[pianotech] question about damp chaser and weather change

[David Skolnik]

Marshall -
As Zeno already suggested, getting a dampchaser unit operational when 
it hasn't previously been so can affect the  tuning, however, you 
raise a number of questions in your post, and there a few that the 
post itself raises, in and of itself.  The one's I'll ignore are 
those related to how to deal with the customer.  That's a totally 
separate issue.

First, you're in the Northeast - as am I.   Up until mid-December, 
the humidity didn't do much in the way of dramatic dives, but since 
then, I've generally measured 15% or less fairly regularly.  You 
don't make clear from your post when the dampchaser had last been 
filled, whether the pads had been changed regularly, the unit itself 
cleaned, or whether it had even remained plugged in.  If so, as a 15 
year old system, it's possible that the humidifier portion was 
heating up, even though it was dry, which would certainly have 
further distorted the tuning.  But wait, there's more.

With respect, if you are - what's currently OK - visually restrained 
- how are you making judgements about the installation (such as the 
condition of the hose)?  In my own dampchaser work, I've organized 
myself to have the tools (small 90 degree drill, hex socket, etc.) 
and extra parts (clamps of all sizes, screws, brackets, etc.), but 
it's still challenging at times to work around someone else's 
installation.  I'm assuming that this was not originally installed by you.

Damppchaser does supply an adapter for the new filling pitchers 
that  fits the older hoses, and there are certainly larger clamps 
available.  Any of the Dampchaser distributors could help you with 
that.   I'm sorry I'm not able to visualize what you mean by the 
"little L shaped brace...that feels like an allen 
wrench...etc.).  Two points here are quite important.  First, if the 
hose is not firmly fixed, it can (and, sooner or later, will) come 
loose and direct a subsequent filling onto the floor, rug, cat, or 
whatever else is under the piano.  Second, with regard to the 
question of siphoning, the answer is "Yes", if the tank-end of the 
hose is too deep into the tank, so that it sits under the water, once 
the filling is completed, it will siphon when you (or more likely, 
they) lower the hose to replace it under the piano.

Damppchaser systems can work well, but they are not as fool-proof as 
one might wish.  As the technician, it's prudent to allow for the 
possibility that something might not be working quite as intended, 
even with the newer "smart" systems.

If there is any question, you should consider getting some help from 
a colleague.  Which brings me to my last, and most peripheral 
point.  You mentioned, in a previous post, that you had a friend who 
was an RPT.  You should try to utilize your local PTG resources and, 
if you haven't already done so, consider joining.

Good luck.

David Skolnik
Hastings on Hudson, NY



At 08:49 PM 1/19/2012, you wrote:
>Hi Everyone,
>Last Saturday I went to a repeat customer to tune their Steinway 
>L.  It has an older damp chaser, about 15 yrs old.  They needed a 
>new pitcher to fill it and a new hose.  The old hose was in too bad 
>of shape to keep so I discarded it.  It had two clamps that hold the 
>hose in place undneeth, but I coud only use one because the hose was 
>too fat to get throug none of the clamps as it was too small. I 
>would have put a new clamp on but didn't  have a start tip 
>screwdriver. I need to get these things I know.  So I was able to 
>place the hose on the little L shaped brace on the lyer that feels 
>like an allen wrench for the time being and it held it up fine.  My 
>question is, will fixing this damp chaser adding the water and 
>making it work affect the tuning?  The temp was 67 with 31% RH.  I 
>placed the hydrometer in that littel triangular part of the plate by 
>the pins where the L is stamped.
>
>My customer called this afternoon but didn't leave a message.  Do 
>you guys think if there was something wrong they would have left a 
>message?  I thought about writing you folks and asking about the 
>tuning and then calling her and mentioning that I wanted to say to 
>her that adding the humidity might change the tuning.   I wanted to 
>check to see ow the piano is doing?" Then if there is a problem it 
>will look better on my end.  Since I had to rig up the hose that 
>way, it won't cause the water to siphon out of the tank and onto the 
>floor wil it?  thanks everyone
>Marshall
>
>
>Marshall Gisondi Piano Technician
>Marshall's Piano Service
>pianotune05 at hotmail.com
>215-510-9400
><http://www.phillytuner.com/>www.phillytuner.com
>Graduate of The School of Piano Technology for the Blind 
><http://www.pianotuningschool.org/>www.pianotuningschool.org Vancouver, WA
>
>
>

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