Dehumidfier in shed would it help?

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Dehumidfier in shed would it help?

This topic has 18 replies, 15 voices, and was last updated 6 January 2012 at 23:46 by bricky.

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6 January 2012 at 14:20 #5840
Dismaldunc
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@dismaldunc
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6 January 2012 at 14:20 #81400
Dismaldunc
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@dismaldunc
Hi chaps I have a 25metre square shed made of 44mm thick tongue and groove (its one of the log cabin type things) i’m in the soggy outer hebrides. basically anything that is not painted or coated in oil rusts like the clappers (the is a lot of salt in the air too) I swear when I scratched my van I could hear the metal fizz as it corroded.

So would a dehumidifier do away with gallons of WD and the worlds biggest supply of old towels which i use to swaddle my lathe and mill when not in use?

once again thanks in advance for your help!
6 January 2012 at 14:46 #81401
Gordon W
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@gordonw
Duncan, I live in N Aberdeenshire. The short answer to your question is no. Have a dehumidifier, a small one, it struggles to keep the bedroom dry in this weather. I use lots of old engine oil on machines that live in an old leaky shed, works well but messy. In the “good shed” I use lots of clean but used hydraulic oil, works well. I have found it best not to cover things up, except where the roof leaks. WD40 and the like work ok but are expensive. You could also spray under the van with old oil, but well before you take it for mot.
6 January 2012 at 15:25 #81402
Dismaldunc
Participant
@dismaldunc
thanks Gordon I think I shall keep my money! I wondered about the towels… they end up really damp, just from the moisture in the air as the roof is watertight. so i think i;m holding the moisture near the machine rather than keeping it out
6 January 2012 at 15:53 #81403
Metalhacker
Participant
@metalhacker
Hi Duncan,

I do not live in quite such an inclement climate as the Outer Hebrides, but do worry about rust. I have found draught proofing, some background heat from greenhouse heaters (electric of course) and of course as much insulation as you can lay your hands on. In Oz when I lived there we would often insulate sheds (from the heat admittedly) with the bits of wool which were so daggy (look it up) as to be unmarketable. Did quite a good job. The principles the same for the cold but of course it wont work if it gets wet! I use a fan heater to top up heat when I’m in there but otherwise a thermostatic plug set at above Dew point should help a lot with the heaters and not using excess watts.

Good luck

Andries
6 January 2012 at 16:06 #81404
Niloch
Participant
@niloch
I have a feeling that this subject has been dealt with on more than one previous occasion,e.g. here

Rather more extensive searches using the ‘Keyword’ field etc. might reveal more.
6 January 2012 at 16:06 #81405
John Haine
Participant
@johnhaine32865
In a word, yes! Go to Machine Mart and invest in a decent size one and expect to pay the thick end of £200. I don’t need one in the workshop but we use one in the house and it is excellent. The one we have is this:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/clarke-dh20-20-litre-dehumidifier
6 January 2012 at 16:10 #81406
NJH
Participant
@njh
Hi Duncan

” 25 metre square shed” – do you really mean 25 metres x 25 metres? If so that’s a really big shed! If you do have a large space is it possible to create a smaller space within it to house your machines? I’ve found that part of the secret is to provide a well insulated area which helps to avoid rapid fluctuations in temperature. The condensation problem is a factor of the air temperature and humidity. At a given point ( the dew point) the moisture in the air will condense and cause the corrosion problems you quote.

Now I don’t have the extreme conditions you have ( I live in Devon!). My workshop is 3 metres x 5 metres and has insulation in the roof, walls and under the floor. I provide a little background heat in the colder weather from an oil filled electric radiator. The effect is to slow down those changes in temperature and avoid crossing the “dew point boundary ” The total cost of this heating last year was £27 – a small price to pay to keep the dreaded “red devil” at bay I feel.

As far as the towels go I think you are just storing a source of moisture where you least want it. Stay with the WD40 ( Hmmmm – maybe I should buy a few shares!)

Regards

Norman

Edited By NJH on 06/01/2012 16:12:14

Edited By NJH on 06/01/2012 16:12:58
6 January 2012 at 16:54 #81407
Terryd
Participant
@terryd72465
Hi Duncan,

I would agree with your last point. Cotton is used for towels and underclothing because of it’s ability to absorb and retain large amounts of moisture. Is that really what we need in contact with our ‘precious’ metals? Try hanging a wet bathroom towel after showering in a cold room and see how long it takes to dry.

As I am retired and my wife still works I do most of the clothes washing. I notice that ‘fleece’ type sweaters and wool type fabrics come out of the machine almost dry while the towels and tee shorts are still quite wet. They also take the longest to dry when out on the washing line. When other articles are dry, the cotton ones often need finishing off in the dryer.

