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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Guys...

I wanted to fit a wee dehumidifier now that I have shore power.
I wanted to fit it over the sink so that it would drain away without having to be emptied regularly.
Is there a model you could recommend?

thanks....

Rockter
 

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We bought a small dehumidifier for our 36' Catalina through a recreational vehicle supply store. I had no luck finding what I wanted through regular marine supply outlets. The unit runs on 110 vac. Given that your location shows as Scotland I couldn't tell you what brand to look for. It was small enough to fit in the sink. Put it on a timer so it wouldn't run all the time. It has been on the boat for six weeks in a humid environment. I will be going to the boat next week to see how it worked.
 

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Before thinking about brand names, you really need to realize that there are two very different types of electric dehumidifiers (plus the dessicant types).

The "traditional" dehumidifiers work off a typical refrigeration cycle, weigh 30 or 40 pounds, consume hundreds of watts of electricity, often come on casters (which can create challenges when you heel). They are sold for a house or basement, and can remove a whole lot of water (gallons a day). These are the types that Consumer Reports would review. They may be more appropriate for very large boats, but like an oversized air conditioner, may have problems with a small confined space on a small boat.

Then there are the tiny dehumidifiers, that work off the Peltier effect, aka thermoelectric effect. These are small enough to fit on a counter, weigh only a few pounds, consume 60-100 watts (often from a 12v power brick), remove much less water (a couple pints a day at most), and generally have to run 24/7 to be effective (unless you choose to cycle it off for de-icing). These can be more appropriate for small boats than the refrigeration types.

You really need to decide which type is most appropriate before thinking about specific brand names. The refrigeration types will be branded by the major appliance manufacturers (though almost always made in China). The Peltier types will almost all branded by companies you've never heard of (and all probably come out of the same factory, or at least the same city, in China).
Not from personal experience. But interesting write up and UK based so may be available.

robots= author=
A pretty poor review, IMO, since they totally omit the Peltier devices.
 

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^^ Good point.

I should have added that since I have a cat, the sink drains are far above the water line and are left open. If below the water line, the tub looks smart.

When day sailing we simply plop the dehumidifier in the sink. Also, we regulate it with a timer, since there is no need for it to run full time (our boat is pretty dry). A photo cell would work too (better to run at night, when the humidity is higher and temperatures lower).
 

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A wee dehumidifier? I thought that's what the camphor block in the bottom of the urinal was for.

Um, no, even a "basement" model like they used to sell cheap in Sears, had a "humidistat" on it. No need for a timer, you set it for a % relative humidity, and it turns on when the humidity hits that point. The humidistat is like an old fashioned mercury thermostat, but uses a nylon band that shrinks and stretches as the moisture changes, to pull a microswitch. Unless someone has gone all fancy, that should consume literally zero power when it is off.

The basement models typically don't have a shiny stainless or plastic housing over the whole thing, so they may be somewhat less expensive as well.

And if you find one without a humidistat? About $30 buys you one in Home Depot, made by Honeywell, designed for home AC systems. A little box to mount on the wall, two wires coming out of it to connect/break the dehumidifier circuit.
 

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Discussion Starter · #15 ·
Guys...
Thanks for all your help.
I just want a wee model that kills the worst of the moisture.
It is not too damp in Invernesshire, but it will still help.
The West of Scotland is far worse.

Rockter
 

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Guys...
Thanks for all your help.
I just want a wee model that kills the worst of the moisture.
It is not too damp in Invernesshire, but it will still help.
The West of Scotland is far worse.

Rockter
I am not sure how big your boat is. That should be a factor in your selection
A wee dehumidifier? I thought that's what the camphor block in the bottom of the urinal was for.
I am not sure what your point is. Camphor blocks are not dessicants. They are deodorizers. It would be far better to prevent mold than it would be to just mask its odor.
...Um, no, even a "basement" model like they used to sell cheap in Sears, had a "humidistat" on it. No need for a timer, you set it for a % relative humidity, and it turns on when the humidity hits that point...
The Peltier humidifiers generally do not have humidistats, and actually work better if you leave them running full time. They are not high capacity devices like compressor technology. In early spring/late fall I use a plug in timer to prevent icing during cool nights. It does the job.
 

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I' throw a heater in there too. an electric one. that will help quite a bit.
Unattended heaters are dangerous and banned in marinas and yards. Plus they'll make mold worse by creating warm humidity.
 

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We have spent the past three winters in Petersburg, Alaska. Petersburg is on Mitcoff Island, part of the Tongass National Forest, a sub-arctic rain forest at latitude 56.8N, just for a climate reference. Its wet.

We have kept our 27 foot Albin Vega dry with one "Air Dryer with Fan" from West Marine. (We have seen them in other stores too under different brand names) and, most important, a four inch computer fan exhausting through a mushroom vent in the forepeak. The passive intake mushroom vents on the stern are left open to allow flow through ventilation. When the boat is occupied, we open a second exhaust vent.



The air dryer does not store water and does not need to drain or be emptied by hand. Placed low near the flow of cool incoming fresh air, it heats the air slightly so it will hold more water vapor, rise and be sucked out by the exhaust fan.
 
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