<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1264" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial color=#800000>I would = have to agree with you Greg. Personally, I would not even bother with the 25W 4-foot = rod. Go with the 50W.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000>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.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000>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).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>----- Original Message ----- </FONT> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>From: "Greg Newell" <</FONT><A href="mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net"><FONT face=Arial size=2>gnewell@ameritech.net</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial = size=2>></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>To: <</FONT><A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org"><FONT face=Arial size=2>pianotech@ptg.org</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial size=2>>; = <</FONT><A href="mailto:MPT@philbondi.com"><FONT face=Arial size=2>MPT@philbondi.com</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial = size=2>></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 4:25 = PM</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Subject: Dampp-chaser observations</FONT></DIV></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><BR><FONT size=2></FONT></FONT></DIV><FONT = face=Arial size=2>Greetings = listers,<BR>         I have recently installed a standard Dampp-Chaser ,ok,ok, Piano <BR>Life = Saver system on a small 5 foot something Petrof grand. The reason for = <BR>installation was to try and diminish or eliminate some compression ridges <BR>in it's = soundboard. After installation I asked the customer to wait a month = <BR>or so and call me for a tuning once it has had a chance to settle down as = <BR>per my normal procedure. The month came and I went out to tune and found no <BR>appreciable difference in the compression ridges. The customer and I = are <BR>concerned that the system is less effective than we would like it to = be. <BR>After a couple conversations with Becky first and then Roger at the = Piano <BR>Life Saver Systems offices I hadn't really reached any iron clad <BR>conclusions but I did have more information.<BR>         One of = the observations that my customer had was that the rearward <BR>mounted = heating rod was getting much hotter than the long one mounted near <BR>the keybed. = Since I have the distinct advantage of living rather close to <BR>this customer = I went right over. We plugged both rods directly into an <BR>extension cord and = then directly into the wall outlet to eliminate anything <BR>weird in the = control unit or the 1-3 plug adapter. The results were the <BR>same. The long = rod was much cooler than the short rod. I looked for the <BR>markings on the = rods and they both are 25 watt. Now that makes a little bit <BR>of sense. The 25 = watts will have much more of an affect on a piece of metal <BR>half the size = of the other one. My question to all of you who have ever <BR>installed or = thought about installing one of these systems is; "Does this <BR>not create an = imbalance where the sole purpose of installing a system such <BR>as this is to = gain balance?". Simple logic would seem to dictate that the <BR>short rod = being hotter than the long one would make the tail of the piano <BR>warmer and = therefore dryer than the front under the belly rail.<BR>         If my logic = holds up I think that there are a few consequences <BR>here. First and foremost = these standard systems should be discontinued or <BR>changed in some way to = achieve the balance that we are purchasing the <BR>system for in the first = place. Secondly, there are quite a few systems out <BR>there that probably = should have a second look and a swap of heater rods. <BR>I'm rather concerned that a = first time installer expecting the stability <BR>touted by not only the = company but my many of us who have installed systems <BR>in the past simply will not = have that experience with the current standard <BR>system. It may have some effect = but certainly not what it could by my <BR>thinking.<BR>         I must = confess to never having given much though to the various <BR>configurations = possible with these systems. I was operating under the <BR>assumptions that = someone else has figured out all this already and all I <BR>need to do is follow the directions and I will be able to have the same <BR>success that others = claim. Once the systems I've put on in the past were <BR>installed I didn't go = looking for trouble. If no one complained I figured <BR>all was going as = planned. I will have to rethink that strategy obviously.<BR>         I would = encourage all of you who have any interest at all to share <BR>your observations = not only with this list but also with the fine folks at <BR>Piano Life Saver = Systems and also all of the suppliers and resellers for <BR>these systems. I say = this because I wish I had been warned and purchased a <BR>system with one 2 = ft. 25 watt rod and one 4 ft 50 watt rod to achieve the <BR>balance I'm looking = for. I personally would like to see the standard 2 ft <BR>25 watt and 4 ft 25 = watt configuration discontinued. I'd love to know what <BR>YOU = think.<BR><BR>Greg Newell<BR>Greg's piano Forté<BR></FONT><A href="mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net"><FONT face=Arial size=2>mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net</FONT></A><BR><BR><FONT = face=Arial size=2>P.S. you should know that Becky and Roger at Piano Life Saver = Systems were <BR>extremely helpful and congenial as always.  <BR></FONT> <P></P><FONT face=Arial size=2> <HR> </FONT> <P></P><FONT face=Arial size=2>> <BR>> ---<BR>> Outgoing = mail is certified Virus Free.<BR>> Checked by AVG anti-virus system = (</FONT><A href="http://www.grisoft.com"><FONT face=Arial size=2>http://www.grisoft.com</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial = size=2>).<BR>> Version: 6.0.580 / Virus Database: 367 - Release Date: 2/6/2004<BR>> = </FONT> <P></P><FONT face=Arial size=2> <HR> </FONT> <P></P><FONT face=Arial size=2>> _______________________________________________<BR>> pianotech list = info: </FONT><A href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives"><FONT = face=Arial size=2>https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives</FONT></A><BR><FON= T face=Arial size=2>> </FONT></BODY></HTML>