In order to keep your machines etc rust free they obviously need oiling but at the same time you need to create a micro climate around each one which can be controlled.for moisture by some means. Also if possible they should be kept at a temperature above ‘dew point’. Some do this by using low power filament bulbs as heaters near or below each machine. Two 40 watts in series take little power but can produce sufficient heat.

Best regards

Terry
6 January 2012 at 17:40 #81410
Clive Hartland
Participant
@clivehartland94829
Yes to the De-humidifier, it will take gallons of water out of the air and you will have to ensure you empty the bucket regularly.

In one instance a humidifier was used to keep a computer room dry and there were about 200 packets of printing paper in there as well and we were emptying the bucket twice a day until the paper dried out.

That was roughly 2gall. per day!

I would not cover that machines in cloth, plastic draped over perhaps, but keep them oiled.

Me, I’m lucky as my garage/workshop has a radiator connected to the domestic system and it is perfectly warm and dry.

Clive
6 January 2012 at 17:42 #81411
Bazyle
Participant
@bazyle
The starting point should be draught exclusion. Not just stuffing newspaper in the mouseholes but a continuous plastic sheet across the wall with taped joint to the sheet across the ceiling and so on. If you must have an opening window get plastic doubleglazing unit – they seal like a kilner jar. Then the door – same treatment.

Even one 1/4 inch hole will allow a full air change in a few hours so you would just be dehumidifying the world if you have draughts and likewise insulation is defeated if the hot air just goes out of a hole.
6 January 2012 at 17:58 #81412
Dismaldunc
Participant
@dismaldunc
oops that went a bit wrong.. its a 5 x 5 metre shed (i meant to write 25 square metres ) i’ve siliconed up the window but the door is a bit draughty so i think that will need some attention so i dont try to dehumidify the world…. towels are going in the bin!! thanks lads
6 January 2012 at 18:21 #81416
Alex gibson
Participant
@alexgibson50133
Hi Duncan, I’m in Glasgow and have struggled for the last three years to stop my machines from rusting. Last year i tried a product called metalguard from chronos or arc ( usual disclaimers)

I’ve had no problems with surface rusting since. I don’t bother covering them up anymore. The one note of caution i would add is that if you try it, wear a mask and ventilate the shed whilst you paint it on cos it stinks to high heaven.

regards

alex

Edited By Alex gibson on 06/01/2012 18:22:32
6 January 2012 at 18:26 #81417
Les Jones 1
Participant
@lesjones1
Hi,

I think there is an argument for a NON double glassed window. It will naturally be the coldest surface so it will be the most likely place for condensation to occur. If you arrange for some method to collect this water and drain it into a container or outside it will help. I used some oval plastic electrical conduit with one edge cut off to form a trough. I stuck this to the bottom of the glass and drilled a hole for a thin plastic drain tube.

Les.
6 January 2012 at 20:00 #81429
Steve Withnell
Participant
@stevewithnell34426
Nice one Les! What an ace example of lateral thinking!
6 January 2012 at 21:02 #81448
ChrisH
Participant
@chrish
Duncan,

for what it’s worth I think a de-humidifier is worth it. My workshop is quite small, about 10 sq.m or just under, and I bought a dehumidifier from Robert Dyas for about £100 and it’s amazing what water it pulls out. You do want one that you can permanently rig to drain outside or wherever – the built in tank fills up very quickly and unless you are on hand when it does it will just stop working of course. But I also think a low level heater, low level in both power and position, also helps greatly too.

Chris
6 January 2012 at 21:30 #81453
Les Jones 1
Participant
@lesjones1
A secondary effect of using a dehumidifier is that it will provide some heat input to the workshop as the process of condensing the water vapour is releases the latent heat of vaporization. So the heat output should be greater than a normal heater of the same power rating.

Les.
6 January 2012 at 22:36 #81458
Anonymous
Posted by GRAHAM Meek on 06/01/2012 21:41:41:

A small dehumidifier which has only one moving part the fan and runs off 12v supply takes care of all my condensation issues, the electrical device that is the basis of the unit has one side hot and one side cold, the electronics bods will know the device, it costs around £40.

That’ll be the Peltier effect then.

Regards,

Andrew
6 January 2012 at 23:46 #81462
bricky
Participant
@bricky
Hello Duncan

I have the same size workshop as yourself. I have no insulation on the half brick walls,three double glazed windows and a draught proof door.I have no heating but I do have a de-humidifyer it works only at night and still keeps the rust at bay.Draught proofing is essential and I still cover my machines with rags.I also have the benefit of living in one of the driest counties,Lincolnshire . I hope you solve your problem .

Bricky
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