Air Dryer for Inside Bus

[dale farley]

Has anyone tried using one of these dryers to keep moisture out of the bus? Seems like it might be a good alternative to running an AC all the time, especially where limited electricity is available. The unit only draws 1.1 amps and is available in a couple different colors. They also come in 500 cu ft and 1000 cu ft models.
http://www.amazon.com/Davis-Instruments-Air-Dryer/dp/B00PQ058RO

[Pete]

Dale, we must have ESPN....I am also looking at doing 2, 500 sq footers, one for the front and one for the some where in the rear. If they work, I think they should be very useful. I bought a larger dehumidifier, which has to have a hose to remove any water collected, which I routed to the shower, but was not happy with it. May do a little research on this item.

[dale farley]

Pete, I also purchased a larger dehumidifier and decided it was more trouble that it was worth. I have read several of the reviews for this small unit, and many boat owners said they worked very well for them, so I don't see why they wouldn't work in a bus.

[JIM KELLER]

Where does the water go ?

[Grizz]

Note: DRYR not dryer! There is no way that unit can remove moisture from the air. What it does is heat the air. Warm air can hold more moisture than cool air, so it 'might' keep an insignificant amount of condensation from forming, but you could accomplish the same thing with any small electric heater.

A real dehumidifier is nothing more than an air conditioner running both the condenser and evaporator in the same enclosed space. It will take the water out of the air, but it generates a lot of heat from the motors. The water has to be eliminated either by running a hose down a drain or emptying a container. In the summer when its really needed, adding more heat inside a parked coach is not ideal.

My coach is parked inside a storage facility so it is not heated by the sun. For about 8 months of the year it's fine with two A/C fans running to circulate the air. (A/C operation within the building is not allowed.) I also open the toll window with the sun screen snapped into place and the bathroom roof vent open. Warmer air generated by the refrigerator naturally flows out the roof vent drawing in cooler air through the toll window. The other four months I stay on the road.

A 45 foot bus contains approximately 2340 cubic feet. 45 long x 8 wide x 6.5 tall = 2340

[dale farley]

Come on Grizz! Don't straddle the fence like that. Tell us how you really feel about this little unit.

Jim, This "may" be one of those highly sophisticated units that pulls air in through a nuclear interpolater, washes it, drys it, purifies it and deodorizes it before pushing it back out through a radiant intervalometer as clean dry air. Of course, it could just be a little heater as Grizz mentioned above! He has definitely raised some questions that need addressing.

I can tell this may require a little more investigation on my part, since it seems no one has actually used one. Although I did "truly" think the reviews/comments by the boat owners added some credibility to its value. And I do actually have an older intervalometer that I used with some of my Nikon equipment.

[Grizz]

Sorry Dale:

Hope I didn't offend anyone. I've never been one to sugar-coat. :-)

[dale farley]

Grizz,

I am not that easily offended about most things. You raised some very valid points. That's what makes this site so interesting. We don't just take things at face value and "everyone" has an opinion.

I did some research on this unit, and actually, I feel pretty confident that it will do what it is designed for. It is intended to heat the air just enough to keep mildew and mold from growing. Several boat owners said they have used them for years with excellent results. One boat owner said he had to replace all his upholstery in a 40' boat because of moisture damage. He has used these units for over 6 years now with no sign of moisture damage. I don't think the unit is designed to replace an AC unit, but the description does sound reasonable. There are multiple years of reviews with excellent results, and I have seen no negative comments. Boats and RVs are two of the targeted areas, but the unit is recommended anywhere there is a moisture problem. One of the things we have to worry about is over drying the air, and I don't think this unit is much of a threat in that area. I may very well decide to order one.

