Heating/Air Conditioning

[sward1]

Posted by Sward (swardfullsail@…>)

Has anyone installed a reverse cycle heating/air conditioning unit on a 32? I looked into it, but it seemed like it would take too much space.

(by the way-for those of you in this neck of the woods-I’ve been in Havelock, NC most of the summer-heading to St. Augustine and Marathon, FL for the winter on “Dream On”)
“Life is a Reach, then you Jibe”

SWARD

----- Original Message ----From: katorpus <jrb@…>To: FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.comSent: Monday, October 22, 2007 5:57:09 PMSubject: [FreedomOwnersGroup] Re: Cabin Moisture / Dehumidifier

I use the “full-size” one in my Freedom 40 (more cabin space).If you get one with the humidistat, it won’t run any more than it “has to” to maintain the humidity level which you set.Here’s how I use mine…I placed it on the galley countertop beside the galley sink, with a short piece of garden hose leading directly to the sink strainer (which doesn’t have to be in place). The hose connects to a fitting which was molded into the “bucket” for the dehumidifier just for that purpose.After going through several of the cheapie “dial type” on-off timer switches, I bought one of those ($50 or so) gray metal box wire-in timer switches like the kind that you use for outdoor light circuits. You have to wire up the pigtail to plug it into the wall, but that’s easily done.I set the humidistat for about 60% relative humidity, and set the timer to run for 12 hrs a day beginning at dawn.
My interior stays dry enough that the floorboards creak. There is no such thing as “too dry” where the interior wood is concerned.I also use a Quantum ozone generator plugged into to the power strip that’s wired into the timer box.I keep the boat closed up tight with no outside air circulation. I never have any mildew, “boat smells”, nor stink of diesel down below.Several things to consider…In cooler weather, a more-or-less continually running humidifier will freeze up (on the coils of the unit). Hence the timer and the timing (daytime running, when it’s warmer).These things do put off some heat. Expect it to warm up the interior of the boat quite a bit when it’s running. If you drain a dehumidifier into your shower sump, you’ll be “exercising” the pump (associated with the sump) quite a bit. If you can place the unit where “gravity” does the work (like over a sink)
then, assuming you don’t close the through hull for the sink when you’re away from the boat (I only do this when a serious storm is approaching) , then it won’t “cost” you anything to get rid of the water that’s extracted from the air. The sump pump won’t wear out, and you won’t be re-extracting the water from the air that results from it trickling into the shower drain and/or sitting in the sump awaiting a pump cycle. If it takes a pint of water to “trigger” your shower sump, and your dehumidifier removes 20 pints a day, then assume that you’ll have at LEAST 20 cycles per day of your sump pump (more actually, as the motion of the boat in the slip will likely trigger it more often due to sloshing).A less-capable (hence less-efficient) dehumidifier operating more hours per day will not save you kilowatt hours. The bigger ones ARE more of a pain to move around when you get ready to go
sailing, but they’ll fit in a dock box.

[rick_simonds1]

Posted by rick_simonds (rick_simonds@…>)

— In FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com, Sward <swardfullsail@…>
wrote:

Has anyone installed a reverse cycle heating/air conditioning unit
on a 32? I looked into it, but it seemed like it would take too much
space.

(by the way-for those of you in this neck of the woods-I’ve been in
Havelock, NC most of the summer-heading to St. Augustine and
Marathon, FL for the winter on “Dream On”)

“Life is a Reach, then you Jibe”

SWARD

I did, though mine’s resistance heat, not actually reverse cycle heat.

It’s in the aftmost V berth compartment forward. The return air grill
is cut into that bulkhead, under the bunk, about in line with the
opening for the sliding door. There are 3 vent hoses, 1 to starboard
through the small closet to starboard and through the bulkhead that’s
behind the mast. 2 more go through the hanging locker to port. Both
those have adjustable round vents mounted in the bulkhead. The other
one goes through the bulkhead and empties into the (cheesy) “wine
rack” (that I don’t use) behind the dinette. The thermostat is built
into the face of the nav table.

