This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment "Dampp-Chaser Dehumidifiers of 25 watts (or less) are not sold without a = Humidistat except in Florida and Hawaii. This policy protects the piano = from over-drying."=20 Sure it is not: 25 watts (or more)? .... And I'm not sure of the point = being raised with this quote.... I hope no one thinks I install DC = dehumidifiers without a humidistat - no way. "Exception: In highly humid climates, church and university pianos are = often exposed to both extreme temperature and humidity fluctuations when = the room is not in use." Can anyone explain what the above statement means? What does it even = say? Terry Farrell ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Cy Shuster=20 To: Pianotech=20 Sent: Monday, September 20, 2004 11:40 AM Subject: Re: Dampp-Chaser sold on the internet (cheap)! From the Dampp-Chaser site (the technicians' side): "Dampp-Chaser Dehumidifiers of 25 watts (or less) are not sold without = a Humidistat except in Florida and Hawaii. This policy protects the = piano from over-drying. The policy also protects your reputation as a = technician and our reputation as a manufacturer." "The Dehumidifier System is useful in certain highly humid climates = where winters are so mild heating is not required indoors... (Exception: = In highly humid climates, church and university pianos are often exposed = to both extreme temperature and humidity fluctuations when the room is = not in use. Even in highly humid climates, these pianos benefit most = from a complete System....) --Cy Shuster-- Bluefield, WV ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Farrell=20 To: Pianotech=20 Sent: Monday, September 20, 2004 11:03 AM Subject: Re: Dampp-Chaser sold on the internet (cheap)! I agree with you Dave. Here in the Tampa Bay area of Florida I have = never installed the humidifier portion of a DC system. My Boston grand = has 190 watts of heater rods and an H2 humidistat. Pitch simply does not = vary on the piano and you won't find any one string more than two cents = off after a year. I think one winter day I noticed an RH level in my = living room (where the piano is) down at 35% - but that is the lowest I = have observed. Simply does not make any sense to me to install the = humidifier and all its associated headaches. I know that I would forget = to fill it with water - let alone any of my customers who can barely = remember to tune the darn thing once every five years! But of course, if I lived in Duluth, MN, my piano would have a full = DC system - with an undercover - with a string cover - and maybe a piano = cover - plus maybe whole house humidity control........ Terry Farrell ----- Original Message -----=20 From: David M. Porritt=20 To: pianotech@ptg.org=20 Sent: Monday, September 20, 2004 10:15 AM Subject: Re: Dampp-Chaser sold on the internet (cheap)! I've been reading the thread on half/whole Dampp-Chaser systems = with interest. Here (Dallas area) humidity gets low quite infrequently = and for very short periods of time. Generally, I've thought that the = full system to be unnecessary. The full system is not only more = expensive, but is the only thing that takes maintenance (fill the tanks, = do the treatment, change the pads etc.). Then when you remember that = the DC system does not keep the piano at 42% but rather turns on the = humidifyer when the humidistat gets down to 38% and stays on until it = reaches 50%. At that point the dehumidifyer comes on to undo what has = just been done until it's back to 38% again. =20 Given the climatic conditions we have here I'd much rather the = system take care of the high humidity, turn off when it gets down to 38% = and just wait until nature brings it back to 50%. When it is humid, why = would I want to force more humidity to the piano when the most = propitious thing would be to just turn off and wait for the humidity to = rise. This also eliminates the possibility of mold growth that comes = with that added humidity. Mold is a problem in this area. If I were in the North and had heaters drying out the air 9 months = of the year, I'd recommend a complete system. Here I think they are = superfluous, expensive, labor intensive and counter productive. dave __________________________________________ David M. Porritt, RPT Meadows School of the Arts Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX 75275 dporritt@mail.smu.edu ----- Original message ----------------------------------------> From: "William R. Monroe" <A440WRMPiano@tm.net> To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org> Received: Mon, 20 Sep 2004 07:51:05 -0500 Subject: Re: Dampp-Chaser sold on the internet (cheap)! Cy, Dunno. I agree that with a humidifier, it would certainly be = capable of increasing the humidity faster, but, if the ambient humidity = is only 45%. the humidifier would never turn on, right? Again, going = further, when the humidity drops below the "magical" 42%, and the = humidifier is activated, even in an environment where the RH is still = close to that 42%, of course it would raise it quicker, and keep it = closer to 42%. =20 Mainly, I offer partial systems as a more affordable way to help = eliminate some, and in my opinion, the greater part, of the climatic = changes that we experience here. I always try and sell a full system, = however, as I believe they are clearly superior here in this area, and = worth the cost many times over. However, a half-system does a bang-up = job for less. William R. Monroe Madison, WI Assoc. ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Cy Shuster=20 To: Pianotech=20 Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2004 9:46 PM Subject: Re: Dampp-Chaser sold on the internet (cheap)! Isn't there a chance that a complete system might be able to = raise humidity faster than a heater-only system, even with ambient 45% = atmospheric humidity? This would keep the soundboard closer to its = target for a greater percent of the time... Don't know if this would make a perceptible difference... In = theory, "theory" and "practice" are different, but in practice... --Cy Shuster-- Bluefield, WV ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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