# Tiny Dehumidifiers



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

I've been using DampRid bags and canisters over the last 2 months to suck as much moisture as I could out of my Catalina 250. I plan to continue this on an ongoing basis, especially on the hard in winter when I don't have continuous shore power available.

But today I found an interesting little 4 pint/day electronic "small room" dehumidifier at Home Depot for under $50. I bought it out of curiosity, but have not opened the box yet. The brand name is "Perfect Home," apparently a house brand that HD uses for sundries like furniture casters. They don't even have it listed on their website, so I can't get full specs. But the display unit had a 12 v brick adapter (didn't bother to check wattage). This unit looks similar to some other Peltier dehumidifiers available online.

If I do decide to keep it I will use it at the dock, and use the DampRid on the hard.

Have any of you tried any of these little dehumidifiers? Are they just junk, or do they have usefulness for a confined space like found in a 25' boat?

I realize that conventional wisdom is to buy two of the Nicro solar vents (on blowing in, the other blowing out), but on such a small boat I really don't have much horizontal cabintop space to locate them.


----------



## mikehoyt (Nov 27, 2000)

if you ever find online link to this pls post here or pictures. Very interested

Mike


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

Scan from the box label:


----------



## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

They had dehumidifier-water coolers when we were in Bermuda. I can't recall if they were solar-powered, as well, but wouldn't THAT be a cool watermaker to carry on board?


----------



## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

We used a mini dehumidifier (though looking more substantial than this one) and it worked for a while but had to be replaced under warranty.. when the next failed in a relatively short time we gave up and now run a Sears unit through the winter and shoulder months - impressively dry below (here on the wet coast), books and paper still crisp.


----------



## GaryHLucas (Mar 24, 2008)

That thing looks supiciously like a HUMIDIFIER, not a DE-HUMIDIFIER. I can't imagine a boat that is too DRY!

Gary H. Lucas


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

GaryHLucas said:


> That thing looks supiciously like a HUMIDIFIER, not a DE-HUMIDIFIER...


It's not. The label was too tall to fit on my scanner. Something about the words "small room dehumidifier," printed above the part that I scanned, suggests that it's probably not a humidifier.


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

I opened the box & tested in my garage last night. Fan a little noisy, but not too bad. This morning it had a couple oz of water. I'm taking it to the boat tonight. I'll try to get some pics at some point.


----------



## LazylighningII (Nov 8, 2006)

EVA DRY Eva-Dry® Petite Electric Dehumidifier (EDV-1100)

AVAILABILITY: In stock, leaves warehouse in 1 - 7 full bus. days. - (details)
STORE AVAILABILITY: Your neighborhood Ace stocks thousands of products in the quantities you need. Check with your local Ace for availability. (find your local Ace) 
Detachable tank that holds 16 oz. of water 
Whisper Technology (no compressor) which makes it light and quiet 
Small and easily portable- weighs less than 5 lbs. 
Automatically shuts off when full 
Great for closets, storage rooms, nurseries, bedrooms, and other locations where humidity is a problem 
1 year manufacturers warranty from any manufacturer defects 
UL and CE listed 
Product dimensions: 8.5"H x 6"W x 4.5"D

Review Snapshot® by PowerReviews
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.8 stars
(based on 4 reviews)
75% of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Customers most agreed on the following attributes:

Pros:Compact (3), Effective (3), Lightweight (3)
Primary useersonal (4)Already own it? Write a Review
closeReviewed by 4 CustomersSort by:Newest firstOldest firstHighest ratings firstLowest ratings firstMost helpful firstLeast helpful firstDisplaying Reviews 1-4 of 4Back to Top
[2 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

nice little machine
By Brad from Des Moines, IA on 9/12/2009
Comments about EVA DRY Eva-Dry® Petite Electric Dehumidifier (EDV-1100):

I bought this dehumidifier for a basement room with carpet that is approximately 12x15 feet. It does a good job of keeping the room dry, even when the rest of the basement is not. It takes about two days to fill, and I find emptying to be very easy. The small size is nice because I can tuck it out of the way.
I wouldn't call it whisper quiet, but it's not bad. We also have a space heater/fan that we run during the winter, and this dehumidifier is quieter than that.