Mine’s a “Flagship” brand and I can’t recommend it. It’s supposed to
be 16,000 BTU and I doubt I’m getting much more than about half that.
It is no match for the Tallahassee afternoon summertime heat. Once
the sun goes down it does make sleeping aboard comfortable in the
summer, though. The heat works fine. I’m still trying to find someone
who know his stuff about marine A/C to look at it.

In 2 days I go on the hard for bottom paint. One project will be to
install a new thru hull for the A/C (that will also feed a washdown
pump away from the dock) in that skinny, long cabin sole hatch next
to the fuel tank. It now feeds from a thru hull by the engine and I
want a location that’s easier to get to so I’ll be more inclined to
close it when I leave (the A/C pump must be BELOW THE WATERLINE to
work correctly, and a failure of a fitting on that pump figures
prominantly in my nightmares.)

[sward1]

Posted by Sward (swardfullsail@…>)
Thanks for that detailed informationrick_simonds <rick_simonds@…> wrote: — In FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com, Sward <swardfullsail@…> wrote:>> Has anyone installed a reverse cycle heating/air conditioning unit on a 32? I looked into it, but it seemed like it would take too much space.> > (by the way-for those of you in this neck of the woods-I’ve been in Havelock, NC most of the
summer-heading to St. Augustine and Marathon, FL for the winter on “Dream On”)> > “Life is a Reach, then you Jibe”> > SWARD> > > I did, though mine’s resistance heat, not actually reverse cycle heat.It’s in the aftmost V berth compartment forward. The return air grill is cut into that bulkhead, under the bunk, about in line with the opening for the sliding door. There are 3 vent hoses, 1 to starboard through the small closet to starboard and through the bulkhead that’s behind the mast. 2 more go through the hanging locker to port. Both those have adjustable round vents mounted in the bulkhead. The other one goes through the bulkhead and empties into the (cheesy) “wine rack” (that I don’t use) behind the dinette. The thermostat is built into the face of the nav table.Mine’s a “Flagship” brand and I can’t recommend it. It’s supposed to be 16,000 BTU and I doubt I’m
getting much more than about half that. It is no match for the Tallahassee afternoon summertime heat. Once the sun goes down it does make sleeping aboard comfortable in the summer, though. The heat works fine. I’m still trying to find someone who know his stuff about marine A/C to look at it.In 2 days I go on the hard for bottom paint. One project will be to install a new thru hull for the A/C (that will also feed a washdown pump away from the dock) in that skinny, long cabin sole hatch next to the fuel tank. It now feeds from a thru hull by the engine and I want a location that’s easier to get to so I’ll be more inclined to close it when I leave (the A/C pump must be BELOW THE WATERLINE to work correctly, and a failure of a fitting on that pump figures prominantly in my nightmares.)“Life is a Reach, then you Jibe” SWARD

[katorpus1]

Posted by katorpus (jrb@…>)

Rick

There’s definitely a problem SOMEWHERE.

I have the 16,500 BTU Flagship unit (FMAC16R) with the March pump and
four discharge ports in my aft cockpit F 40 Cat Ketch.

I get PLENTY of cooling with a 2" duct (feeding a 4" discharge
grille) into the aft cabin, 2 of the 4" ducts feeding the main saloon
and one 4" into the V-Berth.

If the water flow through the pump is restricted (barnacles,
undersized supply line, undersized through hull, kinked hose or
whatever), then the copper heat exchanger tube will become pretty
warm (too hot to hold your hand on). If that’s the case, you’ll lose
a lot of cooling efficiency.

Your installation on the intake line for the engine very well may be
sucking air backwards through the engine. If your raw water impeller
is a little “worn” that could very well be the case. You should be
able to “tell” if this is happening by looking at the raw water
strainer that is plumbed between the intake seacock and the water
pump on the engine (assuming that it’s one of the “clear” ones.

