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  • Dehumidifiers

    Looking for input from others on what your experiences have been with the smaller dehumidifiers that are available?

    It's pretty wet here in Western Washington so doesn't take much to fog the windows up when boiling some water. Weather is still decent so we use the roof vent fan to exhaust the moist air but before long it's going to get cool enough we'll want to preserve the heat. Have a couple of dehumidifiers at our office that make a world of difference keeping the air fresher but they're too large for our Solitude 3740BH.
    There are all sorts of makes & models on Amazon and other places with reviews.... but one thing I've learned about this forum is there is a wealth of knowledge and experience among the people here and it's good to ask about things before deciding on which way to go!

    Goal is to have a couple of smaller units that keep up with our needs, quieter the better, auto shut-off in case we forget to empty the container, fan for moving air to help with air circulation in the RV, that don't consume too much energy.
    For the low-low price of ???

    Thank you!
    Chris & Teresa + Naia
    2019 Solitude 3740BH
    2019 Chevrolet 3500 SRW
    Chris
    2019 Solitude 3740BH
    2019 Chevy 3500HD Duramax SRW

  • #2
    Originally posted by TheNescios View Post
    Looking for input from others on what your experiences have been with the smaller dehumidifiers that are available?

    It's pretty wet here in Western Washington so doesn't take much to fog the windows up when boiling some water. Weather is still decent so we use the roof vent fan to exhaust the moist air but before long it's going to get cool enough we'll want to preserve the heat. Have a couple of dehumidifiers at our office that make a world of difference keeping the air fresher but they're too large for our Solitude 3740BH.
    There are all sorts of makes & models on Amazon and other places with reviews.... but one thing I've learned about this forum is there is a wealth of knowledge and experience among the people here and it's good to ask about things before deciding on which way to go!

    Goal is to have a couple of smaller units that keep up with our needs, quieter the better, auto shut-off in case we forget to empty the container, fan for moving air to help with air circulation in the RV, that don't consume too much energy.
    For the low-low price of ???

    Thank you!
    Chris & Teresa + Naia
    2019 Solitude 3740BH
    2019 Chevrolet 3500 SRW
    Based on another forum member's recommendation I bought an Ecoseb DD122EA. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KHJICC2

    Click image for larger version  Name:	EcoSeb.JPG Views:	0 Size:	88.2 KB ID:	32491

    What I do is attach the drain hose and then leave the dehumidifier in the shower. The water pulled from the air drains into the shower's gray tank. The only inconvenience is having to plug it in to the outlet by the sink.

    It works well but acts like a heater--adds a LOT of warmth to the bathroom. Great when it's cool outside (but that's usually when we have little humidity) and counter-productive when it's scorching hot with 95% humidity. So...maybe in the northwest it will be great?

    Not inexpensive, but has held up over two years of usage. (I typically run the dehumidier in the camper when we are NOT using it.)

    Manual attached for your convenience. Good luck with your search.

    Howard

    Edit: Just noticed I have the "Simple" (no longer available?) and this is a "Classic". Not sure of the difference.
    Attached Files
    Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

    2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

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    • #3
      Size and noise are going to be proportional to how much moisture the unit will pull out of the air in a 24 hour period. We don't have a place to put more than one dehumidifier in our 310GK and our 20 pint GE unit (probably 30% larger than Howard's howson above) is pulling up to two gallons per day out this past ten days in Maryland. On low, the fan is tolerable - but it gets on my wife's nerves every now and then.

      Rob
      Rob & Laura
      U.S. Army Retired (Rob)
      2012 F350 DRW CC Lariat PS 6.7, PullRite OE 18K
      2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS and disc brakes, solar, BB LiFePO4, DP windows
      (Previously in a 2016 Reflection 337RLS)
      Full time since 08/2015

      Comment


      • #4
        After thinking about the pros & cons of the larger dehumidifiers I really wanted to go with something smaller, to minimize the space and noise impacts.
        Did a bit of research on ones offered on Amazon and wound up purchasing the 2 that stood out as being the better units. The larger of the 2 has turned out to be a bit noisier than the smaller one, and at the same time doesn't doesn't pull as much moisture from the air.
        I'm returning the slightly larger unit and will be ordering another SEAVON Dehumidifier, rated for 2200 Cubic and fairly compact - 6.2 x 4.9 x 11 inch, think having one in our bedroom and one in the living/dining/kitchen area will keep the humidity levels in a good range. (our weather station gives indoor as well as outdoor humidity so we have a reliable source of information on our humidity levels)

        Will update this once the new unit arrives and we have a week or so of using both of them.

        Chris
        2019 Solitude 3740BH
        2019 Chevy 3500HD Duramax SRW

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by TheNescios View Post
          Looking for input from others on what your experiences have been with the smaller dehumidifiers that are available?

