limerick Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 The dealer I bought my motorhome from suggested turning on a 250 watt infrared lamp for a few hours each evening to prevent dampness . Anyone got any ideas on this? rgds limerick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 Ours stands on the drive. I put a 500W electric greenhouse convector heater (Argos or similar, quite cheap) in it over the winter. If the stat is set low the heater only comes on when the temp inside the van drops below about 5C. This seems to keep humidity (RH) down and so control condensation This also prevents too much movement in cupboard doors etc, and doesn't cost much to run. Only caveat, our drive faces South so, if the sun shines, the heater mostly stays off. If your van is in shade the heater would run for longer. Inside a dry building, I'd think it would be very economical. The IR lamp is only a glorified light bulb, with a low visible light output and a filament that works mostly at the red end of the spectrum.The heater produces heat, but virtually no light (just a bit of a red glow from the element). I suspect, therefore, that Watt for Watt, a heater would be more a economical way to raise the temperature inside the van than the lamp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w1ntersun Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 Hi, I agree with#2 also the fan will move the air a bit. Also leave all your cupboard doors open, its suprising how cold they get when shut Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Dwight Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 HiLimerick, I used an Infra Red lamp some years ago to dry out the wall panels of a Caravan that had very bad water ingress. The beauty of the lamp was that it only heated up wet areas, and consequently dried them out. The heater shone through a window onto a fence panel next to the caravan, it had been raining the fence panel dried out where the lamp shone on it. The caravan was dried out some new woodwork implanted panel replaced, and wnet on to serve us for some years, I understand that it is still in use, we sold it about 8 years ago. So yes they do work.. The best way to keep a Motorhome damp free is to keep it in use through out the year. David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted November 18, 2006 Share Posted November 18, 2006 [QUOTE]Brian Kirby - 2006-11-17 1:10 PM Ours stands on the drive. I put a 500W electric greenhouse convector heater (Argos or similar, quite cheap) in it over the winter. If the stat is set low the heater only comes on when the temp inside the van drops below about 5C. This seems to keep humidity (RH) down and so control condensation This also prevents too much movement in cupboard doors etc, and doesn't cost much to run. [/QUOTE] B&Q have some thermostat controlled 500W oil filled radiators on sale at £9.98. Bought one yesterday as a backup in case the more expensive one we have (currently in use in the van) should go wrong. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted November 18, 2006 Share Posted November 18, 2006 Hi Brian & Graham. I had homebuilts during the 70's & early 80's without experiencing any problems, but with all the changes in build materials & equipment, it seems the recommended method is now to have some form of heating in the M/H. I can understand this, especially with the amount of inverstement in new M/H's. I'm interested to know, do you leave the Heaters connected all the time and have a temperature sensor to switch it on when it gets down to a set level or just connect up for a period of time each day/week.? I am sometimes away from home of a few days at a time and wondering which is the best approach. I am concerned that just putting a fan heater in the M/H for short period will produce too big a temperature differential, giving constant expansion & contraction which can't be good. Comments appreciated Flicka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted November 18, 2006 Share Posted November 18, 2006 Our Autotrail Scout is now over 9 years old. It always has all its fittings and furnishings left inside. Its parked outside. We have never put any heating into it when parked up and have never had any damp problem. What is does have is effective natural ventilation through grilles in the side door, fridge grilles and roof lights. Perhaps this is why? Or is it the small silica gel bags that I hang up inside? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest aido Posted November 18, 2006 Share Posted November 18, 2006 we got a small oilfilled heater in Tescos seems to work fine....aido Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bill h Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 If you use a dehumidifier it obviously collects the water but in doing so does warm the vehicle slightly from the fan air movement and if any cupboards need 'airing' just point the machine at the opening. I use it in the summer as well as the vehicle is parked outside. Moisture will accumalate in any fibrous material or dust. It also ensures the bedding and seats are drier (less moisture) and more comfortable before leaving home. bill h Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 I bought a small (less than 12" high) de-humidifier from Woolworths a few months ago for use in the van when it's standing on the drive. It cost less than £20 and works a treat and it's amazing how much water it collects. I imagine it draws in moisture from the outside as well as collects that which resides within the van. I am well pleased with it and it very rapidly removes condensation from inside the windscreen. John S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 We've recently purchased a dehumidifier for the house and the amount of water it draws out is amazing! This brings me to ask the question - dehumidifiers in motorhomes - do they encourage the external damp air to be drawn in through vents etc??? (?) We've never had any problems with damp in any of our vans - the only problem we did have was some fungi growing in a cupboard ... not mushrooms unfortunately! It was from a towel that must've been damp when it got put back in the cupboard, the fungi spors found a nice moist home to settle down in and then grew so that the towel was stuck to the back of the cupboard. Simple to remedy, removed towel, gave the area a good clean with bio-whatever it was, had a chap at work check the fungi - not dangerous & nothing to worry about - no problems since. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 [QUOTE]flicka - 2006-11-18 10:41 PM I'm interested to know, do you leave the Heaters connected all the time and have a temperature sensor to switch it on when it gets down to a set level or just connect up for a period of time each day/week.? [/QUOTE] Sorry for the delay in replying - been out all day. Normally I switch the heater on in the evening and off in the morning and let the thermostat take care of things overnight. On days like today though - left at 6am and got back just over 12 hours later - I just leave it switched on. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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