The other thing that may be “wrong” here is your return air
installation. If the unit is not in a compartment that is sealed from
the REST of the bilge, then you are drawing uncooled air from the
bilge all the way back through (and including) the engine compartment
and sucking in outside air from whatever source your engine gets it.
If this is the case, you’ll NEVER cool the boat, since these things
work by dropping the temperature of the air by 18 to 20 degrees with
each pass over the coils.

I’m not familiar with the “floorplan” of the 32, but if the
discharges aren’t far enough away from the unit itself, you won’t be
getting enough air circulation through the boat. Also, if the
thermostat is in the path of one of the discharges, you’ll “fool” it
and it will short cycle on and off (since it “thinks” the whole boat
is whatever temperature the thermostat is reading.

Don’t underestimate the amount of heat gain through your hatches.
External canvas covers and/or the aluminum foil faced “double bubble
pack” insulation (Home Depot or Lowe’s) on the inside of the hatch
lid will go a LONG way toward keeping out BTU’s.

I picked up a “patio mister” hose at Sam’s for about $17 before I had
this unit. I’d stretch it the length of the cabintop and turn on the
dockside garden hose. That alone made a HUGE difference. In the mid-
day sun, the water that it emitted evaporated before it ever ran off
the side of the boat in the scuppers. I haven’t used it since I put
in the Flagship unit.

My boat’s in Corpus Christi, so I don’t think our climate (or sun) is
much different from yours. 80 plus degree water and 90 plus degree
summer heat.

Get a thermometer and check the discharge air temperature versus the
temperature at the air return grille. The return air at the grille
should “match” the temperature of the air throughout the boat, and
the discharge temperature should be approximately 20 degrees cooler.
If that’s the case, then your problem lies in the air supply and/or
thermostat placement. If it’s not, then the problem is either cooling
water flow or outside (bilge) air infiltration.

Hope this helps

\

I did, though mine’s resistance heat, not actually reverse cycle
heat.

It’s in the aftmost V berth compartment forward. The return air
grill
is cut into that bulkhead, under the bunk, about in line with the
opening for the sliding door. There are 3 vent hoses, 1 to
starboard
through the small closet to starboard and through the bulkhead
that’s
behind the mast. 2 more go through the hanging locker to port. Both
those have adjustable round vents mounted in the bulkhead. The
other
one goes through the bulkhead and empties into the (cheesy) “wine
rack” (that I don’t use) behind the dinette. The thermostat is
built
into the face of the nav table.

Mine’s a “Flagship” brand and I can’t recommend it. It’s supposed
to
be 16,000 BTU and I doubt I’m getting much more than about half
that.
It is no match for the Tallahassee afternoon summertime heat. Once
the sun goes down it does make sleeping aboard comfortable in the
summer, though. The heat works fine. I’m still trying to find
someone
who know his stuff about marine A/C to look at it.

In 2 days I go on the hard for bottom paint. One project will be to
install a new thru hull for the A/C (that will also feed a washdown
pump away from the dock) in that skinny, long cabin sole hatch next
to the fuel tank. It now feeds from a thru hull by the engine and I
want a location that’s easier to get to so I’ll be more inclined to
close it when I leave (the A/C pump must be BELOW THE WATERLINE to
work correctly, and a failure of a fitting on that pump figures
prominantly in my nightmares.)

[Jay_Glen]

Posted by Jay Glen (svfantasy@…>)
Katorpus,I also have an aft cockpit F-40 CK, and I’m planning on installing a reverse cycle heat/air system. I haven’t decided on a manufacturer/model as yet. I’ve been trying to decide where to place the unit, and where to run the ducts and, grille placement. Since we have the same vessel would you provide the gory details? Is the flagship unit electric heat or reverse cycle? Thanks for your help.
On 10/22/07, katorpus <jrb@…> wrote:




Rick

There’s definitely a problem SOMEWHERE.

I have the 16,500 BTU Flagship unit (FMAC16R) with the March pump and
four discharge ports in my aft cockpit F 40 Cat Ketch.