          It's pretty wet here in Western Washington so doesn't take much to fog the windows up when boiling some water. Weather is still decent so we use the roof vent fan to exhaust the moist air but before long it's going to get cool enough we'll want to preserve the heat. Have a couple of dehumidifiers at our office that make a world of difference keeping the air fresher but they're too large for our Solitude 3740BH.
          There are all sorts of makes & models on Amazon and other places with reviews.... but one thing I've learned about this forum is there is a wealth of knowledge and experience among the people here and it's good to ask about things before deciding on which way to go!

          Goal is to have a couple of smaller units that keep up with our needs, quieter the better, auto shut-off in case we forget to empty the container, fan for moving air to help with air circulation in the RV, that don't consume too much energy.
          For the low-low price of ???

          Thank you!
          Chris & Teresa + Naia
          2019 Solitude 3740BH
          2019 Chevrolet 3500 SRW
          Ive been happy the Honeywell model TP30WK, bought at Lowes. Wheels, handle, auto shut-off, 30 pint, etc. Works very efficiently.

          Dave and Sue
          2020 GD 2250RK
          2019 F-150 XLT, 5.0, 4WD, SB
          Curt 17500 WDH, 3.55
          GY Endurance, Dexter EZ Flex
          SCPO(SW) USN, (Ret), HP: Tampa Bay ⚓️🇺🇸

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          • #6
            Update on the dehumidifier discussion:

            Tried a couple different dehumidifiers and settled on a pair of the Seavon mini-dehumidifiers from Amazon for our 5th wheel.
            6" wide x 5" deep x 10" tall so very compact, are also VERY quiet!
            From the Amazon write up the specs are
            • Work Environment: 30°C, 80% RH
            • Water tank: 800ml (28ounce)
            • Size: 6.2 x 4.9x 10.1 inch
            • Weight: 2.55lb
            • Low noise: 35dB
            • Power supply: DC 9V/2.5A

            Have one in the kitchen and one in our bedroom and according to our indoor weather station the humidity is staying in the high 30% / low 40% even when cooking while the outdoor humidity is over 90%.
            Removable reservoir, auto shut-off - biggest complaint I have is the blue light on the power button, but solved that by turning the power button towards the wall.

            Have had these for a couple of weeks and so far we're very happy with how well they work while being small and unobtrusive - hardly notice they're here or running.
            Anyway, that's my two-cents on the topic!
            Chris & Teresa + Naia
            Chris
            2019 Solitude 3740BH
            2019 Chevy 3500HD Duramax SRW

            Comment


            • #7
              TheNescios ,
              Curious so I went and looked. If not the right one let me know...

              Click image for larger version

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              Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

              2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

              Comment


              • #8
                Yes, this is the model I've settled on - apologies, should have copied and pasted the Amazon info if others wanted to try them!
                Outdoor humidity from our temperature, wind, & humidity sensor is saying 95%, online weather info is showing 97% for our area, indoor unit is showing 46% and my wife had a good size pot of soup boiling on the stove for most of the afternoon.
                Typically we're a little less on the indoor humidity - but I'll take this kind of performance any day.

                If I've followed some of the other posts on this topic, RV's being what they are, controlling the humidity is an essential part of the long-term care & maintenance.
                Chris
                Chris
                2019 Solitude 3740BH
                2019 Chevy 3500HD Duramax SRW

                Comment


                • #9
                  While the EcoSeb I wrote about in post 2 has worked well, it consumes a lot of power and is relatively large. I do not use it while camping, only when home. So, based on Chris' recommendation, I got a small Seavon so we had something to help dehumidify on the road.

                  First, the size difference is significant. The kleenex box is there for a size reference.

                  Click image for larger version  Name:	dehumid1.JPG Views:	0 Size:	63.3 KB ID:	39393

                  There are four charts in the picture below. The trailer was running off the inverter (no shore power).

                  #1 shows the current power consumption (when I was doing the test) without a dehumidifier running.

                  #2 is the EcoSeb, on high fan. Note the nearly 630W of additional power draw! (AC Load and DC Power both increased.)

                  Ignore the solar input for a moment. 630W of draw from one appliance is not wise on a long term basis on battery power. Converting from watts to amps, the amperage is 630W/13.9v=45 amps. 45 amps per hour means that in less than 10 hours (assuming no solar or other external source of power) my 400 amp-hour (aH) battery bank (four 100aH Battle Born batteries in parallel) will be exhausted. Thus why I don't use the EcoSeb when not on shore power.

                  #3 is the EcoSeb on low fan. Still too much power draw.

                  #4 is the Seavon. A tremendous power difference! Only 25W over the ambient draw noted in #1.

