a 100 watt light bulb burning in the cabin... ( old house lamp) I have done that for years and it seems to keep the cabin quite dry and I never have any mold or smells.
 
I have found a place to moor my new boat but no power is available. Has anyone tried the D Humidity Crystals or Damp Rid or No Damp from West Marine?
I need a solution without using power if possible during these damp months in the Puget Sound.
What do you think of the options?
Thanks, Anne
 
Anne,

Have tried Dri-Ez in the past and it does remove water from the boat, but having switched to the low amp dome syle dehumidifers...would never go back!!!! I also like leaving a light on in the cabin. I know this may not be an option but long term is a better solution. The dri-ez will help a lot just don't let pets around it!

Happy boating.

Drew
 
I have both a couple of the dome shaped "heating" type dehumidifiers and one of the small "cooling" type one that pulls water from the air and deposits it into a container that needs to be dumped once a week or so. The "cooling" type sucks in the moist air, cools it, and therefore reduces the air's capacity to carry moisture. The problem with them in the winter, is that they tend to make ice as the air is already cold before it hits the machine.

During the summer it pulls a couple of cups of water out of the air per week. I don't use it much during the winter, due to the "icing up" problem.
 
We live in deep south Texas... the humidity this morning on the boat was 98%. We have had good success using Damp-Rid in our boats and RVs when leaving them stored for any length of time.

Just remember that the containers are there when you get back in after being gone for a while... the crystals turn into a goo that makes a heck of a mess if you kick the container over (or, so I've been told :wink: ).

After buying the original containers of Damp-Rid, you can get the larger re-fill boxes to use 'em again and again.
 
PenguinPA":khng7vbs said:
Anne,

Have tried Dri-Ez in the past and it does remove water from the boat, but having switched to the low amp dome syle dehumidifers...would never go back!!!! I also like leaving a light on in the cabin. I know this may not be an option but long term is a better solution. The dri-ez will help a lot just don't let pets around it!

Happy boating.

Drew
Click to expand...

A link to one of these dome style dehumidifiers would be great. My boat is sitting at my in-laws house in the PNW, and will be there under tarp for the winter. I'd like to ship one to them, so if anyone has a link....
 
I keep my boat in the water year round and use the West Marine Air Dryer Humidifier (model #7867518). It cost $59.95 and keeps the mildew and mold out. The electrical cost is about $3.80 per month.
 
Jay, Here's a foto of the dome type dehumidifier.
P1010006_001.sized.jpg
Roger
 
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