I get PLENTY of cooling with a 2" duct (feeding a 4" discharge
grille) into the aft cabin, 2 of the 4" ducts feeding the main saloon
and one 4" into the V-Berth.

If the water flow through the pump is restricted (barnacles,
undersized supply line, undersized through hull, kinked hose or
whatever), then the copper heat exchanger tube will become pretty
warm (too hot to hold your hand on). If that’s the case, you’ll lose
a lot of cooling efficiency.

Your installation on the intake line for the engine very well may be
sucking air backwards through the engine. If your raw water impeller
is a little “worn” that could very well be the case. You should be
able to “tell” if this is happening by looking at the raw water
strainer that is plumbed between the intake seacock and the water
pump on the engine (assuming that it’s one of the “clear” ones.

The other thing that may be “wrong” here is your return air
installation. If the unit is not in a compartment that is sealed from
the REST of the bilge, then you are drawing uncooled air from the
bilge all the way back through (and including) the engine compartment
and sucking in outside air from whatever source your engine gets it.
If this is the case, you’ll NEVER cool the boat, since these things
work by dropping the temperature of the air by 18 to 20 degrees with
each pass over the coils.

I’m not familiar with the “floorplan” of the 32, but if the
discharges aren’t far enough away from the unit itself, you won’t be
getting enough air circulation through the boat. Also, if the
thermostat is in the path of one of the discharges, you’ll “fool” it
and it will short cycle on and off (since it “thinks” the whole boat
is whatever temperature the thermostat is reading.

Don’t underestimate the amount of heat gain through your hatches.
External canvas covers and/or the aluminum foil faced “double bubble
pack” insulation (Home Depot or Lowe’s) on the inside of the hatch
lid will go a LONG way toward keeping out BTU’s.

I picked up a “patio mister” hose at Sam’s for about $17 before I had
this unit. I’d stretch it the length of the cabintop and turn on the
dockside garden hose. That alone made a HUGE difference. In the mid-
day sun, the water that it emitted evaporated before it ever ran off
the side of the boat in the scuppers. I haven’t used it since I put
in the Flagship unit.

My boat’s in Corpus Christi, so I don’t think our climate (or sun) is
much different from yours. 80 plus degree water and 90 plus degree
summer heat.

Get a thermometer and check the discharge air temperature versus the
temperature at the air return grille. The return air at the grille
should “match” the temperature of the air throughout the boat, and
the discharge temperature should be approximately 20 degrees cooler.
If that’s the case, then your problem lies in the air supply and/or
thermostat placement. If it’s not, then the problem is either cooling
water flow or outside (bilge) air infiltration.

Hope this helps

I did, though mine’s resistance heat, not actually reverse cycle
heat.

It’s in the aftmost V berth compartment forward. The return air
grill
is cut into that bulkhead, under the bunk, about in line with the
opening for the sliding door. There are 3 vent hoses, 1 to
starboard
through the small closet to starboard and through the bulkhead
that’s
behind the mast. 2 more go through the hanging locker to port. Both
those have adjustable round vents mounted in the bulkhead. The
other
one goes through the bulkhead and empties into the (cheesy) “wine
rack” (that I don’t use) behind the dinette. The thermostat is
built
into the face of the nav table.

Mine’s a “Flagship” brand and I can’t recommend it. It’s supposed
to
be 16,000 BTU and I doubt I’m getting much more than about half
that.
It is no match for the Tallahassee afternoon summertime heat. Once
the sun goes down it does make sleeping aboard comfortable in the
summer, though. The heat works fine. I’m still trying to find
someone
who know his stuff about marine A/C to look at it.

In 2 days I go on the hard for bottom paint. One project will be to
install a new thru hull for the A/C (that will also feed a washdown
pump away from the dock) in that skinny, long cabin sole hatch next
to the fuel tank. It now feeds from a thru hull by the engine and I
want a location that’s easier to get to so I’ll be more inclined to
close it when I leave (the A/C pump must be BELOW THE WATERLINE to
work correctly, and a failure of a fitting on that pump figures
prominantly in my nightmares.)