Pros:Compact, Effective, Lightweight
Best Usesank Basement, Summer Humidity
Primary useersonal
Bottom Line:Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No- You may also flag this review.

[2 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

Works Great!
By George from Portland, OR on 12/1/2008
Comments about EVA DRY Eva-Dry® Petite Electric Dehumidifier (EDV-1100):

Unit is just the right size for the forward cabin. Maintains humidity at about 45%. If your boat is over 25 feet or so a larger or second unit will probably be required.

Pros:Compact, Effective, Lightweight
Cons:Noisy for living space, Power light is bright
Best Uses:On a sailboat
Describe Yourself:Boat owner
Primary useersonal
Bottom Line:Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No- You may also flag this review.

[3 of 3 customers found this review helpful]

Small but useful
By Susan from Oakland, CA on 1/19/2008
Comments about EVA DRY Eva-Dry® Petite Electric Dehumidifier (EDV-1100):

This dehumidifer has been very useful and it's working great.
The water tank fills up quickly in my basement so I have to continue to 
empty it out. Probably would be better for smaller spaces.

Pros:Compact, Effective, Lightweight
Best Uses:Bathroom, Dank Basement
Describe Yourself:Homeowner
Primary useersonal
Bottom Line:Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No- You may also flag this review.

[1 of 7 customers found this review helpful]

One word -- worthless
By Whitebird from SW FL on 12/25/2007
Comments about EVA DRY Eva-Dry® Petite Electric Dehumidifier (EDV-1100):

I was very disappointed. This sounded liked the perfect product for my closet. However, it proved to be absolutely useless and I returned it.

Pros:Quiet
Cons:Ineffective, Very ineffective.
Best Uses:Summer Humidity, Used in walk in closet.
Describe Yourself:Homeowner
Primary useersonal
Bottom Line:No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No- You may also flag this review.

Displaying Reviews 1-4 of 4Back to Top


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

I went to the boat for the first time in a few days. I checked the dehumidifier, and the reservoir was about half full - about a pint of water. This thing has no humidistat - it just runs constantly. I am quite pleased with this, as it is a little more than the DampRid canister was accumulating. And it's pure water instead of the DampRid's corrosive brine that I don't like having anywhere near my galley hardware. Plus, it seems to be sized to hold about a week's worth of condensate. It's too early to tell about long-term durability, and of course whether the amount is actually enough to make a difference vs. a "drop in the bucket" (so to speak). But so far it is meeting my expectations for a little $50 accessory.

No pics yet. It is a tall, skinny device (see specs on scan above), so potentially prone to tipping on a boat. I have it wedged between the front bulkhead of my aft berth and the berth cushion so that it will not tip. There still is no listing on the Home Depot website, so you need to go to the store to see it.


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

The dehumidifier has been in for a few weeks, and continues to remove about a quart of water per week. I have removed all the Damp-Rid stuff - glad not to have the corrosive liquid leaking out from the countertop canister, and the awful perfume smell from their closet hangers.

Someone asked for some pictures, and I finally got a couple. The first shows what the front of the unit looks like. But since the water reservoir and on-off switch are both on the back, I velcro-ed the thing, facing backwards, to the forward fiddle of my galley storage shelf (see second pic):


----------



## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

Thanks for the update! Did you say it can run on 12VDC? In a post you said the display model had a 12VDC wall cube but your pic seems to have a 110VAC cord.

Either way, I think I need one of these!


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

The cord in the pic looks like a 120v cord, but it's actually carrying 12v from the power brick. If you wanted 12v operation, I suspect that you could easily tap into that cord with a 3-way switch (A-B-off) to provide a selectable power source. That would be much more efficient than using an inverter to go 12 VDC → 120VAC → 12 VDC.

