Midwest is humid! Anyone try using a dehumidifier?

[hoyden]

I've got a FWC Fleet and I love it, but after living in Arizona for a bunch of years, I forgot about Midwest humidity. Now that I'm back in the Midwest, I have hardly gone campering.
And that sucks.

I am okay with daytime humidity, but trying to sleep in the camper is like sleeping in a sauna. Yuck!

The other night while campering in a cool, but clammy night, I wondered if hooking up a dehumidifier might work. Sure, I'd have to be plugged into shore power (or have a generator), but I'd rather be in a campground than not camping at all.

It would still be warm in the camper overnight, and I'm fine with that, but perhaps a dehumidifier would keep me from sauna-like sleeping ?

Anyone try this?

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Lady Bug, haven’t tried a dehumidifier, but lived in very humid places in years gone by. My solution was to keep air moving over me anytime I was in the rack. Lots of air... BTW, the first camping trip I ever bailed on was near Hannibal, MO. High temps and humidity, coupled with biting bugs make an old North Face VE 24 an uncomfortable place.

 

[hoyden]

Yeah, the bitey bugs is a whole different thing. I don't like sleeping in bug spray - especially when the air is all sticky and so the bug spray just feels more thick and yucky.

Geez. I need to get back West.

Need jobby job that is more portable.

 

[takesiteasy]

With the issue being heat + humidity and if you are going to be plugged in to shore power, I would say go with an air conditioner. That is basically what a dehumidifier is anyway.

We use the moving air strategy but concede that some nights just are not going to be great for sleeping. We try to camp somewhere we can go swimming. We do choose our destinations somewhat on expected weather. We probably have more choices to escape the humidity being relatively close to Lake Superior which is an excellent natural air conditioner.

 

[hoyden]

I don't know where I'd put an A/c unit in my little Fleet!

Yeah, there's not much escape here in Mid-Missouri....

A while back, I was researching ductless ones and the marine ones but I'm not an engineer and couldn't figure out what might work, if any.

 

[hoyden]

Hmmmmm Custom A/C systems. https://www.restomodair.com/ac-systems/

 

[takesiteasy]

I saw one somewhere (memory fails me) that just sat on a shelf or table outside the camper and had 2 small ducts that ran in a window- looked simple. Maybe Google can find it.

Seems like there have been some threads on here about A/C. Someone will probably pop in with some suggestions.

 

[hoyden]

takeiteasy - yeah that was on this site! I re-found that thread the other day.
But I don't want to have to take a window out, or do a major adjustment to my camper itself.

Kinda why I was wondering if a dehumidifier would help (enough), cuz don't need a vent for that.

 

[hoyden]

Here's that thread with the a/c on a table: http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/15201-long-hot-summer-has-me-thinking/page-4#entry179574

 

[takesiteasy]

takeiteasy - yeah that was on this site! I re-found that thread the other day.
But I don't want to have to take a window out, or do a major adjustment to my camper itself.

Kinda why I was wondering if a dehumidifier would help (enough), cuz don't need a vent for that.

Here's that thread with the a/c on a table: http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/15201-long-hot-summer-has-me-thinking/page-4#entry179574

Yeah, that's the one.

The problem with a dehumidifier in your context is its two byproducts are heat that would be added to your interior and water that needs to be dumped. You need to exhaust that heat and drain the water outside somehow- which is what air conditioners do.

 

[hoyden]

Well bother. I hadn't considered that.

Which is why I post up here!

I know what the real solution is: move back to the SouthWest.

 

[PaulT]

If you have sufficient solar, there are 12v dehumidifiers available that may make sleeping more comfortable. Reduced humidity even without reduced temperature might make a difference.
These are Peltier devices that should be very quiet except for the fan. Prices are such that it may be worth a try to see if one helps.
https://www.amazon.com/Ivation-IVADM35-Powerful-Thermo-Electric-Dehumidifier/dp/B00GZ5BSBY/ref=sr_1_10_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1525135373&sr=8-10-spons&keywords=12+volt+dehumidifier&psc=1

They consume from about 2 to 6 amps.
I’ve been spoiled living in the West for several decades but I remember leaving Raleigh, NC to head west in July at 95 degrees and 95% in a CJ-5 Jeep without AC.

Keep cool.
Paul

 

[thisoldcamper]

Here's an option that some teardroppers use:

You can read more about it here: http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=44561