Maxxfan drips

[drpaddle]

I've searched high and low but haven't hit on the solution for this one. Probably just poor searching skills. Anyway...

It has been quite cold (for this area) the last few days, below freezing. I have a small heater in Toto to keep it from getting too cold... and I have the Maxxfan lid closed, though I can see there are some little vents up there that are still open. I also have a couple of dehumidifier gadgets going to keep things dry. I haven't been leaving the fan running, since no one's in the trailer.

It all seems to be working fine... no condensation anywhere... EXCEPT this morning I noticed drips from the underside of the Maxxfan lid, having dripped onto our lovely Travasak. It looks like condensation on the underside of the fan lid. I don't think it's from rain, as we've had plenty of rain lately and have not seen drips here before.

I can toss a towel or a bucket under the lid, but.... can anyone offer tips for preventing this kind of condensation? Am I supposed to be leaving the lid open a bit? Am I supposed to be leaving the fan on all the time? Should I seek a way to insulate the fan lid?

Still learning... thanks for any ideas!

[thoer]

Doug, the plastic of the lid of the Maxxfan is apparently cold enough to condense the moisture in your air. The fan can be insulated with a piece of Reflectix cut to size and taped around the edges. Or you could take off the screen and put a piece up against the lid.

Have you measured the humidity in the trailer? In cold weather anything over 50% seems to cause that kind of problems for me in the winter. This winter I ran a small space heater in there with the fan vent cracked until I go the humidity down below 50% and then put 2 of the rechargeable dehumidifiers inside with all the vents and windows closed. It seem to be keeping it at about 43% now and nice and dry. But we have a lot different winters than you.

[cpaharley2008]

I crack the lid open every other day to prevent this. I know on the fantastic fan they have a double insulated cover, but the MaxxFann does not offer. How about covering the opening with reflectix from inside. I did that to the bath window and the bath vent.

[gbaglo]

I was just out to the trailer to empty the Dry-Z-Air containers. Humidity in the trailer was about 90 per cent.
Would be hard pressed to get it down to 50 per cent. Currently it is sunny and dry and 74 per cent humidity.

[thoer]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

I was just out to the trailer to empty the Dry-Z-Air containers. Humidity in the trailer was about 90 per cent.
Would be hard pressed to get it down to 50 per cent. Currently it is sunny and dry and 74 per cent humidity.

Glenn - do you get condensation inside the trailer then? I was thinking it was going to be a lot tougher getting humidity low in your much wetter climate. But I would think that with the trailer all sealed up (and Escapes being so tight) and those dehumidifiers that it would not be that high.

[gbaglo]

I've not had a problem with condensation. I have two Dry-Z-Air containers and every once in a while I'll crack open the Maxxfan and run a heater.
I was surprised the humidity gauge didn't read 100 per cent.

[thoer]

We get a lot colder here, so can get a lot more condensation on cold surfaces inside the trailer if the humidity is high in the trailer.

I think though, if the trailer and the outside air were always the same temperature and humidity then it shouldn't be a problem. But given the tight construction of Escapes there is probably always going to be a difference. (Plus solid objects and air change temperatures at different rates)

[t-twnbob]

I have always used the dry-z-air but have no idea how much they lower the humidity. Any suggestions on a good, inexpensive meter? Thanks, Bob

[gbaglo]

You should be able to pick up a digital weather station at Walmart for not much. It would track high and low temps and should also have humidity.
I have a decorative gauge.

[thoer]

Bob - I think Amazon has a lot of them. Since our trailer is stored at home, I have an Oregon Scientific one that has remote sensors, one I have outside and one in the trailer, that send the readings back to the base station. It is an older model something like this one: Oregon Scientific

I've also got one of these that goes traveling with us: LaCrosse

(Not nearly as nice looks at Glenn's though)

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by thoer

Bob - I think Amazon has a lot of them. (Not nearly as nice looks at Glenn's though)

Probably would work better than mine. I have to recalibrate the barometer all the time. Vibration from towing the trailer causes the needle to settle at 6 on the dial. Lee Valley Tools replaced the gauge, but it has the same problem. People with barometers on boats in rough water don't seem to have this problem.

[cpaharley2008]

Glenn,
You need a gimbal mount for those delicate instruments.

[gbaglo]

Aha.
Or, I could just remember to remove the barometer and put it on a pillow when on the road. The gauges are just friction fit ( enough that they don't fall out when traveling ), so it's easy to do.

[drpaddle]

Thanks to all for the ideas. I'm headed out to get some Reflectix, then into the trailer where I can stare at the relative humidity gauge...