Good Dehumidifier

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

And the Peltier type of dehumidifier will never ice over because simply stated, it dehumidifies with warm air and produce more heat than the compressor types.

That doesn't make sense to me. The heat output of a dehumidifier is delivered to the output air; the fundamental principle of operation (of any dehumidifier) is to chill intake air to below the dew point, and that's where freezing will occur - regardless of the mechanism used to pump heat - if the dew point is at or below the freezing point.

If an appliance is less efficient, and so produces more heat, the output air will be warmer and eventually the room will warm up; for a given specific humidity of the intake air, the efficiency (or lack of efficiency) of the appliance won't change the tendency to freeze up.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

And the Peltier type of dehumidifier will never ice over because simply stated, it dehumidifies with warm air and produce more heat than the compressor type

Somebody forgot to tell mine as when it's in the 40s in the Pacific Northwest and raining, I have to take it apart and de-ice the element two or three times every winter.

[Fox hunt]

i have had my little dehumidifier for about three years. I use it all winter but when it is very cold- hard freeze i turn it off as it will ice up. Sometimes it gets a little ice on it when its around the mid 30s but i just turn it off and let it melt and then turn it on again. I've never done anything to it i just empty the water when it fills up about every two weeks. Keeps my trailer very dry.

[cpaharley2008]

It's the opposite here on the east coast, once it gets below 40, so goes the relative humidity below 40 so moisture when cold is not present, except when it snows, but inside it is warm and dry.

[drjenk]

For use while we are using the trailer, would this one be big enough for the job in a 5.0? Anyone use something like this size with any success? I don't want to get bigger than I need, but will if I have to:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072C3NMK1...01_01_t_ttl_lh

[DMPortland]

We are using one of these, looks exactly like the Eva-Dry. Here in Portland in the closed up Escape, it takes about 1-2 cups of moisture out a week. It does freeze up around 40 degrees F.

I was thinking of using it while camping too when we had access to shore power to keep things dryer. When I called the manufacturer about the freezing, they also said it would not pull enough moisture out of the air to prevent window condensation so I take that as the dehumidifier is insufficient to handle the humidity loads when the camper is occupied.

[Defenestrator]

Humans apparently put out about 0.8L per day each, so I'd say not even close. Even if you're solo and outside half the day, that's 1-2 cups a day added and 1-2 per week removed. If it's dry outside, it might be enough to slow the accumulation overnight a little.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

That doesn't make sense to me. The heat output of a dehumidifier is delivered to the output air; the fundamental principle of operation (of any dehumidifier) is to chill intake air to below the dew point, and that's where freezing will occur - regardless of the mechanism used to pump heat - if the dew point is at or below the freezing point.

If an appliance is less efficient, and so produces more heat, the output air will be warmer and eventually the room will warm up; for a given specific humidity of the intake air, the efficiency (or lack of efficiency) of the appliance won't change the tendency to freeze up.

Originally Posted by tractors1

Somebody forgot to tell mine as when it's in the 40s in the Pacific Northwest and raining, I have to take it apart and de-ice the element two or three times every winter.

You are, of course, both correct. I would as thinking about my dessicant dehumidifier (Ecoseb) which has never frozen on me. My little Peltier I keep in a tool cabinet in the shed is on a thermostat which shuts it off below 48° F. When I posted that I had just read Brian’s post where he mentioned Peltier units and it apparently lodged in my brain momentarily. Sorry for any confusion!

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

I would as thinking about my dessicant dehumidifier (Ecoseb) which has never frozen on me.

That's an interesting point - the desiccant will act like a sort of anti-freeze. I don't know how well the gell absorbs additional moisture at low temperatures, but it at least has a chance to keep working.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

That's an interesting point - the desiccant will act like a sort of anti-freeze. I don't know how well the gell absorbs additional moisture at low temperatures, but it at least has a chance to keep working.

Yes, something to consider. I would have to admit that I never thought about or considered variable efficiency at differing temperatures. And come to think of it, a dissicant dehumidifier like my Ecoseb might not work for storage in cold climates unless it is operated with some kind of thermostat. The Ecoseb manual and website state that the operating range is 34° F to 104° F (@ 1° C to 40° C). Then again, cold air does not hold as much moisture as warm air.

I bought mine after researching methods of dehumidification that do not rely on a compressor. I was looking for:

1. An ability to remove adequate amounts of moisture when the trailer is occupied. The Ecoseb is claimed to remove up to 15 pints/day. Products like Damp-Rid would not do what I wanted. In humid conditions, I have sometimes had to empty the Ecoseb’s reservoir once a day.

2. A smaller size. While not tiny, the Ecoseb is smaller than any compressor dehumidifier of which I am aware. I transport it in the bottom of the wardrobe closet of the 5.0TA.

3. A light weight. At 15 lbs (@ 6.8 KG), it is also lighter than any compressor dehumidifier of which I am aware.

When camping in cool/cold weather (near freezing), we have never had condensation on the windows, walls, or under/behind cushions or the mattress. Obviously, cold outside, warm inside is the recipe for condensation. A good explanation of dessicant dehumidifiers can be found at:

Desiccant Dehumidifier Reviews | Types | How They Work

The Ecoseb does have a couple of drawbacks.

1. It does add some heat. That is not a concern in cold weather operation. In warm weather operation, it means the A/C will run a bit more frequently, and perhaps slightly longer each time it comes on.

2. Sometimes, the dessicant will give off a slight odor. I do not find it “unpleasant” but someone with a sensitive olfactory might find it objectionable.