filling Dampp-Chasers

[Otto Keyes]

Had an interesting developement over the summer, in that the AC compressor
for the main recital hall & large classroom packed it in.  As a result,
those areas, as well as all the studios around them were much hotter than
usual this summer.  This has also been a much hotter summer than we have
seen in some time.

However, though the pianos were in need of tuning, they have remained much
closer to pitch than expected.  In general, they were within 2-5 cents of
pitch -- in contrast to Alan's 20-30 cent swing just 60 miles or so up the
road at EWU.  We have virtually no humidity control here, yet the pitch
swings are very manageable for the most part.  Pitch adjustments are
required, but are not the general fare.  These generally come on the new
pianos and Wurlitzer studios, which one would expect anyway.  Do you have
"humidity control" on the hvac system in your building?  I assume so, since
it is much newer than our buildings.  If we were down east, or in the
mid-west, we would
be managing the pitch much like one does a yo-yo.

There seems to be some move afoot on the part of the upper admin. to fix the
problems with the music building, which makes me somewhat nervous.  I need
to get a data logger in here to see what's really happening so we can have
some intelligent input into the process.  Otherwise the cure may be worse
than the disease.

Otto

----- Original Message -----
From: "Fred Sturm" <fssturm@unm.edu>
To: "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2003 1:52 PM
Subject: RE: filling Dampp-Chasers


> Hi Alan,
> Our university server has finally cleared out enough worms and viruses
> (and mostly overload caused by the latter) that I can receive and reply to
> emails, at least sporadically.
> After 15 years, I now have a grand total of three full systems installed.
> Patience is the operative word here. Let me recommend a gradual approach,
> beginning with half systems on a few critical pianos, then a few more,
then
> some upgrades to full systems. Half system being humidistat plus adequate
> drying tubes - at least one 50 watt, for grands plus one or two
additional,
> possibly lower watt. I like the dry humidistat for my climate anyway, but
I
> think the dry would be best just about anywhere for this application -
> would keep the piano within the low end of the cycle (assuming the ambiant
> humidity goes below 35% on a regular basis).
> I have a couple Steinway B's with half systems with one 50w and one 25w
> installed along with dry humidistat, and another B with just one 25w with
> standard humidistat (that's what I originally used, maybe 12 years ago).
> The higher wattage pianos were plus and minus 8 to 10 cents (up to plus
10,
> up to minus 8) at the end of the summer (high pitch time here). The low
> wattage was plus 10 to 25 cents. I don't have any naked B's now, but they
> used to be plus 15 to 40 cents.
> I also have a couple B's with G6PS installed (full system, with 50w and
> 37w drying units). Both were within plus or minus 5 cents throughout.
> If you demonstrate the results to someone who will pay attention (a piano
> faculty member?), you can possibly recruit an assistant lobbyist for funds
> to install more.
> I like the idea of including a system in the purchase of any new piano.
> The cost is insignificant in that context - less than 1% the cost of a
> grand.
> Regards,
> Fred Sturm
> University of New Mexico
>
> --On Wednesday, August 20, 2003 12:25 PM -0700 Alan McCoy
> <amccoy@mail.ewu.edu> wrote:
>
> > Now this is a problem I'd like to have. I have, instead, the problem of
> > getting money to purchase dampp chaser systems. And, of course, 20-30c
> > pitch changes to knock my head against.
> >
> > Alan McCoy
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org]On Behalf Of
> >> Keith McGavern
> >> Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2003 7:54 PM
> >> To: College and University Technicians
> >> Subject: RE: filling Dampp-Chasers
> >>
> >>
> >> At 7:01 PM -0500 8/19/03, Mark Cramer wrote:
> >> > ...Anyone progress with ideas for porting the water from room to
room?
> >>
> >> Here's what I've been doing for years:
> >>
> >> This involves 27 Sohmer Studios *without* fill tubes. I go down the
> >> hall to each room, turn on the light and remove the lower front
> >> boards.
> >>
> >> I then access a water faucet in the custodian's closet on each of the
> >> three floors with a 3' black rubber hose fitted with a connection
> >> device for the faucet. From that I fill two gallon plastic jugs that
> >> I walk to the pianos. The tanks are hung low enough to pour the water
> >> in the humidity tanks. . When the jugs become empth, I refill. I do
> >> add Humidity Treatment to the jugs each fill-up.
> >>
> >> During the filling of the humidity tanks, I check the rods to make
> >> sure the units are operating and check the pads for crust. This
> >> process takes between 45-60 minutes depending on how empty the tanks
> >> are.
> >>
> >> I have a notice sign on each piano asking for the users of the rooms
> >> to call when they notice a Low Water Light blinking.
> >>
> >> If just one call comes in, I go and do all the tanks. I do reschedule
> >> in conjunction on the chance of not receiving a call. This maximizes
> >> the effective purpose of the DP systems. I now can float the pitch on
> >> each piano and seldom do pitch changes on these pianos.
> >>
> >> I have found no quicker, reliable or efficient way for me to do this
> >> task.
> >>
> >> Keith McGavern
> >> Registered Piano Technician
> >> Oklahoma Chapter 731
> >> Piano Technicians Guild
> >> USA
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>
>
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