Dehumidifier in Storage - Montana Owners Club

Baldicon · 12-31-2020, 05:56 PM

If anyone out there is running a dehumidifier in there Montana while in storage, how are you draining the condensate? I'm referring to a compressor driven dehumidifier, not the absorption type. I was going to drain it into the kitchen sink, but every winterizing instruction I have read says to fill the traps with antifreeze, so dumping water into the trap probably isn't a good idea.

Daryles · 12-31-2020, 06:38 PM

You can go down the shower drain. It has a HEPVO water trap (no water)
https://hepvo.com/

Baldicon · 12-31-2020, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daryles

You can go down the shower drain. It has a HEPVO water trap (no water)
https://hepvo.com/

Thanks Daryle! I knew it had a HEPVO waste valve, I found it looking in the basement area. Didn't know what it was at the time, but did some research on it. I just didn't think about using it for my drain. I could set the dehumidifier outside the bathroom door. Sometimes the elevator just doesn't reach the top floor.

Baldicon · 01-01-2021, 09:03 PM

If anyone out there is running a dehumidifier in there Montana while in storage, how are you draining the condensate? I'm referring to a compressor driven dehumidifier, not the absorption type. I was going to drain it into the kitchen sink, but every winterizing instruction I have read says to fill the traps with antifreeze, so dumping water into the trap probably isn't a good idea. Somehow this question wound up in the towing section, so re-posting here.

Baldicon · 01-02-2021, 06:06 AM

Daryl has already pointed out the the shower uses a HEPVO valve rather than a trap and it does not retain water, so that is an option (thanks Daryl). Just wondering if anyone else has a suggestion. Sorry about posting twice.

**Rondo** · 01-02-2021, 09:03 AM

Larry apparently you have power to your unit while it is in storage to be able to keep the dehumidifier going. My question is do you have somewhere to dump your tank then if you are going to drain it into one of your gray tanks? If you have the "pink stuff" in the drains it must get cold enough to freeze there and putting condensate into a gray tank will get it to freeze also unless you put antifreeze in it also. If it were me, I would buy a couple of the gallon containers of Damp Rid and place them in the sinks of the unit. I wouldn't think that this time of year there would be near the humidity in Chattanooga as there is in the summer and the gallon containers/buckets would be plenty to keep the humidity down in the unit. If you go and check the unit monthly you can check the buckets and see how they are filling up and with them in the sinks they should be OK even if they fill. I have just the opposite problem. We head to AZ in the winter and have to put humidity into the air in the unit to keep things from drying out. Good luck and hope you get more answers than just mine. Let us know what you come up with as a final decision.

**Carl n Susan** · 01-02-2021, 11:30 AM

The two Threads on this topic have been merged into one Thread. The 'Community Rules (https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...ork&page=rules) specifically state "Do not post the same discussion more than once or in more than one forum area.". The purpose is to keep all responses in one Thread where future readers can find them.

Baldicon · 01-02-2021, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl n Susan

The two Threads on this topic have been merged into one Thread. The 'Community Rules (https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...ork&page=rules) specifically state "Do not post the same discussion more than once or in more than one forum area.". The purpose is to keep all responses in one Thread where future readers can find them.

My bad, I realized I posted it in the wrong message group and reposted here. I couldn't figure out how to delete from the wrong group.

Thanks for correcting.

Baldicon · 01-03-2021, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rondo

Larry apparently you have power to your unit while it is in storage to be able to keep the dehumidifier going. My question is do you have somewhere to dump your tank then if you are going to drain it into one of your gray tanks? If you have the "pink stuff" in the drains it must get cold enough to freeze there and putting condensate into a gray tank will get it to freeze also unless you put antifreeze in it also. If it were me, I would buy a couple of the gallon containers of Damp Rid and place them in the sinks of the unit. I wouldn't think that this time of year there would be near the humidity in Chattanooga as there is in the summer and the gallon containers/buckets would be plenty to keep the humidity down in the unit. If you go and check the unit monthly you can check the buckets and see how they are filling up and with them in the sinks they should be OK even if they fill. I have just the opposite problem. We head to AZ in the winter and have to put humidity into the air in the unit to keep things from drying out. Good luck and hope you get more answers than just mine. Let us know what you come up with as a final decision.

Thanks Rondo, I store my camper in my back yard on a gravel pad, so will have power to the camper. I already have the dehumidifier so wanted to use it while in winter layup. My plan is to let it drain to the shower since it does not have a trap, and just leave the discharge valves open and let the condensate drain to the ground. I cleaned the tanks before I brought the camper home, so discharge water should be clean.

