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Wayne,<br>
As Steinway generally puts is, controlling the whole room is best but not
always feasible and when that is the case a DC system is the way to
go. If I understand you correctly, you have measured the humidity
and have not noticed any lows dipping into the forties during the active
season there. If that is the case, a DC dehumidifier only system
with under/back covers would prove adequate for the summer performance
season. The low winter temperature if kept steady will probably
keep a steady humidity profile for the pianos. With a DC system the
hygrometer controlled dehumidifier bars will shut off when they are not
needed and you don't have to worry about baking the piano.<br><br>
I doubt a full system with humidifier would be properly maintained if the
camp is shut down for the winter. You mention they are in a room
kept to 50 degrees. I don't know how cold that area gets but it is
possible that humidity levels are acceptably high-enough during the
winter. Of-course putting a hygrometer in the room that tracks high
and low extremes would reveal any problems. Since it is a
presumably small room it may be possible to plumb in a low maintenance
humidifier if that is needed for the winter.<br><br>
Good Luck,<br>
Andrew Anderson<br><br>
At 09:50 PM 8/7/2007, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Dear Rebecca and Andrew:<br>
Thank you for replying. When I say the weather is humid around Lake
Champlain., I mean it stays around 60-80% most of the summer in addition
to the hot weather according to my hydrometer. The pianos are kept in a
room for the winter that averages around 50 degrees. Some techs on this
sight say that the pianos need a year-round stable environment before you
would even considera any Damp-Chaser system. I think the heating bar on
their Steinway along with a hydrometer would work for the time being.
What do you think?<br>
<br>
Wayne Williams<br>
<dl>
<dd>----- Original Message ----- <br>
<dd>From:</b> <a href="mailto:anrebe@sbcglobal.net">Andrew and Rebeca
Anderson</a> <br>
<dd>To:</b> <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</a> <br>
<dd>Sent:</b> Tuesday, July 31, 2007 6:28 PM<br>
<dd>Subject:</b> Re: Coastal Dampp-chaser calibration<br><br>
<dd>Wayne,<br>
<dd>Do you have a hygrometer? Giving recommendations without
measurements is like shooting in the dark. Rather ineffective
except for certain movie stars... <br><br>
<dd>It sounds like the best fit for your needs (provided humidity is that
high consistently) would be DamppChaser's dehumidifier-only systems that
contain heater bars and a hygrometer to control them. A heater bar
without control is piano damage happening every long period you leave it
plugged in. Undercovers and stringcovers would work together to
further protect the piano and make the system more stabile.
<br><br>
<dd>A full system would require maintenance in the form of adding water
and if the actual measured humidity is lower you may want to go that
way. You would want to use a beeper system as no-one (not even
residential customers) will bother to maintain water levels without aural
stimulation. In an institutional setting that would require some
education as some ignoramus take-charge-types will just unplug the system
rather then deal with it.<br><br>
<dd>Good Luck,<br>
<dd>Andrew Anderson, Artisan Piano<br><br>
<dd>At 09:46 PM 7/30/2007, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">
<dd>Dear Paul,<br>
<dd>The camp is only open two months of the year. The winters here are
very long and rugged. All the pianos are stored in a seperate room where
there is a minimal amount of climate comtrol.<br>
<dd> <br>
<dd>Right now,the 1919 A Steinway is in an uninsulated auditorium for the
summer. There is a Damp-Chaser heating bar inside. Is this
sufficient for the summer. The camp also wants dampchasers in a few other
uprights in the practice rooms in the back of the audtorium. I would say
that the humidity near Lake Champlain is about 60-80% most of the
summer.<br>
<dd> <br>
<dd>All the pianos at the camp have been donated, and are old but good
quality instruments for the most part. Right now they have a 1940's
vintage Baldwin in great working order but very dirty, and it is being
stored outside! I told the camp director to get the piano inside
ASAP.<br>
<dd> <br>
<dd>Look forward to your advice.<br>
<dd> <br>
<dd>Wayne Williams
<dl>
<dd>----- Original Message -----
<dd>From: <a href="mailto:paulrevenkojones@aol.com">PAULREVENKOJONES</a>
