Help, we need DRY heat!

[james.mileur]

Originally Posted by Adventure.AS

Do you remove the screen material each fall and replace it in the spring to get the tight fit of the Reflectix against the glass?

That question reminds me of some reality. I was remembering the rear curved panoramic windows. The insulation fit behind the night shade. The screened windows just got tight fitting around the inside of valence, and valence gaps stuffed with closed cell foam strips. Under the night shades.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by slowmover

I come at it another direction. It’s the fact of ducted A/C (distribution, but mainly “quiet” operation). The Alde system is icing on the cake. In the past fifty years there’s been nothing else like these advances for this TT types interior.

Custom vinyl skirting plus custom Lexan interior storm windows would be then do most of what’s wanted for winter.

Hi

We did a "skirt" on a trailer back in the 1950's. Be careful of what you wish for. It was a *major* pain to deploy and pack back up. It was canvas (this was a while back). I don't thing a different material would have been much less of a hassle.

Having both the ducted AC and the Alde, the Alde is *way* ahead on my list. Even with the ducts, the AC bothers me at night. The Alde ... not at all.

Bob

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

We did a "skirt" on a trailer back in the 1950's. Be careful of what you wish for. It was a *major* pain to deploy and pack back up. It was canvas (this was a while back). I don't thing a different material would have been much less of a hassle.

Having both the ducted AC and the Alde, the Alde is *way* ahead on my list. Even with the ducts, the AC bothers me at night. The Alde ... not at all.

Bob

These trailers are fairly low to the ground. Advantage. See aftermarket RVvinyl skirting (name close to that). Agreed that it’s not what one deploys at random. But for an extended stay, protecting the plumbing AND cutting air infiltration, it’s tops (next to interior storm windows).

.

[TXiceman]

Use the propane furnace for dry heat. The catalytic heated produce water vapor as a byproduct.

Any time the dew point temperature is above the temperature of the surfaces in the RV, the water will condense on the colder surface. One other source of water vapor is the human body...from the skin and every breath you breathe.

Leave a roof vent cracked open all of the time to let out the warm damp air. Open the bathroom vent when showering and run the fan for a few minutes when you finish the shower. When cooking, open a window a bit near the stove and run the venthood.

[Pistonpopper]

I live full-time, in a 36 foot TT (not Airstream), during the winter, I run two electric space heaters, at 1500w, with no issues of condensation inside, except, if I am doing a bunch of cooking, which, the windows, will have moisture on them, but nothing enough to drip, and puddle. I do have a 50 amp circuit breaker/shore power. If I get an Airstream, am I gonna have more condensation, using the 2 electric space heaters and 50 amp service????

[tjdonahoe]

Arizona has dry heat..go there.move

[dznf0g]

For the reflectix, open the window, and from the outside, place the cut-to-size reflectix against the screen and close the window. It is captured between screen and window glass.

[miss_marg]

I use an electric oil filled radiator which is a little bulky but quiet, dry, and is fairly energy efficient. This is radiant heat so the further away the cooler the air thus I move the heater towards the occupied area and mid-trailer during the night. The heater works well down to the 32-35 range, then you may want the furnace. One caution, don't expect an immediate blast of heat, it warms and changes gradually.

[Manning G]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

The Eva-Dry units just can't remove enough water from the air under those conditions.

I'm sorry but Unless my 7 years of college was a complete waste of time (wait, it WAS fun) , the Eva-Dry is smoke and mirrors. Humidity as water particles can be turned to vapor (steam) but does not "leave" by being heated. It is turned to steam which will then condense on the first cool surface it encounters. So if you use these, I suggest you monitor the moisture now pooling at the bottom of your shiny walls and on the wooden floor beneath.

If the dehumidifier is not filling a pot with water it is not working.
Cheers,
Manning

[SuperTrouper]

When I get a couple of extra bucks and some dedicated wall space I might try one of these. I boondock a bit and the furnace is a big power drain. https://www.westmarine.com/buy/dicki...RoCi9MQAvD_BwE

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by Manning G

I'm sorry but Unless my 7 years of college was a complete waste of time (wait, it WAS fun) , the Eva-Dry is smoke and mirrors. Humidity as water particles can be turned to vapor (steam) but does not "leave" by being heated. It is turned to steam which will then condense on the first cool surface it encounters. So if you use these, I suggest you monitor the moisture now pooling at the bottom of your shiny walls and on the wooden floor beneath.

