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geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: tp4tissue on Sun, 31 January 2021, 10:00:44

Title: No ideal humidity solution..
Post by: tp4tissue on Sun, 31 January 2021, 10:00:44
So Tp4 would like 45% in the piano room.

Problem is piano is in the large room with no doors.

w/ 550ml/hour output the piano only achieves 37% internal humidification.

The rest of the building is ~32%

Now, To get to 45% , The calculation says Tp4 needs ~1500ml/hour

The Whole House systems can do that easily,  However,   That may also not be ideal, because it could cause condensation in the windows and attic ice.     Automated, depending on the temperature, the whole house system will lock in at ~30-40%   STILL LOWER than target.

So,  what, just buy m0ar ? 

(https://i.imgur.com/hVaXskJ.gif)
Title: Re: No ideal humidity solution..
Post by: tp4tissue on Mon, 01 February 2021, 20:24:38
WTHhhhhhhhhhhhh....  Based on Tp4's calculations, this furnace humidifier wastes ~2 gallon per hour.

Are they serial.. SERIALLLllll ??   Who designed this.  .....  That's like 1100 gallons of water wasted a month.

(https://i.imgur.com/T95NXT0.gif)
Title: Re: No ideal humidity solution..
Post by: jamster on Mon, 01 February 2021, 21:05:22
Could the piano not be moved to a smaller room with a door?
Title: Re: No ideal humidity solution..
Post by: tp4tissue on Mon, 01 February 2021, 22:35:52
Quote from: jamster on Mon, 01 February 2021, 21:05:22
Could the piano not be moved to a smaller room with a door?


Yes it can in 2 years / Covid
Title: Re: No ideal humidity solution..
Post by: tp4tissue on Tue, 02 February 2021, 14:12:25
Sigh.. gave up on the house unit.

Bought a floor unit humidifier.  fingers crossed.

These things are such a rip-off .
Title: Re: No ideal humidity solution..
Post by: jamster on Tue, 02 February 2021, 21:16:07
Looks like there are oddly specialised devices available. I'm assuming you already know all about this kind of thing though.

https://collinsmusic.com.au/dampp-chaser-upright-piano-humidity-control-system-supplied-fitted/

Or if you value function over form, I guess you could build a big plastic tent for it, like how people do with vintage cars. Or put curtains on the doorways (not sure how your Covid comment factors into this).
Title: Re: No ideal humidity solution..
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 03 February 2021, 00:39:45
Quote from: jamster on Tue, 02 February 2021, 21:16:07
Looks like there are oddly specialised devices available. I'm assuming you already know all about this kind of thing though.

https://collinsmusic.com.au/dampp-chaser-upright-piano-humidity-control-system-supplied-fitted/

Or if you value function over form, I guess you could build a big plastic tent for it, like how people do with vintage cars. Or put curtains on the doorways (not sure how your Covid comment factors into this).


Tp4 am aware of Damp-Chaser

Those devices are misguided, poorly engineered, failure prone concoctions.

What the -Damp Chaser- is.   

It's 2 resistive heater bars + a wet towel and a bucket of water.

That's ALL it is.

The Dehumidifying portion is just the main heater bar, installed either under a grand piano, or inside an upright piano box.  It heats up its proximal air, which reduces the immediate humidity.

The problem is this heating is not-even, while the piano has a front And a back.  The localized heating causes uneven drying of the soundboard, which over time could distort its shape/ tonal characteristics.

Then there's the Humidifying (wetting) portion of the system,  which is a smaller secondary heater coil, with a wet towel draped over it. part of the towel is dipped in a bucket of water. (which also stays in the piano).  When the heater goes on, it evaporates some of that water in the towel, and (humidifies) the system.

Again, this is adding uneven heat , but in this case, also uneven moisture. If you look at poorly stored old paintings which have wooden frames, they'll bow and bend because the 2 sides of it receive uneven temperature/humidity .   The same differential exist here for the dampchaser system.


Then the failure part, you've got a localized microcontroller that can fail, it could heat the piano to really high temps over night, or the wet-heater could release a huge amount of humidity right next to steel strings. The main harp of the piano is just a big piece of metal like a heatsink attached to WOOD.  It could destroy the piano without the user ever noticing.  If your whole house felt uncomfortably hot, You'd know something is wrong.  That's not the case with the localized piano heater.

The only way to keep a piano in shape is to provide an all encompassing stable temperature and humidity environment.
Title: Re: No ideal humidity solution..
Post by: jamster on Wed, 03 February 2021, 01:25:17
Well, it did look a little overly complex, but hey, a plastic tent sounds like a simple DIY solution...
Title: Re: No ideal humidity solution..
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 03 February 2021, 01:30:20
Quote from: jamster on Wed, 03 February 2021, 01:25:17
Well, it did look a little overly complex, but hey, a plastic tent sounds like a simple DIY solution...

For storage the tent makes sense. But something that you'd use all the time, it becomes massively impractical.

That's why Tp4 is pursuing a larger humidification unit in massive frustration.
Title: Re: No ideal humidity solution..
Post by: yui on Wed, 03 February 2021, 02:30:22
Quote from: tp4tissue on Wed, 03 February 2021, 01:30:20
Quote from: jamster on Wed, 03 February 2021, 01:25:17
Well, it did look a little overly complex, but hey, a plastic tent sounds like a simple DIY solution...

For storage the tent makes sense. But something that you'd use all the time, it becomes massively impractical.

That's why Tp4 is pursuing a larger humidification unit in massive frustration.
solution is impractical, so let's try to find an other impractical solution :)
Title: Re: No ideal humidity solution..
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 03 February 2021, 03:32:17
Quote from: yui on Wed, 03 February 2021, 02:30:22
Quote from: tp4tissue on Wed, 03 February 2021, 01:30:20
Quote from: jamster on Wed, 03 February 2021, 01:25:17
Well, it did look a little overly complex, but hey, a plastic tent sounds like a simple DIY solution...

For storage the tent makes sense. But something that you'd use all the time, it becomes massively impractical.

That's why Tp4 is pursuing a larger humidification unit in massive frustration.
solution is impractical, so let's try to find an other impractical solution :)

(https://i.imgur.com/E12R2ah.gif)
Title: Re: No ideal humidity solution..
Post by: Darthbaggins on Wed, 03 February 2021, 06:14:43
Quote from: tp4tissue on Wed, 03 February 2021, 03:32:17
Quote from: yui on Wed, 03 February 2021, 02:30:22
Quote from: tp4tissue on Wed, 03 February 2021, 01:30:20
Quote from: jamster on Wed, 03 February 2021, 01:25:17
Well, it did look a little overly complex, but hey, a plastic tent sounds like a simple DIY solution...

For storage the tent makes sense. But something that you'd use all the time, it becomes massively impractical.

That's why Tp4 is pursuing a larger humidification unit in massive frustration.
solution is impractical, so let's try to find an other impractical solution :)

Show Image
(https://i.imgur.com/E12R2ah.gif)


Well that is the most logical answer lol. .