<dd>To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</a>
<dd>Sent: Friday, July 27, 2007 2:43 PM
<dd>Subject: Re: Coastal Dampp-chaser calibration<br>
<dd>Wayne:<br>
<dd>
<dd>You might not have enough information. I certainly don't. What are
the other seasonal conditions? What is the condition of the pianos as you
find them from summer to summer? Is there any temperature and/or humidity
control in the facility in which the pianos reside? <br><br>
<dd>
<dd>"If you want to know the truth, stop having opinions"
(Chinese fortune cookie)<br>
<dd> <br>
<dd>
<dd>In a message dated 07/27/07 13:00:39 Central Daylight Time,
wwilliams11@nycap.rr.com writes:
<dl>
<dd>Hello:
<dd>I mentioned this in another email in regard to the Damp-Chaser
product. I
<dd>just tuning a Steinway grand and upright at a YMCA camp that operates
only
<dd>two months a year, July and August. The camp is on Lake Champlain in
New
<dd>York State, and the camp Director, a music teacher, says the summers
are
<dd>very humid. Teh grand alreaddy has a "heating bar". Do the
painos, given the
<dd>climate, warrent a complete Damp-Chaser system? <br>
<dd>Wayne Williams
<dd>Schroon Lake, NY
<dd>----- Original Message -----
<dd>From: "R Barber" <bassooner42@yahoo.com>
<dd>To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
<dd>Sent: Monday, July 16, 2007 2:36 PM
<dd>Subject: Coastal Dampp-chaser calibration <br>
<br>
<dd>> The owner has double-paned windows, weather-stripped
doors, drapes-
<dd>> generally equipped to protect his niche from the environment,
but prefers
<dd>> open windows. There is no central humidity control.
There is usually a
<dd>> 24-hour on-shore breeze, so the typical climate will be high RH,
about 95%
<dd>> of the year. RH ranges between 55-100% daily, but
occasionally there is a
<dd>> breeze from the off-shore direction when RH drops to 20% or
below,
<dd>> sometimes for a few days at a time.
<dd>> I've heard two votes for the wet, and I'm tending in that
direction.
<dd>> Thanks for you input!
<dd>> Richard Barber
<dd>>
<dd>>> My recommendation would be to know the typical range of
relative humidity
<dd>>> (RH) the house (?) experiences. If the house is a old wood
frame, windows
<dd>>> are often open, no central air or heat, then sure, pick the
<dd>>> "wet"-calibrated Dampp-Chaser humidistat to match
the outdoor
<dd>>> environment. But many modern homes are well insulated from
their outdoor
<dd>>> environment and RH ranges in them may have little to do with
outdoor RH
<dd>>> ranges. Not only are modern homes well insulated from the
outdoors (heat
<dd>>> AND humidity), but any home also has it's own humidity
sources - cooking,
<dd>>> showers, etc.
<dd>>>
<dd>>> IMHO, if you are going to err at all, and being that you
plan to install
<dd>>> a full system (are you sure its gets dry in the home?), I
would go with
<dd>>> the "normal" humidistat. Another consideration
might be if the instrument
<dd>>> is old with a sagging soundboard and less-than-tight tuning
pins, you
<dd>>> might want the "wet"-calibrated Dampp-Chaser
humidistat to help the piano
<dd>>> out a bit.
<dd>>>
<dd>>> Also, have you checked to see whether the home has a central
humidity
<dd>>> control system?
<dd>>>
<dd>>> Many things to consider. At least the piano is getting a DC
system -
<dd>>> always a good thing!
<dd>>>
<dd>>> Terry Farrell
<dd>>>
<dd>>> ----- Original Message -----
<dd>>>> Do you think a "wet"-calibrated Dampp-Chaser
would be a wiser choice
<dd>>>> than the standard calibration for a client on a foggy
coast?
<dd>>>> Installation to include string cover + undercover,
complete Dampp-Chaser
<dd>>>> (not just rods), to cover off-shore dry spells.
<dd>>>>
<dd>>>> Thanks,
<dd>>>> Richard Barber
<dd>>>> Santa Clara Valley, CA
<dd>>>
<dd>>>
<dd>>> * Previous message: Coastal
Dampp-chaser calibration
<dd>>> * Next message: Coastal Dampp-chaser
calibration
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<dd>>>
<dd>>> More information about the Pianotech mailing list
<dd>>
<dd>>
<dd>> --
<dd>> No virus found in this incoming message.
<dd>> Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database:
<dd>> 269.10.22/922 - Release Date: 7/27/2007 6:08 AM
<dd>> <br><br>
</dl><br><br>
<hr>
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<dd>Checked by AVG Free Edition.
<dd>Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.11.0/927 - Release Date:
7/30/2007 5:02 PM</blockquote>
</dl><br>
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7/31/2007 5:26 PM<br>
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