Fiero storage

[PK]

Following on from the quick introduction, I felt motivated to address the problem of damp that has strangled my Fiero (and other toys) into submission.

My Fiero lives in a large building about 100x40foot. Designed for growing mushrooms rather than housing prized possessions!  I have let this damp and soggy situation go on for far too long so it was time to put in some long overdue effort.

The first step was to install a hygrometer to try and get a better understanding of the enemy.... and 85% RH WITH dehumidifier running 24 hours a day and not even in winter yet. Gulp, the enemy is vicious!

Next step, water runs down the walls when it rains hard.  I managed to view the roof and gutters.  The building is within another building housing other units!  So the roofing situation is interlinked and 2 sides of my building are inside another building...so a damp box within a bigger damp box!!  The gutters are finstock/concrete and on the supporting walls.  I have plans to get up there with a shovel but need an assistant.  Unfortunately my amigo Larry the Bampton rat is unreliable so this task remains but will definitely help as there is clearly a sky hedge growing up there!!

So now to focus on saving Dangermouse.  I investigated "carcoons" which are inflatable bubbles that surround a vehicle and circulate air similar to those mentioned by GTRS.  Despite the expense, nearly £600; they can only circulate the air you provide them.  Eventually the RH has to equalise and I would end up with an 85% RH bubble! 

It was clear that another dehumidifier, in addition to the full time one in the main area would be needed.  So after some research, I found that desicant type rather than compressor type is the way to go for applications in lower temperatures.  It was also clear, since Larry the Bampton rat was unlikely to show for a few weeks that isolating the area around the Fiero was essential.  Rather than the expense of a carcoon, I decided to use a polytunnel, this one https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Polytunnel-Galvanised-Frame-6m-x-3m-Greenhouse-Pollytunnel-Poly-Tunnel-6-Section-/130851842524

I put down a thick oversized damp proof membrane.  I had some further damp proof membrane from ongoing house renovations.....and some tongue and groove chip board, again from house renovations, installed the poly tunnel over the top and a Fiero safe house was created!  I selaed the damp proof membrane to the skirt of the poly tunnel and set up the dehumidifier.

The hygrometer has a remote unit as well as the main sensor, so the main unit stayed in the workshop and the remote in the poly tunnel.  It worked!!!  85% RH workshop boo but 50% RH in the poly tunnel.

[PK]

The next mission was to deal with the horrifying 85% RH in the rest of the workshop!  I managed to get Dangermouse and 2 motor boikes in the tunnel but a whole load of parts, enjuns, tools, materials and another car remain exposed.


Still no Larry the Bampton rat so I used sealant for the roof/wall joints and door frame.  This has helped stop some of the water ingress.  By leaving the doors open in good weather I managed to get RH down to 82%.  Not good enough. 

On my rounds sealing up any imperfections I investigated the grtt big silver panel on one wall.  It had what looked like closed vents and a square drive handle.  Turning the drive with a spanner revealed . .. a 3 foot fan dog legged to the outside!!!!!  Woohoo.  But no controls on the wall.  There is a similar arrangement on the opposing wall which I then discovered was also a fan!! Tracing the wiring led me to a control panel outside the lock up.  It can't have been used for the last 15/20 years and took some uncovering.  Woohoo I found a fan switch for the far end fan.   Tried the switch and could hear a faint noise eminating from the workshop..... So I went back in and closed the door ..... Big mistake haaaaaa from 100 feet that fan was able to suction the big barn doors shut..... And the controls were outside.  After several pry bars I managed to get back out to the control panel. 

The 2nd fan I couldn't get to work and since it's 3 phase 415 ish volts and I have no clue about electrickery, decided not to mess with it.  By wedging the barn doors open a touch and running the far end fan, I got the RH down to 62%.  A triumph but dependent on nice dry days.. which are few here.

I am sat in the workshop at the moment.  RH inside is 72%.  It was 65% yesterday after running the fan so the tendency is for it to return to the 80s without any intervention. The poly tunnel is sat at 53%.  The dehumidifier aims for 50% and then switches off.  After 30 mins it sniffs the air to see if it needs to reactivate.  Here that means the RH goes to 50% in 30 mins it has already risen to 55%.  So the dehumidifier cuts in... Back to 50% .. And repeat. 

