Yeah. I'd love to open some windows. I'm guessing, however, that it would not put me in the graces of the powers that be, i.e. the custodial staff. ;-) Alan > -----Original Message----- > From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org]On Behalf Of > Otto Keyes > Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2003 10:43 AM > To: College and University Technicians > Subject: the hvac thing > > > Fred, Alan & all, > > >From what I have seen, it would seem to me that older buildings > w/out hvac > are often better than newer buildings with hvac....at least in certain > climates. While the pitch swings have been a bit less this year, > the proir > 2 years were not bad. The RH is relatively stable here, though > it does have > some bumps, dips & spikes. The worst time was last summer when > the recital > hall was closed up after classes ended & nobody really looked in there for > about 3 weeks until it was time to get ready for music camp. It > was like a > huge walk-in cooler and the concert pianos were way out of whack. I had > nightmares of Chicago for about a week! > > By the way, does anyone have the e-mail address of the gentleman > from UT who > gave the hvac lecture in Dallas. I need to get a copy of his > presentation, > but seem to have mis-placed the address he gave. For those of > you who were > not there, that was a great lecture. It would be worthwhile to get a tape > or video and a copy of his power-point slides. Really some good > information. We need to give our specifications in terms of pitch > deviation, rather than just RH guidelines. Makes the engineers do their > homework before they design a system which makes things worse. > > Alan, my advice to you is "pull the plug & open the windows!". Not the > conventional wisdom, mind you, but then I'm seldom conventional, & let > others judge the wisdom. :-) I doubt that it would fly anyway, especially > since you would probably have to break windows to get some fresh air. > > Otto > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Fred Sturm" <fssturm@unm.edu> > To: "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org> > Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2003 6:43 AM > Subject: Re: filling Dampp-Chasers > > > > Interesting, Otto. Could be that lacking AC was a good thing, > with respect > > to humidity. Higher temps may have meant lower relative humidity (and > would > > normally mean that, assuming the same source of air, with the > same actual > > moisture content), hence less pitch drift upward, assuming the > normal rise > > in humidity over the summer. Often I think that older buildings without > > modern HVAC systems can be easier on pianos than newer ones without > > humidity control - depends on all the details of the systems involved. I > > always tell my customers that the stuffiest room in the house > is probably > > the best one to put the piano in. Just hermetically seal it, and pitch > will > > stay constant for years :-) > > Regards, > > Fred Sturm > > University of New Mexico > > > > --On Tuesday, August 26, 2003 4:08 PM -0700 Otto Keyes > <okeyes@uidaho.edu> > > wrote: > > > > > 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 > > >> > > >> > > >> _______________________________________________ > > >> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > _______________________________________________ > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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