Dampp-Chaser sold on the internet (cheap)!

[Cy Shuster]

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>From the Dampp-Chaser site (the technicians' side):

"Dampp-Chaser Dehumidifiers of 25 watts (or less) are not sold without a =
Humidistat except in Florida and Hawaii.  This policy protects the piano =
from over-drying.  The policy also protects your reputation as a =
technician and our reputation as a manufacturer."

"The Dehumidifier System is useful in certain highly humid climates =
where winters are so mild heating is not required indoors... (Exception: =
In highly humid climates, church and university pianos are often exposed =
to both extreme temperature and humidity fluctuations when the room is =
not in use.  Even in highly humid climates, these pianos benefit most =
from a complete System....)

--Cy Shuster--
Bluefield, WV
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Farrell=20
  To: Pianotech=20
  Sent: Monday, September 20, 2004 11:03 AM
  Subject: Re: Dampp-Chaser sold on the internet (cheap)!


  I agree with you Dave. Here in the Tampa Bay area of Florida I have =
never installed the humidifier portion of a DC system. My Boston grand =
has 190 watts of heater rods and an H2 humidistat. Pitch simply does not =
vary on the piano and you won't find any one string more than two cents =
off after a year. I think one winter day I noticed an RH level in my =
living room (where the piano is) down at 35% - but that is the lowest I =
have observed. Simply does not make any sense to me to install the =
humidifier and all its associated headaches. I know that I would forget =
to fill it with water - let alone any of my customers who can barely =
remember to tune the darn thing once every five years!

  But of course, if I lived in Duluth, MN, my piano would have a full DC =
system - with an undercover - with a string cover - and maybe a piano =
cover - plus maybe whole house humidity control........

  Terry Farrell
    ----- Original Message -----=20
    From: David M. Porritt=20
    To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
    Sent: Monday, September 20, 2004 10:15 AM
    Subject: Re: Dampp-Chaser sold on the internet (cheap)!


    I've been reading the thread on half/whole Dampp-Chaser systems with =
interest.  Here (Dallas area) humidity gets low quite infrequently and =
for very short periods of time.  Generally, I've thought that the full =
system to be unnecessary.  The full system is not only more expensive, =
but is the only thing that takes maintenance (fill the tanks, do the =
treatment, change the pads etc.).  Then when you remember that the DC =
system does not keep the piano at 42% but rather turns on the humidifyer =
when the humidistat gets down to 38% and stays on until it reaches 50%.  =
At that point the dehumidifyer comes on to undo what has just been done =
until it's back to 38% again. =20

    Given the climatic conditions we have here I'd much rather the =
system take care of the high humidity, turn off when it gets down to 38% =
and just wait until nature brings it back to 50%.  When it is humid, why =
would I want to force more humidity to the piano when the most =
propitious thing would be to just turn off and wait for the humidity to =
rise.  This also eliminates the possibility of mold growth that comes =
with that added humidity.  Mold is a problem in this area.

    If I were in the North and had heaters drying out the air 9 months =
of the year, I'd recommend a complete system.  Here I think they are =
superfluous, expensive, labor intensive and counter productive.

    dave

    __________________________________________
    David M. Porritt, RPT
    Meadows School of the Arts
    Southern Methodist University
    Dallas, TX 75275
    dporritt@mail.smu.edu


    ----- Original message ---------------------------------------->
    From: "William R. Monroe" <A440WRMPiano@tm.net>
    To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
    Received: Mon, 20 Sep 2004 07:51:05 -0500
    Subject: Re: Dampp-Chaser sold on the internet (cheap)!

    Cy,

    Dunno.  I agree that with a humidifier, it would certainly be =
capable of increasing the humidity faster, but, if the ambient humidity =
is only 45%. the humidifier would never turn on, right?  Again, going =
further, when the humidity drops below the "magical" 42%, and the =
humidifier is activated, even in an environment where the RH is still =
close to that 42%, of course it would raise it quicker, and keep it =
closer to 42%. =20

    Mainly, I offer partial systems as a more affordable way to help =
eliminate some, and in my opinion,  the greater part, of the climatic =
changes that we experience here.  I always try and sell a full system, =
however, as I believe they are clearly superior here in this area, and =
worth the cost many times over.  However, a half-system does a bang-up =
job for less.

    William R. Monroe
    Madison, WI
    Assoc.
      ----- Original Message -----=20
      From: Cy Shuster=20
      To: Pianotech=20
      Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2004 9:46 PM
      Subject: Re: Dampp-Chaser sold on the internet (cheap)!


      Isn't there a chance that a complete system might be able to raise =
humidity faster than a heater-only system, even with ambient 45% =
atmospheric humidity?  This would keep the soundboard closer to its =
target for a greater percent of the time...

      Don't know if this would make a perceptible difference...  In =
theory, "theory" and "practice" are different, but in practice...

      --Cy Shuster--
      Bluefield, WV

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