– Jay Glen ki6jtks/v FantasyFreedom 40 Cat-KetchSan Francisco Bay Area

[rick_simonds1]

Posted by rick_simonds (rick_simonds@…>)

— In FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com, “katorpus” <jrb@…> wrote:

Rick

There’s definitely a problem SOMEWHERE…
…
…
Hope this helps

Thanks for that data, katorpus. I DOES help.

It has its own thru hull now but the ideas behind moving the thru
hull is to make it handier, sturdier, larger, shorter, simpler,
more “shut off-able”, and, hopefully, to end up with more capacity
and efficient. By process of elimination, the cooling water system
very well could be my problem. “Short cycle” is certainly not the
problem, the unit runs constantly. The air leakage from the bilge, if
any, would be immeasurably tiny.

I’m getting, at most, a 15 degree drop in temperature between the
grilles and the return. Flagship said that is considered acceptable.
A friend measured the rate of the cooling water flow and its change
in temperature. I don’t know the calculation but he declared it to be
about 10,000 BTU.

Knowledge-wise, I’m completely out of my element with A/C. I don’t
know doodle, I just want my Yankee ass to be cool. Thanks for your
info, it helps a lot. Yours, combined with others, says “it almost
HAS to be the cooling water.”

Thanks again,

Rick

[Herman_and_Gail_Schi]

Posted by Herman and Gail Schiller (hschiller2@…>)

SWARD,
Are you joining the big meeting of cruisers (Snow Birds) in
New Bern? Havelock is only about a 3-hour sail away.
Herm

At 06:59 PM 10/22/2007, you wrote:

Has anyone installed a reverse cycle heating/air conditioning unit
on a 32? I looked into it, but it seemed like it would take too much space.

(by the way-for those of you in this neck of the woods-I’ve been in
Havelock, NC most of the summer-heading to St. Augustine and
Marathon, FL for the winter on “Dream On”)

“Life is a Reach, then you Jibe”

SWARD

----- Original Message ----
From: katorpus <jrb@…>
To: FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 5:57:09 PM
Subject: [FreedomOwnersGroup] Re: Cabin Moisture / Dehumidifier

I use the “full-size” one in my Freedom 40 (more cabin space).

If you get one with the humidistat, it won’t run any more than
it “has to” to maintain the humidity level which you set.

Here’s how I use mine…

I placed it on the galley countertop beside the galley sink, with a
short piece of garden hose leading directly to the sink strainer
(which doesn’t have to be in place). The hose connects to a fitting
which was molded into the “bucket” for the dehumidifier just for that
purpose.

After going through several of the cheapie “dial type” on-off timer
switches, I bought one of those ($50 or so) gray metal box wire-in
timer switches like the kind that you use for outdoor light circuits.
You have to wire up the pigtail to plug it into the wall, but that’s
easily done.

I set the humidistat for about 60% relative humidity, and set the
timer to run for 12 hrs a day beginning at dawn. My interior stays
dry enough that the floorboards creak. There is no such thing as “too
dry” where the interior wood is concerned.

I also use a Quantum ozone generator plugged into to the power strip
that’s wired into the timer box.

I keep the boat closed up tight with no outside air circulation. I
never have any mildew, “boat smells”, nor stink of diesel down below.

Several things to consider…In cooler weather, a more-or-less
continually running humidifier will freeze up (on the coils of the
unit). Hence the timer and the timing (daytime running, when it’s
warmer).

These things do put off some heat. Expect it to warm up the interior
of the boat quite a bit when it’s running.

If you drain a dehumidifier into your shower sump, you’ll
be “exercising” the pump (associated with the sump) quite a bit. If
you can place the unit where “gravity” does the work (like over a
sink) then, assuming you don’t close the through hull for the sink
when you’re away from the boat (I only do this when a serious storm
is approaching) , then it won’t “cost” you anything to get rid of the
water that’s extracted from the air.