This is the manufacturer's description of the unit:


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Air-Dryr 1000

Say goodbye to mold, mildew and moisture with this simple and effective tool.
Air-Dryr is an inexpensive and effective way to fight moisture problems, cold drafts, and corrosion. Designed to operate anywhere, 24 hours a day. Place Air-Dryr on the floor in any damp, enclosed space and plug into a 110/220 volt outlet. The damp air is heated to the point moisture is held in suspension (above dew point), then released through the top vents of the device. As warmed air rises, cooler damp air is drawn in, where it too is heated. Air-Dryr costs no more to operate than the burning of a light bulb. A thermal cutoff turns the unit off should air flow be impeded.
Features:



Neutral beige polycarbonate housing for strength and durability
Slim and stable; Can be placed out of the way in confined spaces
Designed for 24-hour operation; Low operating cost
Safe to the touch; Safe for marine use
Silent operation; No switch, fan, or thermostat; uses natural convection to circulate the air

Use at Home or Office



Closets, cabinets, basements, storage units
Tack Rooms
Pump Rooms
RVs, motor homes, trailers, cars, or airplanes

Use in Boats



Cabins, v-berths
Bilges, engine rooms



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[dale farley]

This link is to 209 reviews ranging from 2007 to 2015. The overall rating is 4.5 stars out of 5. Some of the most impressive reviews I've seen for any product and especially over a period of 9 years.
http://www.amazon.com/Davis-Instruments-Air-Dryer/product-reviews/B00PQ058RO/ref=cm_cr_pr_top_link_1?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=byRankDescending

[Alek&Lucia]

Dale,

How about Damprid ? No power needed, we are using it for few years with good results

http://www.damprid.com/

How it works:

http://www.damprid.com/moisture-odor-control-center/how-damprid-hanging-moisture-absorber-bags-work

Alek

[dale farley]

Alek, Good to hear from you! I certainly agree that Damprid will also get rid of the moisture. From what I understand, the Dryr unit also warms the air a little (about as much as a light bulb). I currently have a light bulb in my plumbing bay so I don't ever have to worry about it getting too cold. I am thinking about placing one of the Dryr units in the bay to replace the light bulb. One of the advantages I see with the Dryr unit is that it is a one time thing that should last for several years without replacement, whereas the Damprid must be periodically replaced. I do agree that Damprid will achieve most of the same results and requires no electricity. As with all things, we have to pay one way or another.

[Pete]

Dale, we will find out how it works, I just ordered one from ebay....the Air Dryer 1000. It was $44.93 on ebay, with free shipping. I currently have a small ceramic heater in the bus, and it seems to help during the winter months, but will ot in the summer. I do not like the thought of introducing outside air into the bus, which would bring in more humidity.
I reviewed all of the comments the owners have on the Air Dryer, and did not see one single negative comment. Pretty unusual for so many people to have with positive comments.

[dale farley]

Pete, I also ordered one from Amazon.

[Grizz]

Well of course my comments are only my opinion. I don't believe the Air Dryr will have any significant effect in a closed coach, which is pretty much airtight. The product description is written to make the reader think the warmed air above the dew point will remain above the dew point. It won't! The air will cool down to ambient temperature as soon as it leaves the unit. All it does is warm the air causing a miniscule amount of circulation. That process simply helps circulate air within a closed space, but does not remove moisture. A light bulb will do the same thing if placed near the floor (and turned on of course) at a lot less money.

[Gil_J]

The humidity in a boat is far different than that expected in a RV. The hull of the boat sits in the water that has very little temperature swings over the course of a day. The upper hull will change temperatures a lot just from night to day changes. These dramatic differences where the lower hull remains a relatively constant temperature and the upper hull changes with the sun and outdoor temperature swings require boaters to do something to control humidity that quickly promotes the growth of mold. In the summer time I would leave one air conditioner on in the boat, just as I do with the coach, when they aren't in use. In the winter or shoulder seasons I would use a small heater, much like the device Dale is asking about, in my boat. In my coach I use an electric oil filled radiator heater inside during the winter. Knock on wood, these procedures have worked for me.

If your coach is stored inside an enclosed building, it should not be as prone to moisture that comes from rapid changes in temperature. Regardless of whether the coach is stored inside, under shelter or outside, if you live in a high humidity environment you should find a way to control moisture build-up in your coach. Fabrics will retain the moisture and promote the growth of mold.

Dale, why not conduct an experiment for us? Put a humidity meter inside and outside your coach before you try the air dryer and then after the air dryer has been in the coach for a several days. See if the air dryer reduces the interior humidity as compared to the outside humidity.

[dale farley]

Gil,

Hopefully, Pete can do this. Two things are stopping me at this time. I'm in Huntsville; and the bus is in Pensacola, and I don't have a meter to measure the humidity.