I have no interest in 12v operation at this time. Either I'm at the dock with shore power, or I'm sailing with the companionway open. If you're at a mooring ball I can see how you might run this off a solar cell, although the power brick is rated at 60w IIRC, so you'll need a hefty cell.

Be aware that the internal fan is a little noisy, and the thing puts out some heat, so operating while you are in the cabin for an overnight might not be preferable. I just use it for while I'm away during the week.


----------



## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

No I would wire it directly from my 12VDC circuit panel. I have only one spare circuit from my 120VAC panel, but several spares from my 12VDC panel. I would just run it when the battery charger is powered up from shore power.

Thanks!


----------



## nightowle (Aug 2, 2006)

I have a similar unit (the Eva Dry) as mentioned above. It's been working fine for the past several months and the container can fill in several days here in the PNW. It's very, very quiet, so I guess better than the Home Despot brand above. I'm going to rig up a tube at the top of the container so it will just pump the moisture into my sink drain and also use a timer so it won't be running 24/7.


----------



## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

RD—

Just curious, why don't you leave it running in the sink... it looks like if you removed the tank, it would just dump water directly into the sink.  Or if that makes you nervous....rig a hose to the output pipe that appears to be inside the tank, and then leave it sitting on the counter with the hose in the sink.


----------



## Survivor (Aug 7, 2008)

Would it be possible to put it over or in a larger bucket that could be drained out of the boat. That would be perfect for those of us that don't get down to the boat every weekend during the winter?

Harris


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

The dehumidifier has both a sensor to ensure that the tank is in place, as well as a float switch to turn it off when the tank fills up. So the best way to drain directly into the sink would be to install a tiny "through-hull fitting" in the back of the tank and attach a tube to run to the sink (or just put it in the sink).

I had been planning to do this, but it is way down on my very long list of more important safety improvements. Plus, lately I've been there to empty it out at least a couple times a week.

My basement dehumidifier is rigged to empty into a sump so I don't have to empty the tank. Unfortunately I have had two of them fail in the last 5 years, and they ran for [weeks? months? years?] before I noticed. (I discovered the most recent failure when I stuck it in my boat and got no condensation in the pan for a couple weeks.) So I try to run everything off the tank for at least a couple muggy weeks out of the year so I can gauge the rate of moisture removal.


----------



## robinlyn3 (Jan 23, 2008)

RhythmDoctor

I have been running a small dehumidifier much like yours in my 26 foot sailboat here in Melbourne, Florida for the past two months. The temps and humidity here have been terrible for the past month or so. I drilled a hole about 1/3 up from the bottom in the plastic reservoir and put it in the sink. I figure I can put a cork in it if I need to. Anyway, it is running like a champ! I closed off the nicro vent and the bilge has been dry for a while now. I think this was one of my "way better" ideas. Good luck with your unit.


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

I have been wanting to put in a nicro vent for awhile, and this was my stop-gap measure while I figure it out. I have a good place to put one vent, but you need both in and out vents to make it work right. I do not have a really good place to put a second vent - unless I remove a redundant bulkhead compass (shown in the upper left of my profile pic) and replace it with a cowl vent. But this stopgap measure may be better anyway. My bilge has always been bone dry, but I have an outboard, so no packing gland to worry about.


----------



## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

So for a boat that has the Nicro vents already, is this a bad idea, since we're just dehumidifying the moist air from outside?


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

jarcher said:


> So for a boat that has the Nicro vents already, is this a bad idea, since we're just dehumidifying the moist air from outside?


I am not an expert, but I would think that this is the case. You're bringing in new air from the outside anyway (and that is a good thing), and that would probably overwhelm any dehumidification that you did.


----------



## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

The reason you put Nicro vents in place is to help prevent boats from becoming moisture pumps. As a boat heats up during the day, the air absorbs more moisture—since hotter air can hold more water. When the sun goes down, and as the air cools, then the additional water can condense out. By keeping the air flowing, the air doesn't tend to act as a moisture pumps, since it keeps the boat from heating up as much and moves the heated air, which holds more water vapor in it, out of the boat.


