Damp chaser

[Andrew and Rebeca Anderson]

David,
I too service pianos in an institutional 
setting.  Unless you have a sub to run around 
filling water tanks, utilize DC's dehumidifier 
only hygrometer system on the practice 
non-critical pianos.  I'd put full systems on 
concert instruments and that of serious (read: 
will fill up their own tanks) piano 
professors.  The dual systems do need water year 
round, just less during wet weather.  The 
dehumidifier systems work well to help stabilize 
the pianos.  Where fine tuning is critical the 
complete system is a must.  Had a D drop 10 cents 
in one day during concert season.  The department 
head asked how can we avoid that happening again: 
we added a humidifier to the dehumidifier system 
it had and now I just fix unisons before each 
concert.  I always install smart heater brackets 
that prevent the dehumidifier bar from activating 
if it is dry.  I also install beepers because 
no-one actually bends over to check those 
lights.  That meep meeep meep..., works every 
time. :-)  Backside or under-covers do make these 
systems much more effective.  Also they help to 
camouflage the "balls" under your D when it is on stage. ;-) :-D

Andrew Anderson

At 02:39 PM 1/24/2007, you wrote:
>It seems to me and I have yet to install a dampp 
>chaser system, that during wetter times you can 
>ignore the bucket and start filling it when it 
>is of use.   Is this common practice?   I 
>imagine you can disconnect the humidifier side 
>temporarily?   The reason I'm talking about this 
>is my university work here in on the Pennisula 
>in Calfifornia (Bay Area).   We have, as 
>usual,  had a dry spell this Winter of about 
>30%RH, down from 50% to 60% or more in the 
>Summer...I'm kind of guessing on the high.   I 
>am now checking temperature and humidity at 
>every service.   Pitch has dropped 8 cents or 
>more...I'm thinking just the heater bars and 
>humidistat would at least keep the pianos at 
>least in the 42% range and it would be less of a fall...?   What do you think?
>
>David Ilvedson, RPT
>Pacifica, CA  94044
>
>----- Original message ----------------------------------------
>From: "Marcel Carey" <mcpiano at videotron.ca>
>To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
>Received: 1/23/2007 4:49:04 AM
>Subject: RE : Damp chaser
>
>
> >Hi Gregor,
>
> >The main problem I see with these is that they can be empty for a long
> >time before they get watered. There is no indication of the water
> >content in the tube. I sold 2 in 30 years, and every time I went tuning
> >these pianos, the tubes were empty. The customer always said "Oh, this
> >is the first time I forget to fill it. I do it every week".
> >What I don't say to them is " Yeah Yeah, they all say that".
>
> >Marcel Carey, RPT
> >Sherbrooke, QC
>
> >> -----Message d'origine-----
> >> De : pianotech-bounces at ptg.org
> >> [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] De la part de Gregor _
> >> Envoyé : 23 janvier 2007 04:34
> >> À : pianotech at ptg.org
> >> Objet : Damp chaser
> >>
> >>
> >> I read a lot of DC systems here, seem to be very common in
> >> the USA. What´s
> >> about these cheaper humidifiers without electric power: are
> >> they used in the
> >> USA too? I find they give much benefit, are cheap, quickly
> >> installed and
> >> easy to maintain.
> >>
> >http://www.meyne-klaviertechnik.de/start.php?languag=en&go=10details&id=
> >2541&code=10&zustand=7
>
> >Gregor
>
> >_________________________________________________________________
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