When I unburied the fan controls, I unburied another wooden cupboard.  Inside this is yet another Bank of controls!!!!  This has a controller marked  "trend 100+ iq", I googled this and found the trend website but no instructions/info on this controller.  I managed to get power to the panel.  It also has a button labelled "DEHUM ON" arghhhh.  I managed to get readings from the Trend unit.  Very useful, outside temp humidity, co2 levels..... Same variables for inside.  But as yet I can't get anything to actually DO anything.  Maybe related to fan #1 not functioning.

So for now I have a much better situation and Dangermouse is finally in a comfortable environment.  The workshop fan can be used to dry any vehicle that come in wet before they are stored.  I have a great supply of distilled water. 

Today I am installing a heater by the compressor dehumidifier in the workshop to stop it from freezing over in low temperatures.

In the future I need to figure out the panel of gizmos possibly.  Also thinking of yet another dehumidifier for the main workshop. 

[GTRS Fiero]

Maybe you could use a fan to cycle the air in the polytunnel through the dehumidifier.

What do you do with the water after the dehumidifier pulls it out of the air?

[PK]

There is no water supply down there so it's handy for washing ve-hickles etc.

I do have a setup for both dehumidifiers to connect to a drain but prefer to collect and use the water for the moment.

[GTRS Fiero]

Just so the water is not left in the open to be absorbed back into the air.

[GTRS Fiero]

Oh.  The heater will help dry the air, but should be placed away from the humidifier, so that you don't give the humidifier incorrect readings.

[PK]

Both humidifiers are draining into sealed containers.

The heater is by the workshop humidifier.  It doesn't have a hygrostat so just ploughs on regardless.  But compressor type will freeze and break if temp is too low.

It's actually pleasant being down here now, rather then the dread I used to have.

[GTRS Fiero]

Many electric and gas heaters "burn" the air, effectively removing moisture.

[Fierofool]

Gas heaters will release moisture from the fuel.  I had a rental home where I installed a prefab gas fireplace that used LP.  LP doesn't require venting.  There was so much moisture generated that the windows would freeze over in the winter.

InfraRed heat lamps can be used to keep the dehumidifier from freezing.  They're generally safer than using a fan blown heater.  They may also help to reduce the humidity, too but I'm not positive about that.  I used a 60 watt incandescent bulb in the engine bay of my boat and it never froze. 

[GTRS Fiero]

A heat lamp like we used in the greenhouse, or maybe for chicks?

[TopNotch]

Any time you burn a fuel, you are burning a hydro-carbon. The carbon part of it combines with oxygen to make carbon dioxide, and the hydrogen part of it combines with oxygen to make water. So burning anything, from coal to natural gas, makes water.

[GTRS Fiero]

That is a good explanation, although many gas heaters dry the air so much that I need a humidifier.

[PK]

The heater I use is an oil filled radiator.  Also have
a powerful work light that I point at the dehumidifier unit.

Increasing the temp has two benefits, the compressor dehumidifier is more effective and the RH of warmer air is less... Based on the same quantity of water vapour!

I spent a good while in the workshop yesterday and with the heater/fan and dehumidifier going got down on to 58% for the first time ever.

[TopNotch]

That is a good explanation, although many gas heaters dry the air so much that I need a humidifier.

What actually happens is that as air warms, it's ability to hold water increases. That's why the weather guys call it "relative humidity". 70-degree air with a relative humidity of 50 percent has a LOT more water in it than 20-degree air with a relative humidity of 50 percent. So as the air warms, the relative humidity may go down, but the actual amount of water in the air (absolute humidity) will go up. And if the temperature goes down again, that extra water can collect on stuff as "dew" -- indoors or out.

[GTRS Fiero]

I understand that part.  It works the same for cendensation/steam vapor.

Maybe having an oil heater next to the dehumidifier helps.