Thanks Clyde. Actually, while a student assistant at UGA (about the same climate conditions), one of my jobs was the daily watering of pianos in practice rooms -- and when humidity got to below 30%, they all needed it daily. These new systems I've installed have required watering about every 2 weeks even during 60-65% humidity levels (short tank). So, I'm waiting to see how that's going to change now that the humidity is lower. Jeff >Jeff, > >That's about twelve days. Here in PA it will sometimes take that long for the >light to blink if it's just been filled. When the light blinks, the tank >still >has some water in it which will last a while longer. I am not aware of any >instances when a piano would call for water daily if the directions are >followed. > >I would make sure that the water tanks are full right before leaving for >Christmas vacation. Since the light won't likely be blinking, you'll have to >find a way to know how much water you can put in the system without making >trouble. Check them first thing when you get back. My guess is that even >if the >light is blinking you will find most or all of the pads wet if you reach >up and >feel them. > >Even if they are dry, I wouldn't retune the pianos right away; wait at least a >week if you can. Surprisingly, as the system corrects the humidity of the >soundboard, the tuning will get better also, sometimes almost returning to >where >it was before it ran out of water. It still would be best if someone >could check >the pianos once or twice during the break. > >Regards, >Clyde Hollinger, RPT > >Jeff Tanner wrote: > >> This summer I installed 10 systems in Steinway B's in Piano Faculty >> studios. Wonderful new facility is 5 years old, as are 77 of the >> instruments (including these), but the 1st thing cut out of the budget was >> humidity control-- and the temperature control leaves more than a lot to be >> desired. Had been experiencing extremes from 22% to 77% humidity during >> the year with shifts as large as 20-30 points overnight sometimes. This, >> even after humidification for winter (supposedly) was added last fall >> (though nobody around here knows exactly what we actually got for the money >> we paid). >> >> We are just now going through the 1st fall weather/humidity change, and >> humidity levels are FINALLY dropping from the 60-70% range they've been at >> since May. But I'm just now retuning these Dampp-Chaser equipped pianos >> which were tuned at the start of the semester (mid August), and finding >> that pitch raising isn't nearly the issue it was last year. At least so >> far. But nobody has fussed about tuning until the weather took a big >> change last weekend. I think they're working. >> >> I do have one question about how to handle these systems during Christmas >> break. Everyone is gone around here from 2 days before Christmas until Jan >> 3. Last January we came back to one of those overnight humidity changes, >> and found the building at 22% -- a huge change from the mid 40's before we >> left, but by the end of the week it was back into the 40's again. Needless >> to say, my week's work was wasted. >> >> Question is: Turn'em off? Nobody'll be here to water them, and they could >> potentially need it daily.
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