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

sailingdog said:


> The reason you put Nicro vents in place is to help prevent boats from becoming moisture pumps. As a boat heats up during the day, the air absorbs more moisture-since hotter air can hold more water. When the sun goes down, and as the air cools, then the additional water can condense out. By keeping the air flowing, the air doesn't tend to act as a moisture pumps, since it keeps the boat from heating up as much and moves the heated air, which holds more water vapor in it, out of the boat.


I agree for the most part. But if the boat is well-sealed, and there are no pools of water to evaporate in the heat (i.e., bone dry bilge), then there is no source of moisture for the air to absorb when it gets hot, and thus no condensation when it cools.

So there are two extremes, both better than the alternatives:


Good ventilation that prevents condensation when the boat cools
Seal off the boat and dehumidify the stagnant air aggressively
I agree that option 1 is preferred, but if like me you do not have a good location for a second vent (yet), then option 2 may be a viable alternative

This is a similar argument to the settee locker condensation issue in a separate thread that I started. And by the way, I checked for condensation in my settee lockers last week and they were still completely dry.


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

Finally, after a whole year, Home Depot has the one I purchased on their website. It says internet only, though:

Perfect Home 4-Pint Dehumidifier - EWDH4 at The Home Depot


----------



## arf145 (Jul 25, 2007)

Thanks for staying on top of that, RD. So the unit is still working for you?


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

arf145 said:


> Thanks for staying on top of that, RD. So the unit is still working for you?


Still works great for my boat, which is pretty water tight and only 25'. A larger boat may need more than one of these.


----------



## jimgo (Sep 12, 2011)

RD,
I'm torn between dehumidification and the Nicro vents. The dehumidification seems a good way to solve the problem of moisture in the cabin. However, unless I rig the dehumidifier to empty into the sink or another container (which then re-introduces the water into the air), it sounds like I'll have to make a weekly trip out to the boat to empty the tank. Knowing my personal schedule, I don't think that's likely. So, I'm stuck having it empty into a bucket (again, with the potential evaporation issues that brings with it) or empty into the drain. Not exactly a deal breaker, but it seems somewhat counterproductive. I'm OK with the shore-power only issue; I'll mostly be doing day sailing and occasional overnights, and most of the overnights will be at the dock, so that's not a big deal. The dehumidification should also make the air in the cabin feel cooler, which is good for the shore in the summer.

By contrast, the Nicro is solar powered and runs (essentially) constantly. I don't know that you need a second Nicro (on my C25, the companionway cover has vents, and the pop-top and hatch have areas where the air can easily enter), though I can certainly see where having a second one would make things even more efficient. The Nicro helps encourage air flow through the cabin, thus allowing the humidity levels inside and outside the cabin to remain relatively equal, which in turn reduces the condensation within the boat. There's nothing to empty, and I don't have to worry about float switches that don't trigger (not that a pint of water is really going to be a killer). The Nicro will also help move dryer air into the cabin, thus allowing for more effective evaporation of any water that may be in the bilge. Of course, unlike the dehumidifier, the Nicro won't make the air feel cooler (it doesn't move enough air to be a true "fan"), and it only ever dries out the cabin to the point where it is in equilibrium with the outside air. One Nicro is about $160, so about 3x the cost of the dehumidifier. That makes the dehumidifier very attractive, but I'm still not completely convinced. Can you help convince me? []

Also, what do you do over the winter? Are you back to Damprid?


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

DampRid is what I use in the winter. Even if I had a Nicro vent, I'd need to do DampRid in the off season because my boat cover would block the sun.

For the dehumidifier, you can just drill a hole in the back of the pan and put it in your galley sink. Then you don't need to check it weekly. If you want to be a little fancier, glue a small hose barb into the pan and attach a Tygon hose into the drain - then your sink won't even get wet. I have not done this because so far I've gone to the boat frequently and wanted the water available to top off the battery if it needed it. But I will probably drill the hole next season.

