Full Time Living Eagle

[wuck]

I'll agree with rando and takesiteasy, here's real performance review.
https://secretscotland.wordpress.com/2013/09/13/the-useless-world-of-the-peltier-effect-dehumidifier/

 

[Wallowa]

I'll agree with rando and takesiteasy, here's real performance review.
https://secretscotland.wordpress.com/2013/09/13/the-useless-world-of-the-peltier-effect-dehumidifier/

Great article...still not a "don't go there" proclamation; some limited success in low volume areas...given that we are trying to remove the moisture from a very small area, FWC, if we have a large enough peltier style dehum it will remove some moisture; but how much depends on humidity, temperature and size/watts of dehumidifier.

No free lunch and no easy answer...but a question: Is there a DC dehumidifier that will keep a FWC from accumulating moisture on inside surfaces?

Phil

 

[camper101]

Just one approach, but if somebody can refine and perfect a heat exchanger there will be a lot of happy campers. Somebody who's handy with copper and fans could come up with something decent (I think), and it could function as a dehumidifier.

Here's what one guy tried and I kind of copied for a while. I ended up abandoning it for obvious reasons (fast forward to the FWC Robot/Monster)... I had more free time then.

Good luck and please keep us posted.

 

[GammedeLumiere]

Thanks everyone for the responses.

In response to an earlier reply we are using a generic bubble foil type insulation. We had a local seamstress sew velcro strips onto the top and bottom of it thus allowing us to attach it to the camper. The width is only slightly wider than the fabric material (pvc coated nylon?). We must remove/install every time we pop up and down but this process takes less than 3 minutes. The catalytic heater we are using is "the wave" by Olympian run off the standard 4wc external propane tank via a quick connect/disconnect fitting installed just to lookers left of the sink and faucet. We are also using an additional "Mr. Buddy" heater now that we are in Canada.

Folks are right the 4wc might not be the best tool for the job but it is what we have for the season so it is what we will be using and expect for this ice production facility we have created 4wc is still the top choice for us and what we do. Usually we are in the intermountain west traveling, climbing, skiing between the deserts and the alpine with a lot of time spent in the eastern sierra. On almost all points except for this ice issue 4wc meets our needs so I stubbornly refuse to give up.

We are going to experiment with various approaches to this problem over the Canadian winter so if we have any revelations or breakthroughs i'll be sure to post.

Thanks!

 

[GammedeLumiere]

Is there indeed a very small dehumidifier? We are sometimes away from all infrastructure for a week or more at a time so the only source of power we have is by having the vehicle engine running so we are somewhat limited on things we can power continuously while in camp mode.

I wish I had a friend who was a mechanical engineer with auto cad and a full machine shop available to custom produce prototypes. If only we had access to the right technology and tools life would be easier.... maybe

 

[Bill D]

There are products on the market pre-icer and de-icer sprays that prevent ice from forming on windshields.
This might work well on the back of the panels.

 

[Wallowa]

There are products on the market pre-icer and de-icer sprays that prevent ice from forming on windshields.
This might work well on the back of the panels.

Caution on using them in a confined space..may not be too good to breath.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

There are products on the market pre-icer and de-icer sprays that prevent ice from forming on windshields.
This might work well on the back of the panels.

Caution on using them in a confined space..may not be to good to breath.

It might be harmful to the vinyl as well as occupants. I'd find out what's in those products before using them...

 

[rando]

The thing that will make the biggest difference is switching to a real vented heater which should more than half the amount of moisture in your air, and make is much easier to keep the air temps above the dew point. Seeing you don't have one installed, I would look at the propex HS2800 - it is small, quiet and very efficient in terms of power use and propane. It would be relatively straightforward to install.

Thanks everyone for the responses.

In response to an earlier reply we are using a generic bubble foil type insulation. We had a local seamstress sew velcro strips onto the top and bottom of it thus allowing us to attach it to the camper. The width is only slightly wider than the fabric material (pvc coated nylon?). We must remove/install every time we pop up and down but this process takes less than 3 minutes. The catalytic heater we are using is "the wave" by Olympian run off the standard 4wc external propane tank via a quick connect/disconnect fitting installed just to lookers left of the sink and faucet. We are also using an additional "Mr. Buddy" heater now that we are in Canada.

Folks are right the 4wc might not be the best tool for the job but it is what we have for the season so it is what we will be using and expect for this ice production facility we have created 4wc is still the top choice for us and what we do. Usually we are in the intermountain west traveling, climbing, skiing between the deserts and the alpine with a lot of time spent in the eastern sierra. On almost all points except for this ice issue 4wc meets our needs so I stubbornly refuse to give up.

We are going to experiment with various approaches to this problem over the Canadian winter so if we have any revelations or breakthroughs i'll be sure to post.

Thanks!

 

[Bill D]

Caution on using them in a confined space..may not be too good to breath.

It might be harmful to the vinyl as well as occupants. I'd find out what's in those products before using them...

Yup. I appreciate the concern.
I actually typed it in my post, but then deleted it (I didn't want to offend anybody, given it seemed to go without saying). It was an an example. There are plenty of products that have lower freezing points than water that are safe.
Use your discretion.

If Gamme is getting ice build up to the point of not being able to raise or lower the roof it might be necessary to do something that you may not otherwise do.