The sump pump won’t wear out, and you won’t be re-extracting the
water from the air that results from it trickling into the shower
drain and/or sitting in the sump awaiting a pump cycle. If it takes a
pint of water to “trigger” your shower sump, and your dehumidifier
removes 20 pints a day, then assume that you’ll have at LEAST 20
cycles per day of your sump pump (more actually, as the motion of the
boat in the slip will likely trigger it more often due to sloshing).

A less-capable (hence less-efficient) dehumidifier operating more
hours per day will not save you kilowatt hours.

The bigger ones ARE more of a pain to move around when you get ready
to go sailing, but they’ll fit in a dock box.

[sward1]

Posted by Sward (swardfullsail@…>)
Yes, I am. I’m going tomorrow-Wednesday, and will be on C dock at the Sheraton-slip 37. You can recognize the only boat with the black mast!!! That is the way I show people which boat is mine!! I’m really looking forward to it. Are you going?Herman and Gail Schiller <hschiller2@…> wrote: SWARD,Are you joining the big meeting of cruisers (Snow Birds) in New Bern? Havelock is only about a 3-hour sail away.HermAt 06:59 PM 10/22/2007, you wrote:>Has anyone installed a reverse cycle
heating/air conditioning unit >on a 32? I looked into it, but it seemed like it would take too much space.>>(by the way-for those of you in this neck of the woods-I’ve been in >Havelock, NC most of the summer-heading to St. Augustine and >Marathon, FL for the winter on “Dream On”)>>“Life is a Reach, then you Jibe”>>SWARD>>>----- Original Message ---->From: katorpus <jrb@…>>To: FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com>Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 5:57:09 PM>Subject: [FreedomOwnersGroup] Re: Cabin Moisture / Dehumidifier>>I use the “full-size” one in my Freedom 40 (more cabin space).>>If you get one with the humidistat, it won’t run any more than>it “has to” to maintain the humidity level which you
set.>>Here’s how I use mine…>>I placed it on the galley countertop beside the galley sink, with a>short piece of garden hose leading directly to the sink strainer>(which doesn’t have to be in place). The hose connects to a fitting>which was molded into the “bucket” for the dehumidifier just for that>purpose.>>After going through several of the cheapie “dial type” on-off timer>switches, I bought one of those ($50 or so) gray metal box wire-in>timer switches like the kind that you use for outdoor light circuits.>You have to wire up the pigtail to plug it into the wall, but that’s>easily done.>>I set the humidistat for about 60% relative humidity, and set the>timer to run for 12 hrs a day beginning at dawn. My interior stays>dry enough that the floorboards creak. There is no such thing as “too>dry” where the interior wood is
concerned.>>I also use a Quantum ozone generator plugged into to the power strip>that’s wired into the timer box.>>I keep the boat closed up tight with no outside air circulation. I>never have any mildew, “boat smells”, nor stink of diesel down below.>>Several things to consider…In cooler weather, a more-or-less>continually running humidifier will freeze up (on the coils of the>unit). Hence the timer and the timing (daytime running, when it’s>warmer).>>These things do put off some heat. Expect it to warm up the interior>of the boat quite a bit when it’s running.>>If you drain a dehumidifier into your shower sump, you’ll>be “exercising” the pump (associated with the sump) quite a bit. If>you can place the unit where “gravity” does the work (like over a>sink) then, assuming you don’t close the through hull for the sink>when you’re away
from the boat (I only do this when a serious storm>is approaching) , then it won’t “cost” you anything to get rid of the>water that’s extracted from the air.>>The sump pump won’t wear out, and you won’t be re-extracting the>water from the air that results from it trickling into the shower>drain and/or sitting in the sump awaiting a pump cycle. If it takes a>pint of water to “trigger” your shower sump, and your dehumidifier>removes 20 pints a day, then assume that you’ll have at LEAST 20>cycles per day of your sump pump (more actually, as the motion of the>boat in the slip will likely trigger it more often due to sloshing).>>A less-capable (hence less-efficient) dehumidifier operating more>hours per day will not save you kilowatt hours.>>The bigger ones ARE more of a pain to move around when you get ready>to go sailing, but they’ll fit in a dock
box.>>>“Life is a Reach, then you Jibe” SWARD