I actually ordered a Nicro vent from WM but the order never come in due to a recall due to defect. I read around a little and learned that their batteries wear out pretty frequently. Then I remembered that when shopping for boats, the ones that had Nicro vents were never operating. I came across this Peltier-type dehumidifier by chance and decided to try it instead, and I've been happy with it ever since.

You are correct, I would not need a second Nicro vent. Since I posted that, I've realized that my boat has enough "little leaks" that there would be enough fugitive exhaust if I had one Nicro vent blowing in.


----------



## tommays (Sep 9, 2008)

As i am on a mooring electric is not gonna happen

dorade boxes and hatch boards with water proff vents move a lot of air

My Nicro spins a LOT but moves nothing compared to the dorade boxes

The Cal 29 has a deep section in the bilge and it allows the boat to have a tiny amount of standing water to make smells


----------



## Tim R. (Mar 23, 2003)

As for the Nicro, I have one in my boat that has been running constantly for the last 14 months. No problem with batteries here.


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

After 3 years of reliable operation, my tiny dehumidifier stopped dehumidifying. Although the fan worked, no humidity was coming out of the air. I felt the cooling fins and they weren't cool. I felt the external power brick, and although it was powering the unit, it was barely warm - a sure sign that the Peltier device was not drawing any juice. 

During the storm last night, my thermometer/humidity sensor went as high as 80% RH, which it had never done before when the dehumidifier was working properly.

I brought it home and put it on the Kill-a-Watt meter and it was only drawing 5 Watts (vs. the typical 60-70 watt draw). I opened up the box and tested the voltages at various contact points. The power supply was providing 12v to the Peltier wafer, but clearly it has stopped accepting current.

This exact model is no longer available, but I ordered a very similar replacement, since I've been happy with this method for controlling humidity in the slip. I had rigged a flexible tube to dump the humidity down the drain, and I'll do the same for the new one.


----------



## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

3 years is pretty good for one of those... ours only lasted a season, and a second no longer. Now we're using a Danby/Sears larger unit that's really working well.


----------



## Jgbrown (Mar 26, 2012)

Mine's been running 24/7 for a year now. I bought one of the big ones for a package I put together for dealing with water damaged boats. I used it on my boat for a while, but ultimately went back to the small one, it draws just enough moisture off to keep me happy. Mine is an Eva-dry(smallest they make) 
Big dehumidifier is noisy, heavy, bulky and always in the way so it rarely makes it onto my boat.


----------



## SlowButSteady (Feb 17, 2010)

60 to 70 watts!! I wonder if day/night solar vent in conjunction with just heating the interior a bit (thus lowering the relative humidity) with a 60W bulb (or small boat heater) would be as effective. You net power use would be the same and it would be a whole lot simpler.


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

SlowButSteady said:


> 60 to 70 watts!! I wonder if day/night solar vent in conjunction with just heating the interior a bit (thus lowering the relative humidity) with a 60W bulb (or small boat heater) would be as effective. You net power use would be the same and it would be a whole lot simpler.


Many marinas ban the use of unattended heaters. I know mine does. Plus, heat could make mildew worse (unless it burns your boat down first  ).

Installing a device that condenses the water and dumps it in your galley sink is about a simple as it gest. I'm not sure that your suggestion of evaporating water into the air is any simpler or more effective.


----------



## pdqaltair (Nov 14, 2008)

TakeFive said:


> Many marinas ban the use of unattended heaters. I know mine does. Plus, heat could make mildew worse (unless it burns your boat down first  ).
> 
> Installing a device that condenses the water and dumps it in your galley sink is about a simple as it gest. I'm not sure that your suggestion of evaporating water into the air is any simpler or more effective.


I'm with Take Five on this, and have done quite a bit of testing.

* Heater (light bulb only lowers the humidity in the immediate area, and only if the amount of ventilation is just right (too much and the heat goes away). For this to be effective it would have to be enough to warm the boat 5-10F to allow for distribution problems. 60w is not enough for most boats. I used bulbs in the past and effectiveness was mixed (good near the bulb, not far away, 27-foot boat).
* Any water evaporated can easily re-condense in a cooler portion of the boat (under a mattress or in a locker against the hull, for example). This is the bane of boats that are heated and occupied.
* The power consumption is the same.
* RH will be lowered about 5 times further by a dehumidifier than a bulb. Tested it.

