Dampp-chaser observations

[Farrell]

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I would have to agree with you Greg. Personally, I would not even bother =
with the 25W 4-foot rod. Go with the 50W.

Proper evaluation of the capacity of the system is to use a high quality =
hygrometer installed up under the soundboard and one in the room, and =
both with recorders. From a pracitcal standpoint, perhaps the best way =
to evaluate a system is to put a cheapie hygrometer under the =
soundboard, and in the room, and plug an analog electric clock into the =
humidistat to monitor how long the unit runs during the course of a day. =
Highs, lows and run time would need to be monitored on a daily basis for =
some weeks during appropriate seasons. That will at least give you some =
idea if the system is sized properly.

I have a Boston 5' 11" grand. I have 1-50W, 2-35W and 3-25W rods plugged =
into an H2 humidistat. It pretty much never runs during the winter when =
room RH is usually down between 40% and 55% RH. The rods will be =
energized about 75% of the time when the room humidity gets up around =
75% RH during most of the summer. Pitch does not vary - period - on this =
piano. Tunings are rock-solid and seem to last forever. IMHO, my system =
is properly sized. I do not have a bottom cover on my piano (although I =
think they are a great idea).

Terry Farrell

----- Original Message -----=20
From: "Greg Newell" <gnewell@ameritech.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>; <MPT@philbondi.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 4:25 PM
Subject: Dampp-chaser observations


Greetings listers,
         I have recently installed a standard Dampp-Chaser ,ok,ok, Piano =

Life Saver system on a small 5 foot something Petrof grand. The reason =
for=20
installation was to try and diminish or eliminate some compression =
ridges=20
in it's soundboard. After installation I asked the customer to wait a =
month=20
or so and call me for a tuning once it has had a chance to settle down =
as=20
per my normal procedure. The month came and I went out to tune and found =
no=20
appreciable difference in the compression ridges. The customer and I are =

concerned that the system is less effective than we would like it to be. =

After a couple conversations with Becky first and then Roger at the =
Piano=20
Life Saver Systems offices I hadn't really reached any iron clad=20
conclusions but I did have more information.
         One of the observations that my customer had was that the =
rearward=20
mounted heating rod was getting much hotter than the long one mounted =
near=20
the keybed. Since I have the distinct advantage of living rather close =
to=20
this customer I went right over. We plugged both rods directly into an=20
extension cord and then directly into the wall outlet to eliminate =
anything=20
weird in the control unit or the 1-3 plug adapter. The results were the=20
same. The long rod was much cooler than the short rod. I looked for the=20
markings on the rods and they both are 25 watt. Now that makes a little =
bit=20
of sense. The 25 watts will have much more of an affect on a piece of =
metal=20
half the size of the other one. My question to all of you who have ever=20
installed or thought about installing one of these systems is; "Does =
this=20
not create an imbalance where the sole purpose of installing a system =
such=20
as this is to gain balance?". Simple logic would seem to dictate that =
the=20
short rod being hotter than the long one would make the tail of the =
piano=20
warmer and therefore dryer than the front under the belly rail.
         If my logic holds up I think that there are a few consequences=20
here. First and foremost these standard systems should be discontinued =
or=20
changed in some way to achieve the balance that we are purchasing the=20
system for in the first place. Secondly, there are quite a few systems =
out=20
there that probably should have a second look and a swap of heater rods. =

I'm rather concerned that a first time installer expecting the stability =

touted by not only the company but my many of us who have installed =
systems=20
in the past simply will not have that experience with the current =
standard=20
system. It may have some effect but certainly not what it could by my=20
thinking.
         I must confess to never having given much though to the various =

configurations possible with these systems. I was operating under the=20
assumptions that someone else has figured out all this already and all I =

need to do is follow the directions and I will be able to have the same=20
success that others claim. Once the systems I've put on in the past were =

installed I didn't go looking for trouble. If no one complained I =
figured=20
all was going as planned. I will have to rethink that strategy =
obviously.
         I would encourage all of you who have any interest at all to =
share=20
your observations not only with this list but also with the fine folks =
at=20
Piano Life Saver Systems and also all of the suppliers and resellers for =

these systems. I say this because I wish I had been warned and purchased =
a=20
system with one 2 ft. 25 watt rod and one 4 ft 50 watt rod to achieve =
the=20
balance I'm looking for. I personally would like to see the standard 2 =
ft=20
25 watt and 4 ft 25 watt configuration discontinued. I'd love to know =
what=20
YOU think.

Greg Newell
Greg's piano Fort=E9
mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net

P.S. you should know that Becky and Roger at Piano Life Saver Systems =
were=20
extremely helpful and congenial as always. =20



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