DCHuts · 01-04-2021, 06:34 PM

I put my unit on the counter and drain it into the sink which i put a plastic tub in. This is the 4th trailer I have done this with over the last 21 years.

Baldicon · 01-04-2021, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCHuts

I put my unit on the counter and drain it into the sink which i put a plastic tub in. This is the 4th trailer I have done this with over the last 21 years.

So you have to empty the tub when full? That is another option, but me being me, I would forget to empty it.

Thanks

Slow Hand · 01-05-2021, 08:33 AM

I live in Norcal and I have never ran a dehumidifier in my RV. Its the rainy season here and I have no problem with high humidity I keep the vents closed and doors shut and everything has been fine in mine. I have a 03 and you would think that I would have issues but humidity has not been one of them.

Jamesb · 01-05-2021, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCHuts

I put my unit on the counter and drain it into the sink which i put a plastic tub in. This is the 4th trailer I have done this with over the last 21 years.

Let me try and understand this one? You put the dehumidifier on the counter and drain the water into a plastic tub in the sink? This would be counter productive, and would have no benefit, except to the power company. You would only be recycling water. Right? I see so many people have dehumidifiers in their basements, and let the water run to a drain. It’s just sucking up the same water 27/7. And at 1500 watts, that is expensive.

bcrvman · 01-06-2021, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamesb

Let me try and understand this one? You put the dehumidifier on the counter and drain the water into a plastic tub in the sink? This would be counter productive, and would have no benefit, except to the power company. You would only be recycling water. Right? I see so many people have dehumidifiers in their basements, and let the water run to a drain. It’s just sucking up the same water 27/7. And at 1500 watts, that is expensive.

How is it the same water? The drain goes out the side of the hill and eventually into the lake after percolating through about 50 ft of sand.

Jamesb · 01-06-2021, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcrvman

How is it the same water? The drain goes out the side of the hill and eventually into the lake after percolating through about 50 ft of sand.

Read the original quote again, the water is going into a plastic tub.
Who was saying anything about 50 foot of sand, side of a hill, a lake??

Dave W · 01-07-2021, 07:03 AM

OK - my solution would be to add a Little Giant condensate pump to the dehumidifier. I would install a piece of inexpensive plastic hose, run it to the basement then dump the water through a small hole in the Coroplast between the two waste water tanks. Access would be through the cold air access vents to behind the basement bulkhead. That hose would be left in place "forever" as long as it's properly supported. Those pumps are $45-50 depending on where you buy it and seem to last well

This little pump will push water a good many feet, I use one in our house. I have an 8' rise to travel to the laundry DWV pipe about 20 feet further away. Been doing this for about 20 years.As far as that pressure - got a face full last spring when i didn't fasten the fitting - it stung.

bcrvman · 01-07-2021, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamesb

Read the original quote again, the water is going into a plastic tub.
Who was saying anything about 50 foot of sand, side of a hill, a lake??

I was replying to the basement drain part. My basement drain went straight out the side of the hill I was perched on.

twindman · 01-07-2021, 09:21 AM

What am I missing? Living in AZ, I don't have a high humidity problem. But before, I lived in Iowa. And in the winter we had a 'humidifier' to ADD water to the air. Seems like if you have to winterize, it is cold. I always thought if it is cold, the humidity is low????????????????????

bcrvman · 01-07-2021, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twindman

What am I missing? Living in AZ, I don't have a high humidity problem. But before, I lived in Iowa. And in the winter we had a 'humidifier' to ADD water to the air. Seems like if you have to winterize, it is cold. I always thought if it is cold, the humidity is low????????????????????

You are right, except for the case when humans are living in an enclosed space. We and our processes like showering, cooking, propane heat produce massive amounts of humidity. If it is not allowed to escape by opening a window thus allowing some heat out requiring more propane furnace or a good quality dehumidifier then mold will happen. We got lucky and happened to buy a dehumidifier that works. I have owned many that didn't work well at all and only the last one in both my house and RV that actually worked. I have also added 4 4" fans in push pull fashion under the bed where dead air would normally create a mold zone. We have been living in our RV full time on the west coast of Canada in a rain forest environment since Oct 2017 and so far no mold. Before we put in the fans we did have a little but it only took a few months for my very sensitive nose to opick up on that.

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