Is this overkill? Everything depends on the climate, size of the boat, leakage and usage. My boat is a little larger, sees some winter use, and is in a damp place. I do know that a dehumidifier will keep the bedding fresh through the winter, and ventilation, well, not so much.

There with be a PS article out on this soon.

Sail Delmarva: Dehumidifier vs Desicant

CaCl2 is a total waste of time unless the boat can be PERFECTLY sealed, or unless many large containers are used. They remove pathetically little in low temperatures.


----------



## therapy23 (Jul 28, 2007)

pdqaltair said:


> I'm with Take Five on this, and have done quite a bit of testing.
> 
> * Heater (light bulb only lowers the humidity in the immediate area, and only if the amount of ventilation is just right (too much and the heat goes away). For this to be effective it would have to be enough to warm the boat 5-10F to allow for distribution problems. 60w is not enough for most boats. I used bulbs in the past and effectiveness was mixed (good near the bulb, not far away, 27-foot boat).
> * Any water evaporated can easily re-condense in a cooler portion of the boat (under a mattress or in a locker against the hull, for example). This is the bane of boats that are heated and occupied.
> ...


Thanks for the data.

Appreciate it.


----------



## jimgo (Sep 12, 2011)

PDQ - I read your blog post and found it very informative. I'd be curious as to which is more effective, using a dehumidifier or using solar fans. I also wonder whether the set-up of the dehumidifier drain makes a difference. In Take5's case, the drain is to the sink, which is VERY important, because I believe that drains directly outside the boat. By contrast, I've read comments from people who drain into the bilge, with the expectation that the bilge pump will carry it out. But, if the dehumidifier drops the RH enough, doesn't the air become "dry" and won't the water in the bilge simply evaporate back into the boat's air? Essentially you're creating a closed loop.


----------



## zz4gta (Aug 15, 2007)

jimgo, that is what I've thought as well. I don't have fans and want to use a mini dehumidifier on my boat to help dry things out as mildew is always a problem. I have a very wet boat, I think I'll need to drain into the cockpit.


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

One of the nice things about the little Peltier dehumidifiers is that they have a small enough footprint to place them on the galley counter. I have mine Velcro'ed to the shelf behind my galley counter, so it stays in place even when we're heeling.

Draining into the bilge should work also. Realize that it's generally much cooler under the sole than it is in the cabin, so water that deposits there will tend not to re-evaporate. Leave your cabin sole covers in place to minimize transfer of heat or vapor.

I choose not to drain into the bilge because my bilge is bone dry (outboard motor means no leaky packing box).


----------



## pdqaltair (Nov 14, 2008)

jimgo said:


> PDQ - I read your blog post and found it very informative. I'd be curious as to which is more effective, using a dehumidifier or using solar fans. I also wonder whether the set-up of the dehumidifier drain makes a difference. In Take5's case, the drain is to the sink, which is VERY important, because I believe that drains directly outside the boat. By contrast, I've read comments from people who drain into the bilge, with the expectation that the bilge pump will carry it out. But, if the dehumidifier drops the RH enough, doesn't the air become "dry" and won't the water in the bilge simply evaporate back into the boat's air? Essentially you're creating a closed loop.


* Huge advantage to dehumidifiers. A small unit can maintain 55% at low temperatures when operated 8 hours per day (for defrosting in winter). This is important for boats that have people breathing into them. When the heat comes on, the RH will be 35%, which though it sounds dry, is where it needs to be to prevent cold surface condensation at sub-freezing outdoor temps. A solar fan can only hope to hold you at ambient, which is no good if the air is much warmer than the water.

