Anyone else see an angry face?
Desiccant dehumidifiers are fascinating... but not for everyone [29:19]
Submitted 6 months ago by FenrirIII@lemmy.world to technology@lemmy.world
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzClLWL-Eys
Comments
HonoraryMancunian@lemmy.world 6 months ago
favoredponcho@lemmy.zip 6 months ago
I watched this. It was of interest to me because I must run two dehumidifiers in my house and they use a ton of energy. Unfortunately, this desiccant dehumidifier would use even more energy. Hoping someday someone figures out how to build a more efficient one.
In the meantime, I think manufacturers need to build all dehumidifiers with a repeat cycle timer built in. I find it far more energy efficient to run for some period like 30 minutes till the humidity drops low — like 45%, then shut off for 60-120 minutes while the humidity slowly creeps back up until the cycle repeats. Most dehumidifiers work based on a humidity threshold and will constantly click on and off as the threshold gets crossed. In my experience, this uses a lot more energy and being in a high cost state is completely unaffordable.
homura1650@lemmy.world 6 months ago
If you are running an AC, you might be able modify it to reduce the humidity.
AC units naturally dehumidify (as TC points out, they are essentially the same thing as traditional dehumidifiers). However, the amount of moisture they pull out is mostly related to how long they are running, not how cold they can get. This means that if you have an overpowered AC, you get less dehumidifying effect because the AC is on less.
Some ACs let you reduce their power, which will increase their duty cycle and increase the amount of water they pull out of the air. It also helps improve their lifespan as they need to cycle less.
NotJohnSmith@feddit.uk 6 months ago
I had the same torment when buying mine, for an office-shed that’s just a swamp of English dampness.
I opted for the desiccant one as while it used more energy it does heat the space, and actually works better at cooler temperatures. Very specific to my needs as I’d imagine that’s counter to most other use cases
favoredponcho@lemmy.zip 6 months ago
Yeah - the video does clarify that the UK is one of the few places the desiccant one makes sense.
MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 6 months ago
Hoping someday someone figures out how to build a more efficient one
Some material, that catches water atoms via static charge, until it drips down, making room for more, maybe?
khannie@lemmy.world 6 months ago
You should be able to pick up an old style timer plug for under 10 euro / USD in your hardware store.
They’re a tiny bit fiddly to set up but given how power hungry those things are you’ll be saving money in no time.
We have one around here somewhere. I’ll see if I can dig you out a picture.
neinhorn@lemmy.ca 6 months ago
Sounds like something that could be automated via home assistant and an esp32.
AceBonobo@lemmy.world 6 months ago
Even a simple tuya wifi plug
MyNameIsAtticus@lemmy.world 6 months ago
Man, I fucking love watching this guy. He’ll talk about the most niche things and I love learning about it. He inspired a presentation I gave on how rice cookers work
toynbee@lemmy.world 6 months ago
This morning, I told my brother I was watching YouTube. He said “what are you watching and, if it’s not Technology Connections, why not?”
MyNameIsAtticus@lemmy.world 6 months ago
lmao. I have a brother who’s a lot like me and loves to tinker (not too young that this is irresponsible though), so when i need to throw something on to keep him occupied while i work, i know Technology Connections is a safe bet.
DontNoodles@discuss.tchncs.de 6 months ago
I remember seeing him (or someone claiming to be him) here on lemmy after the big migration from the-place-we-don’t-talk-about. Someone was not impressed by him and told that to his face, politely. Never noticed him around since.
Feathercrown@lemmy.world 6 months ago
He was on Mastodon for a bit but I think he didn’t like the culture
einkorn@feddit.org 6 months ago
And how do they work?
Yaztromo@lemmy.world 6 months ago
Short answer — the internal “switch” is held in the on position by a magnet. Magnets become much less effective when they get hot, and while there is still water in the cooker the maximum temperature will be 100C. Once all the water boils off the temperature quickly rises — but the magnets stop being able to attract the switch when they hit around 102 - 103C or so and release the switch, turning the machine off.
So all has is a switch connected to a magnet next to the bottom of the pot. That’s it. Physics does the rest.
StarMerchant938@lemmy.world 6 months ago
They do the thing until the thingymajogger flips, obvs.
sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 6 months ago
As someone who lives in a desert climate where many people have humidifiers, this seems like a completely useless device. 🙂
scarabic@lemmy.world 6 months ago
Yeah I am in the same boat. I operate a swamp cooler inside my house, even!
But I used to live on a hill in San Francisco, the first hill the fog would hit as it rolled in from the Pacific Ocean, and I distinctly remember the feeling of getting up in the morning and reaching between the hangers in the closet to take a shirt out, and feeling how they were all damp. Super gross!
rmuk@feddit.uk 6 months ago
Put this on your desk with a spigot on the side, and the humidifier on the other side of the room. Congratulations: pipeless pipe.
sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 6 months ago
Utility companies hate him!
RheumatoidArthritis@mander.xyz 6 months ago
Like a humidifier is for me, I’d be so happy to have 40% for a week but it rarely goes under 60
squaresinger@lemmy.world 6 months ago
I wonder why there are no humidistats.
You know, a combined humidifier/dehumidifier that keeps a constant humidity.