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Dehumidifier
In article ,
Ed Kaz wrote: I have just purshased a kenmore 64 quart dehumidifier for my basement and have a few questions. 1. Does dehumidifier produce heat?? (it was cool in the basement before installation). 2. Can I install it in a wall. I have a wall that seperates the work area from the kids play room. Does the back of this unit have to be in the same room (filter on back)?? QUESTION: what's the difference between a dehumidifier (electric) and a (window) air-conditioner? 1: Biggest difference is that the air-conditioner has it's back end *outside the house*; therefore the heat generated by the compressor-running (watts turned into heat) ends up *outside* , whereas the humidifier sits 100% *inside* the house, acting not only to dehumidify but also to *heat* the place. If dehumidifier (ie the compressor) eats 300 watts, it's equivalent to having an (almost?) 300-watt space-heater instead. 2: So the room not only loses water (into the bucket) but gains heat, the temperature rises. Thanks to the nice observation by another responder, we now know that simply the rise in temperature *alone* (ie even with *no* water going from the air into the bucket) causes the "*relative* humidity" to decrease -- ie, you could consider a plain space-heater to be a "dehumidifier", in that sense. (Obviously better to remove the water from the air in the room via emptying the bucket down the drain or out the door.) QUESTION: is the lack of heating the room (in fact, the opposite, *cooling* the room) about the only difference between a window a/c and the in-room humidifier? In other words, wouldn't a window a/c be about as good at removing water from the air as the dehumidifier? What about the cost? Thanks for whatever enlightenment readers can add to this thread. Interesting topic, this dehumidifier stuff. David |
Dehumidifier
David Combs wrote:
In article , Ed Kaz wrote: I have just purshased a kenmore 64 quart dehumidifier for my basement and have a few questions. 1. Does dehumidifier produce heat?? (it was cool in the basement before installation). 2. Can I install it in a wall. I have a wall that seperates the work area from the kids play room. Does the back of this unit have to be in the same room (filter on back)?? QUESTION: what's the difference between a dehumidifier (electric) and a (window) air-conditioner? 1: Biggest difference is that the air-conditioner has it's back end *outside the house*; therefore the heat generated by the compressor-running (watts turned into heat) ends up *outside* , whereas the humidifier sits 100% *inside* the house, acting not only to dehumidify but also to *heat* the place. If dehumidifier (ie the compressor) eats 300 watts, it's equivalent to having an (almost?) 300-watt space-heater instead. 2: So the room not only loses water (into the bucket) but gains heat, the temperature rises. Thanks to the nice observation by another responder, we now know that simply the rise in temperature *alone* (ie even with *no* water going from the air into the bucket) causes the "*relative* humidity" to decrease -- ie, you could consider a plain space-heater to be a "dehumidifier", in that sense. (Obviously better to remove the water from the air in the room via emptying the bucket down the drain or out the door.) QUESTION: is the lack of heating the room (in fact, the opposite, *cooling* the room) about the only difference between a window a/c and the in-room humidifier? In other words, wouldn't a window a/c be about as good at removing water from the air as the dehumidifier? What about the cost? Thanks for whatever enlightenment readers can add to this thread. Interesting topic, this dehumidifier stuff. David Agree: Our smallish dehumidifier operated semi continuously in a 10 by 12 other wise unventilated basement room noticeably warms the room and also removes several pints/litres of moisture, which is removed and dumped, to the benefit of electronic equipment, papers and books in the room. It seems to us to be the best solution. We estimate the cost is in the region of 2-3 cents per hour of operation; probably around 25 to 40 cents per day. The only modification I might make is to run the fan continuously to help circulate air and have the cooling compressor continue to be controlled by the humidistat of the unit. IIRC correctly our unit cost around $150 Canadian; roughly $100 US or approximately 70 UK pounds, about three to four years ago. If used in a very damp and cold location (an unheated garage for example) such a dehumidifier can 'ice up'. Recommendation I believe is to not use them below 40 