[Herman_and_Gail_Schi]

Posted by Herman and Gail Schiller (hschiller2@…>)

I’ll drop by. I live in the New Bern area. Herm

At 05:46 PM 10/23/2007, you wrote:

Yes, I am. I’m going tomorrow-Wednesday, and will be on C dock at
the Sheraton-slip 37. You can recognize the only boat with the
black mast!!! That is the way I show people which boat is
mine!! I’m really looking forward to it. Are you going?

Herman and Gail Schiller <hschiller2@…> wrote:
SWARD,
Are you joining the big meeting of cruisers (Snow Birds) in
New Bern? Havelock is only about a 3-hour sail away.
Herm

At 06:59 PM 10/22/2007, you wrote:

Has anyone installed a reverse cycle heating/air conditioning unit
on a 32? I looked into it, but it seemed like it would take too much space.

(by the way-for those of you in this neck of the woods-I’ve been in
Havelock, NC most of the summer-heading to St. Augustine and
Marathon, FL for the winter on “Dream On”)

“Life is a Reach, then you Jibe”

SWARD

----- Original Message ----
From: katorpus <mailto:jrb%40jrbtax.comjrb@…>
To:

mailto:FreedomOwnersGroup%40yahoogroups.comFreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 5:57:09 PM
Subject: [FreedomOwnersGroup] Re: Cabin Moisture / Dehumidifier

I use the “full-size” one in my Freedom 40 (more cabin space).

If you get one with the humidistat, it won’t run any more than
it “has to” to maintain the humidity level which you set.

Here’s how I use mine…

I placed it on the galley countertop beside the galley sink, with a
short piece of garden hose leading directly to the sink strainer
(which doesn’t have to be in place). The hose connects to a fitting
which was molded into the “bucket” for the dehumidifier just for that
purpose.

After going through several of the cheapie “dial type” on-off timer
switches, I bought one of those ($50 or so) gray metal box wire-in
timer switches like the kind that you use for outdoor light circuits.
You have to wire up the pigtail to plug it into the wall, but that’s
easily done.

I set the humidistat for about 60% relative humidity, and set the
timer to run for 12 hrs a day beginning at dawn. My interior stays
dry enough that the floorboards creak. There is no such thing as “too
dry” where the interior wood is concerned.

I also use a Quantum ozone generator plugged into to the power strip
that’s wired into the timer box.

I keep the boat closed up tight with no outside air circulation. I
never have any mildew, “boat smells”, nor stink of diesel down below.

Several things to consider…In cooler weather, a more-or-less
continually running humidifier will freeze up (on the coils of the
unit). Hence the timer and the timing (daytime running, when it’s
warmer).

These things do put off some heat. Expect it to warm up the interior
of the boat quite a bit when it’s running.

If you drain a dehumidifier into your shower sump, you’ll
be “exercising” the pump (associated with the sump) quite a bit. If
you can place the unit where “gravity” does the work (like over a
sink) then, assuming you don’t close the through hull for the sink
when you’re away from the boat (I only do this when a serious storm
is approaching) , then it won’t “cost” you anything to get rid of the
water that’s extracted from the air.

The sump pump won’t wear out, and you won’t be re-extracting the
water from the air that results from it trickling into the shower
drain and/or sitting in the sump awaiting a pump cycle. If it takes a
pint of water to “trigger” your shower sump, and your dehumidifier
removes 20 pints a day, then assume that you’ll have at LEAST 20
cycles per day of your sump pump (more actually, as the motion of the
boat in the slip will likely trigger it more often due to sloshing).

A less-capable (hence less-efficient) dehumidifier operating more
hours per day will not save you kilowatt hours.

The bigger ones ARE more of a pain to move around when you get ready
to go sailing, but they’ll fit in a dock box.