* The sink drain on my boat is above the water line and drains outboard. The bilge is dry. However, even if the water drains to the bilge the loop is not closed because the bilge is generally not well-ventilated to the rest of the boat. It is not as though a toilet, for example, prevents a dehumidifier from being effective in a house. It just adds to the challenge. The dehumidifier is removing far more water than is evaporating each day (I assure you that bilge water dries VERY slowly at 35F).


----------



## jimgo (Sep 12, 2011)

Thanks! When I'm there, the ports/hatches are open and air is flowing, but I can see how that wouldn't always be the case for those living aboard or cruising. I hadn't thought about live-aboards. I'm typically more concerned about keeping the RH low when I'm not aboard, and that's why I was wondering if a fan or two might do the job, especially for those who don't have power.


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

The Practical Sailor review of dehumidification methods hit my mailbox today. The Peltier type unit fared pretty well when modified to drain into the sink through a hose. Not as good as full-fledged compressor type, but much smaller footprint.


----------



## az_r2d1 (Jul 4, 2013)

We were in San Diego on a 47 footer last week. During the night the inside humidity goes up quite a bit. It doesn't bother me, but my wife has asthma and it triggered big time.
We started closing up every hatch which keeps the humidity down a little more but it's still pretty bad. It's obviously coming from the outside since the boat dries out during the day while sailing (hatch/ports open)
I was looking at buying a danby 70 and run it at night. I am just wondering if it can keep up with keeping the air dry at night.


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

TakeFive said:


> After 3 years of reliable operation, my tiny dehumidifier stopped dehumidifying...
> 
> ...This exact model is no longer available, but I ordered a very similar replacement, since I've been happy with this method for controlling humidity in the slip. I had rigged a flexible tube to dump the humidity down the drain, and I'll do the same for the new one.


Now that the season is waning, I thought I would post an update.

First, I'm happy to say that the exact model that I purchased three years ago is once again available for web order from Home Depot. At about $49, it's a good low-cost option.

Last April, when that unit crapped out, it was not available so I had to do with this other model from Amazon: Amazon.com: Sunpentown SD-652 86-Watt Mini Dehumidifier: Home & [email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/[email protected]@[email protected]@41giopvRm1L

The new unit has the same power brick as the old one, but has a larger aluminum fin for heat transfer, and appears to remove humidity a little faster than the previous one. Its large 2-liter tank typically fills in a week. I've attached a hose to it to drain into the sink, so it keeps going even if I don't make it to the boat for a week. Humidity in the cabin is typically 40-55%, and even on the most humid days it has never gone above 60%. (I have an electronic humidity sensor with memory, so I check frequently.)

In addition to the dehumidifier, I have two electric clip-on fans that keep the air circulating in the cabin, which I'm sure helps the efficiency of moisture removal. One blows forward toward the V-berth, and one blow back into the aft berth. The latter one also blows across the power brick, which really helps keep it cool since the dehumidifier draws a lot of watts for such a small device.

Overall I'm still very pleased with this arrangement, and for people who have shore power available I think it's a viable alternative to the Nicro solar vents. Those with larger or wetter boats might need two or more of the dehumidifiers to keep up with the moisture.


----------



## hopcar (Jul 6, 2013)

I'm a big believer in these little dehumidifiers. I've been using one for many years. It's about the size of a loaf of bread. I had a horrible mildew problem until I installed it. It dropped the RH from about 80% down to just over 60% in my little cabin. I also just drilled a small hole in the tank, stuck a piece of aquarium air hose in, and ran the hose to the sink drain. No need for a thru-hull fitting in the tank.
I seem to need a new one about once a year. The fan died on my first one and I was able to replace it with a computer fan for about 12 bucks.


----------



## therapy23 (Jul 28, 2007)

Careful though

Sears Kenmore Dehumidifier Recall


----------



## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

therapy23 said:


> Careful though
> 
> Sears Kenmore Dehumidifier Recall


The recalled humidifers are all the large heavy compressor type, manufactured by LG Electronics. They are a totally different design from the Peltier type dehumidifiers that are the subject of this thread.


----------



## therapy23 (Jul 28, 2007)

OH.

Sorry.


----------