deg. Fahrenheit? Alternatives then might be to a) Heat/warm the area b) Install a timer to shut off the unit so that it can regularly 'defrost' (like many fridges!) and at the same time rewire the fan to run continuously to draw air through the cooling coils so as to melt the ice on them. Terry. PS. Yes as I understand an air conditioner takes heat out the house and pumps it outside (or into the ground or whatever is used as the cooling medium) in just the same way that a fridge, on a smaller scale, pumps heat out of its insides into the room it is in. I wished I lived next to a pond! Then one could use the pond/lake water as a source of heat in winter and a means of cooling in summer; with a two way heat pump/cooling system. |
Dehumidifier
"L. M. Rappaport" wrote in message I must be getting the two parts confused. Is the outside part of an air conditioner called the condenser or the evaporator? Outside = condenser Inside = evaporator The inside part (which I thought was called the condenser) is where water from the air condenses. Water from the air condenses, but liquid from the compressor evaporates. |
Dehumidifier
Our basement dehumidifier has been running all summer long in an attempt
to keep the basement below 75% humidity. Quite an accomplishment when you consider the upstairs humidity is over 80% (it been a really humid summer). We're faced with the same problem as the original posting, the dehumidifier is heating up the basment. If I had the money and I lived further south (its only hot here two monthes a year) I'd install a whole house air conditioner an nail shut the windows. Perhaps I can vent the dehumidifier to the outside. Randy |
Dehumidifier
L. M. Rappaport wrote in message I must be getting the two parts confused. Is the outside part of an air conditioner called the condenser or the evaporator? Condenser. The inside part (which I thought was called the condenser) is where water from the air condenses. Since these are parts of a *refrigeration system*, their terminology describes their function in relation *to the refrigerant* inside them. The "evaporator" is where the refrigerant gas evaporates absorbing heat in the process. It has nothing to do with the condensate produced as a byproduct of the refrigeration process. I know that the outside part is where the gas is compressed and therefore heated. The compressor is what compresses the gas. The condenser just removes heat from the refrigerant so it can condense into a liquid. The inside part is where the gas expands and therefore is cooler. The refrigeant is forced to evaporate in the evaporator which causes it to absorb heat making if *feel* colder. Dan O. - Appliance411.com http://ng.Appliance411.com/?ref411=air+conditioner =Ð~~~~~~ |
Dehumidifier
"L. M. Rappaport" wrote in message
... ....snip I must be getting the two parts confused. Is the outside part of an air conditioner called the condenser or the evaporator? I know that the outside part is where the gas is compressed and therefore heated. CY: The outside part is the condensor. When the gas is compressed, it allows it to release the heat. It is not "therefore heated" any more than a wet sponge is squeezed and "therefore made wet". A fan blows across the heated coils to cool the gas. CY: A fan blows across the condensor coils while the heated gas inside condenses into liquid refrigerant. The inside part is where the gas expands and therefore is cooler. The compression and subsequent expansion maintains an approximately similar temperature difference, so that the cooled compressed gas becomes much cooler expanded gas. CY: If the system is running well, the refrigerant that reaches the evaporator (inside coil) should be liquid. The inside part is where water from the air condenses. In the units I have here, that water runs through a pipe to the outside. It does not run over the coils or does not otherwise re-humidify the inside air. CY: The water drains off the indoor coils. The indoor coils are where liquid refrigerant evaporates, and turns into refrigerant vapor. As further proof, the current outside temperature is currently 70 deg F and the relative humidity is 100% (ugh!) The inside temperature is also 70 deg F, but the relative humidity is 65% with the central air in this section of the house is running (started about an hour ago). I'd have to say that some dehumidification is occurring. CY: yes, the refrigerant evaporating in the evaporator helps moisture to be removed from the air. No argument here, btw, just a bit confused. CY: Think freon! The humidity schtick is incidental. -- Larry |
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