                  Click image for larger version  Name:	Power Consumption.JPG Views:	0 Size:	143.7 KB ID:	39394
                  It was cool and dry here today in NW Florida, so not good conditions to test how well they dehumidify. First chance I get there will be a "head to head" test. The EcoSeb should easily beat the Seavon--we'll see. Results soon!

                  Howard

                  P.S. Some may wonder why the large increase in solar output from #1 to the others. The reason is the battery bank is fully charged in #1, so the PV output was throttled by the MPPT controller. Once the requirement ramped up the solar immediately increased to maximum available (~300W from my 1200W system late in the afternoon, sun low in the sky, and without tilted panels).
                  Last edited by howson; 01-04-2021, 07:07 AM.
                  Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

                  2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Mr Howson, what were your findings on the smaller de-humidifier? Do you recommend on or the other?
                    2021 F-350 DRW gasser... 2021 Reflection 260RD

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                    • #11
                      OK, I told you I am new to this, I just realized you posted yesterday for some reason I did not catch that. I figure I maybe should give you more than 18 hours to figure out whether it works or not
                      2021 F-350 DRW gasser... 2021 Reflection 260RD

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                      • #12
                        Anthony Graf

                        Finally getting around to testing the dehumidifiers today. This is somewhat a repeat of post 9, but it's been long enough that I needed to refresh my memory and baseline.

                        So the first step was verifying (again) the power draw from each unit.

                        Baseline
                        Turned off everything in the camper except for the normal camper "stuff" that's always on, i.e. the carbon monoxide tester, the BMV-712 battery monitor and the Victron inverter. Solar was off. All known appliances and other 12v draws off. The screenshot below is from the BMV-712.

                        The key number to focus on is the POWER line. The 46W number will be subtracted from the next readings to determine how much each unit is drawing.

                        Click image for larger version

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                        ECOSEB
                        Just the power line is shown below with the EcoSeb dehumidifier powered on (low fan). It draws 346 watts. (392 as recorded by the BMV, minus the baseline of 46 watts = 346 watts.)

                        To put this draw in context, assume a single 100aH Battle Born battery has 1200wA (wA = 'watt hours") of capacity. Basic electrical math: 12vDC * 100aH = 1200wA.

                        Drawing 346 watts for the dehumidifier will use up that 1200watts in just under 3.5 hours (assuming no other source of power). 1200wA / 346w = ~3.44 hours

                        Click image for larger version

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                        SEAVON
                        The Seavon's power draw, when on, is shown below. It's only 25 watts! (Measured 71w - 46w baseline = 25w)

                        A single Battle Born battery will power that Seavon for 48 hours. 1200wA / 25w = 48

                        Click image for larger version

Name:	04 Seavon.JPG
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                        I've got both units powered on now and they will both run in the same room under the same conditions until noon. I'll measure the amount of water in each tray at that time. Current conditions at start of test at 9:00am.

                        Click image for larger version

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                        I'll follow up with the results later today.

                        Howard

                        Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

                        2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          The results are in and they are not too surprising. After three hours the EcoSeb removed over 20 times more water from the air than the Seavon.

                          To be fair, just because both the EcoSeb and Seavon are both called "dehumidifiers" this is like comparing a 1988 Ford Ranger (I had one) to my current 2017 Ford F-350 DRW. Both vehicles are "trucks" and have a bed, but that's about where the similarity ends. The two dehumidifiers are clearly not in the same class or meant to dehumidify the same size area.

                          Click image for larger version  Name:	Results.JPG Views:	0 Size:	102.5 KB ID:	43668

                          So for fun, here's a power-to-humidity-removal comparison:

                          EcoSeb
                          346W*3hrs= 1038W for 10.5oz of water, or 98W per ounce

                          Seavon
                          25W * 3hrs= 75W for .5oz of water, or 150W per ounce

                          (My) Conclusion
                          The EcoSeb is the superior dehumidifier if there's enough power to run the device (and you have somewhere to store it). The Seavon may help in a very small room when on a tight power budget.

                          I hope someone checks my math...if I messed something up please let me know or if I missed another important consideration.

                          Howard

                          P.S. Conditions at the end of the test (1200).

                          Click image for larger version  Name:	Current Conditions 2.JPG Views:	0 Size:	20.8 KB ID:	43669

                          Update: For clarity, the humidity and other values above are from around where I live as reported by Accuweather, not the humidity level in the camper.
                          Last edited by howson; 02-22-2021, 04:53 PM.
                          Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

                          2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

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                          • #14
                            Subscribing. Good info.
                            2018 337RLS
                            720w solar, 100/50 scc 1500w psw 2 battleborn
                            disc brakes, ems

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                            • #15
                              EcoSeb it is then...thanks for the update.
                              2021 F-350 DRW gasser... 2021 Reflection 260RD

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