If the dehumidifier is not filling a pot with water it is not working.
Cheers,
Manning

????? They do have a condensate container. They just don't remove much. This one is 8oz per day..

https://www.eva-dry.com/eva-dry-1100...e-dehumidifier

[Manning G]

dznf0g, thanks.
I got my products confused. I'm thinking of a pancake looking thing. My abject apologies to the makers of Eva-Dry
Manning

[Manning G]

Davis 1458 Air-Dryr 1000

https://www.amazon.com/Davis-Instrum...8XRM6DQS6XJAFH

[outbacktommy]

Towel drying dishes produces the same amount of humidity as air drying them if you leave the towel inside to dry. All that water has to evaporate whether it evaporates from the dishes or evaporates later from the towel or paper towel sitting in the trash can. Same is true for the moisture buildup in the microwave. The benefit of the microwave is that it really does result in less humidity because the heating/prep time is shorter before you eat.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Ok .....

There are two basic approaches to pulling the moisture from the air. You have the chemical (gel) based approach and the refrigeration based approach. They both work if you have enough "horsepower". The chemicals get filled up and need to be dried out. The refrigeration units (both compressor and thermo-electric) need their tanks dumped. All of this is a hassle. The thing to watch out for in all cases is a device that doesn't have enough capacity to do the job. A cup of chemicals isn't enough.....

Bob

[TXiceman]

Manning G, better go back and review your psychometrics. Heating the air through adiabatic heating like a electric heater or gas furnace, retains the same grains of moisture, but effectively reduces the relative humidity of the air and drives you away from dew point of the air.

Ken

[DonDiego]

We have been on the road for 3 months and spent 2 of those in Portland, OR. So humidity was a big problem. I chose an EcoSeb DD122EA-CLASSIC Desiccant Dehumidifier and did so over the compressor types for several reasons. 1.) It has a small foot print. 2.) It weights only 13lbs. 3.) It is quite as compared to the compressor type. 4.) It uses less electricity. 5.) It is very portable.

We have removed a quart of water overnight. It has been serving us well. We have a 2018 Model 28 AS with the front sofa. I can easily set the unit on the ledge behind the sofa on the street side. So it takes up very little room. At 13lbs, I move it to the floor when traveling. I have even ran it off the inverter when boondocking.

I hope this helps.

[DreamStreamr]

We've never used dehumidification in over ten years full time in our 25' Airstream CCD International. Ventilation always, catalytic (Wave 6 Olympian) whenever it's cold, and furnace whenever it's gonna be near or below freezing. If temps aren't going near freezing then we'll run a small ceramic electric heater plus the catalytic. The catalytic keeps us toasty and the electric heater or furnace keep the rest of the trailer above 50 or 60.

If we didn't mind blowing through 30# of propane every week we could just use the furnace to keep the interior temp at 68F and the catalytic to keep us feeling warmer. But the catalytic is a lot stingier with propane than the furnace and the radiant heat feels great. Venting is key - some details on how we make that work are at my web page (items #12 and 15) showing the Salem Vent on the sidewall and the Olympian Wave6 heater mounted so it can always aim at Debbie wherever she's seated.

We've never had condensing moisture on our walls or ceiling, and never had puddles anywhere (except in Alaska when we left the water pump on, the lab faucet bounced open and the drain popped closed - that was a 20gal puddle!). Sometimes we get condensate on the windows, especially the vista view windows. Like Bob said we don't want to have to do it every day but we occasionally will wipe off the windows to cut the interior moisture. That mostly happens on unseasonably cold days in Florida where the humidity forgot to go down when it got cold.

Some things we do to manage interior humidity are these:
Try to shower early in the evening so towels have a chance to dry before bedtime;
Always run the shower fan and the furnace throughout the shower time;
Always squeegee and dry the shower;
Usually run the range hood fan when cooking stovetop;
Always keep the Salem vent fully open and the rear fantastic fan open 1-1.5" whenever parked (Maxxair Fan cover allows this even when raining).

[slowmover]

A Salem Vent is a great idea (didn’t know the name, but have used them 20-yrs + in big truck sleepers). I much appreciate being made aware of their use with a roof vent in a high/low “trailer length” passive ventilation scheme, thanks!!

[Manning G]

Hi TXiceman,
First, after reviewing my psychometrics, I find my mental capacity declining rapidly!
Second, I agree with your statement about reducing the RH but I was thinking that this device was not used to heat the cabin and that the air it heated ( now with a reduced relative humidity) would cool as it moved away from the device and would regain relative humidity because it still had the same amount of moisture in it. As a result, the overall humidity in the closed system of the AS would be unchanged if the temperature remains constant in the cabin.
Am I missing an important element?
Thanks,
Manning