“Life is a Reach, then you Jibe”

SWARD

[Herman_and_Gail_Schi]

Posted by Herman and Gail Schiller (hschiller2@…>)

I missed you today; couldn’t find a stay-free boat on C-dock. I
assume you’re still in transit and will be there tomorrow. I’ll try
to say hello tomorrow. Herm

At 05:46 PM 10/23/2007, you wrote:

Yes, I am. I’m going tomorrow-Wednesday, and will be on C dock at
the Sheraton-slip 37. You can recognize the only boat with the
black mast!!! That is the way I show people which boat is
mine!! I’m really looking forward to it. Are you going?

Herman and Gail Schiller <hschiller2@…> wrote:
SWARD,
Are you joining the big meeting of cruisers (Snow Birds) in
New Bern? Havelock is only about a 3-hour sail away.
Herm

At 06:59 PM 10/22/2007, you wrote:

Has anyone installed a reverse cycle heating/air conditioning unit
on a 32? I looked into it, but it seemed like it would take too much space.

(by the way-for those of you in this neck of the woods-I’ve been in
Havelock, NC most of the summer-heading to St. Augustine and
Marathon, FL for the winter on “Dream On”)

“Life is a Reach, then you Jibe”

SWARD

----- Original Message ----
From: katorpus <mailto:jrb%40jrbtax.comjrb@…>
To:

mailto:FreedomOwnersGroup%40yahoogroups.comFreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 5:57:09 PM
Subject: [FreedomOwnersGroup] Re: Cabin Moisture / Dehumidifier

I use the “full-size” one in my Freedom 40 (more cabin space).

If you get one with the humidistat, it won’t run any more than
it “has to” to maintain the humidity level which you set.

Here’s how I use mine…

I placed it on the galley countertop beside the galley sink, with a
short piece of garden hose leading directly to the sink strainer
(which doesn’t have to be in place). The hose connects to a fitting
which was molded into the “bucket” for the dehumidifier just for that
purpose.

After going through several of the cheapie “dial type” on-off timer
switches, I bought one of those ($50 or so) gray metal box wire-in
timer switches like the kind that you use for outdoor light circuits.
You have to wire up the pigtail to plug it into the wall, but that’s
easily done.

I set the humidistat for about 60% relative humidity, and set the
timer to run for 12 hrs a day beginning at dawn. My interior stays
dry enough that the floorboards creak. There is no such thing as “too
dry” where the interior wood is concerned.

I also use a Quantum ozone generator plugged into to the power strip
that’s wired into the timer box.

I keep the boat closed up tight with no outside air circulation. I
never have any mildew, “boat smells”, nor stink of diesel down below.

Several things to consider…In cooler weather, a more-or-less
continually running humidifier will freeze up (on the coils of the
unit). Hence the timer and the timing (daytime running, when it’s
warmer).

These things do put off some heat. Expect it to warm up the interior
of the boat quite a bit when it’s running.

If you drain a dehumidifier into your shower sump, you’ll
be “exercising” the pump (associated with the sump) quite a bit. If
you can place the unit where “gravity” does the work (like over a
sink) then, assuming you don’t close the through hull for the sink
when you’re away from the boat (I only do this when a serious storm
is approaching) , then it won’t “cost” you anything to get rid of the
water that’s extracted from the air.

The sump pump won’t wear out, and you won’t be re-extracting the
water from the air that results from it trickling into the shower
drain and/or sitting in the sump awaiting a pump cycle. If it takes a
pint of water to “trigger” your shower sump, and your dehumidifier
removes 20 pints a day, then assume that you’ll have at LEAST 20
cycles per day of your sump pump (more actually, as the motion of the
boat in the slip will likely trigger it more often due to sloshing).

A less-capable (hence less-efficient) dehumidifier operating more
hours per day will not save you kilowatt hours.

The bigger ones ARE more of a pain to move around when you get ready
to go sailing, but they’ll fit in a dock box.

“Life is a Reach, then you Jibe”

SWARD