heater bar question

[Farrell]

> ....the piano's pitch
> will drop as the humidity inside the piano drops to around 42%.

Have you or anyone else ever measured the relative humidity fluctuations
within a vertical piano equipped with a Dampp-Chaser system? How do you know
it goes to 42%?

Terry Farrell
Piano Tuning & Service
Tampa, Florida
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Clyde Hollinger" <cedel@supernet.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 07, 2001 3:31 PM
Subject: Re: heater bar question


> Terry,
>
> If the dehumidifier is installed when the humidity is high, the piano's
pitch
> will drop as the humidity inside the piano drops to around 42%.
>
> Here in southeast Pennsylvania I can install a partial system between
November
> and May at the same time I am on location to tune the piano.  In the
summer,
> though, I need to install the dehumidifier about a month before the tuning
to
> avoid the risk of undoing my tuning.
>
> Regards,
> Clyde Hollinger
>
> pianolover 88 wrote:
>
> > Howdy all,
> >
> > A customer posed a rather interesting question regarding a heater bar.
> > I was there to tune his acrosoic, and noticed that in the past 6 mo.
since i
> > tuned it last, that the pitch had gone 22C SHARP! So after explaining
the
> > "pitch adjustment" procedure, and cost (1/2 my tuning fee), I proceeded
with
> > the tuning. After i was finished i recommended a Heater bar &
humidistat,
> > since he lives so close to the beach, higher humidity is the only real
> > concern, and that a heater bar placed inside his piano, with a
humidista,
> > would keep his piano much more stable, and far less prone to excessive
pitch
> > fluctuations. He gladly agreed; But then a thought came over him and he
> > asked: "Since you tuned the piano to normal pitch, at the present higher
> > humidity, isn't it likely that it will go flat after the bar is
installed
> > and removes the excess moisture?" Hmmm, good questio, I thought. He
didn't
> > really seem too worried about it, but just wondered, so I said that in
the
> > week or two that it'll take before i get the bar & humidistat here and
> > installed, the pitch will likely "creep" up a tad, so it should all
balance
> > out. I did tell him that if he notices any errant notes that may go out
> > within a month or two that i would come back and smooth them out, no
charge.
> > Just wondering how any othe list members would've handled this matter.
> > thanks!
> >
> > Terry Peterson
> > Precision Piano Service
> > Torrance, CA
> >
> > _________________________________________________________________
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>
>