Why After Two Years.....

[Don]

Hi Gregor,

I'm glad to hear it helps. In most of North America the swings are so wide
that it simply can't keep up with the "load". I've done "hands on"
experiments with one in an upright piano, just to make sure.

I do wonder if the "active" part of the hydrocel is one of calcium sulfate,
calcium chloride, cobalt chloride, silica gel or some combination of them.

I'd love to experiment with this product called Art Sorb.

http://www.cwaller.de/english.htm?howto.htm~information

There is a product called Music Sorb but their own test results show that
it is inadequate to control a piano year round (i.e. staying within a + or
- 2.5% "window"). It does appear to smooth out humidity, so it is of some
use. Have a look here:

http://www.musicsorbonline.com/PianoTest.htm

What helps here is to isolate the piano--for uprights a plastic back
cover--and for grands bottom "dust" covers made from stretchy fabric--and
string covers.

The next line of "defence" is a dehumidifying only system such as the
moisture master with adjustable controller.

The very best system appears to be the Damppchaser, where in extreme
climates like mine (4% to 84%) an upright in a home may show pitch change
of less than 2 cents per year on any note in the instrument.

At 10:24 AM 9/6/2008 +0200, you wrote:
>    Yes, it´s the Hydrocel system. Cheap, simple and works well. The
tuning lasts longer and the pins get tighter. The customers fill it with
water in winter (i.e. heating period) and ignore it in the summer. In
summer it soaks humidity if the air is wet and gives it free when it´s
getting dry. I think it´s a good alternative to Damp Chaser, but it might
be too weak for very dry regions. Can´t say that because  it´s not so
extreme dry in my area. Anyway: it´s better than nothing.
>Gregor
Regards,
Don Rose, B.Mus., A.M.U.S., A.MUS., R.P.T.
Non calor sed umor est qui nobis incommodat

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