Recommendations for Big Room dehumidifier in Southern California?

[AcousticDreams]

Never thought I would need a dehumidifier in Southern California. But this years wave of moisture has surprised me.
Quite the opposite, I usually run a humidifier to bring the moisture up during some of the hot summer months, and a couple of the winter months when I need to use the house heater.

I use to find that when the when humidity level was above 55% the sound quality lessened. But This year with some days of early morning humidifies between 60% and 63% my guitars are still sounding good. Still, I know long term care for an acoustic guitar is best kept with a climate moisture between 42% & 55%

I play in a Living room that is connected to a Den(open wall) Combined area of about 600 plus feet.
I am being a bit silly, because in just one more month I am sure the humidity levels will start to reverse. Still this years higher moisture has me thinking that it would be nice to have a room humidifier for those couple of problem months.

I see many fine units listed on Amazon. But I hate to spend $200 plus for a two or three month period each year. And who knows, the moisture content next year could be lower.
Any recommendations for a room dehumidifier that would reduce the moisture 5% to 10% effectively costing $110 to $125?

[oliverkollar]

I live on Northern California. The winters here can be very very wet. My guitar room is a north facing room that does not see much sun, so I usually run the dehumidifier from November to April. If it is wet AND cold, then the central heat usually brings down the RH to about 50%.

We are having the same type of pattern you are (I live on the east side of the valley very close to the Sierra), monsoonal moisture, but it is getting very hot 85+ during the day. I am also seeing humidity fluctuate from 63% in the morning to 49-50% after the AC kicks on and the air dries out considerably outside to 20-30% in the afternoon.

The problem with running a dehumidifier this time of year, is the residual heat that it gives off, so IMO its best to just deal with the high RH in the morning and let things settle down on their own in the afternoon.

I have two very lightly built instruments out on stands and have not noticed any changes in their geometry due to the high humidity in the morning.

I know that doesn't answer your question per se, but just throwing a similar situation out there before you spend money on a unit.

[AcousticDreams]

Originally Posted by oliverkollar

I live on Northern California. The winters here can be very very wet. My guitar room is a north facing room that does not see much sun, so I usually run the dehumidifier from November to April. If it is wet AND cold, then the central heat usually brings down the RH to about 50%.

We are having the same type of pattern you are, monsoonal moisture, but it is getting very hot 85+ during the day. I am also seeing humidity fluctuate from 63% in the morning to 49-50% after the AC kicks on and the air dries out considerably outside to 20-30% in the afternoon.

The problem with running a dehumidifier this time of year, is the residual heat that it gives off, so IMO its best to just deal with the high RH in the morning and let things settle down on their own in the afternoon.

I have two very lightly built instruments out on stands and have not noticed any changes in their geometry due to the high humidity in the morning.

I know that doesn't answer your question per se, but just throwing a similar situation out there before you spend money on a unit.

Actually this is very helpful oliverkollar. Yes, my guitars do not seemed to be effected as well. And you are confirming that I am probably being a bit over cautious.

And there is the other factor of really understanding Relative humidity and its differences temperature based.

Here is what Larrivee says:
The average guitar is built between 40-45% humidity, relative to 72 degrees F Here is a layman’s summary of this scientific technical term: The amount of moisture that air can hold changes based on temperature. The warmer the air gets, the more moisture it can hold.This means that 50% humidity at 90 degrees is different from 50% humidity at 20 degrees. Since the humidity level is relative to temperature, the humidity at a given temperature is expressed as “Relative Humidity”. In this document when we talk about relative humidity we will presume a temperature of 72 degrees. The safe Relative Humidity levels for a solid wood acoustic guitar can range from about 0-5% below to 10-15% above the relative humidity under which it was built. Once the guitar is brought outside of this range, the guitar begins expanding or contracting. Dehydration accounts for about 90% of climate based repairs.

Regardless, I would still like to investigate some sort of room dehumidifier. Even if I barely use it, it would be great to have just to experiment with and see if there are any tonal differences in sound. It is widely accepted that the sound of a guitar can go mute when living in high humidity. And in the past, I would notice differences starting at 55%. While I do not seem to be noticing this now(possibly due to the relative humidity and the different temperature range effects) It would be worth owning one just to see what differences humidity can make.

So still looking for recommendations. What do you use Olivekollar?

[Earl49]

I always ask if these are indoor RH values inside your house or your guitar cases, and not the humidity reported on the TV weather. Outdoor RH is only relevant if your windows are opened all the time, so that indoor and outdoor temp and RH are basically the same. If you are heating or running the AC, then the indoor humidity will have fewer and smaller excursions.

And a week or two of higher humidity won't kill your guitars. Worst case, the action might shift a little as the top swells a bit, and they might sound a little bit dull or dead compared to normal.

[oliverkollar]

Originally Posted by Knives&Guitars

So still looking for recommendations. What do you use Olivekollar?

I use an older version of this unit and it works very well. Also it's affordable.
I have used mine every winter for the past 6-7 years and only do routine maintenance, clean filter, dry out unit, etc, when I put it up for the summer/fall.

https://www.amazon.com/Soleus-Air-45...52655820&psc=1

[AcousticDreams]

Well, well, well. When In doubt, always measure twice.
So I decided to double check my hydrometers.
In my area there are some very accurate weather stations within a few blocks of my home, which can be accessed through the internet. I have a normal meter that I keep out just a couple of feet from where I play. And I have a stowed away in case an Oasis meter(which I don't leave on). I placed both of my meters outside.

My normal indoor meter reads 5 points higher than the weather station a few blocks away! My little Oasis meter was right on the money

So when I was reading 60% to 63% percent indoor the mornings- it was more like 55% to 58%. Outdoors those two meters differ by 5 points. Indoors the difference was slightly less at 4 points.

Further, I store my guitar in case 90% of the time. I took my Oasis meter and placed it inside the soundhole...the reading was even a little less than the indicated Room humidity.

Lesson learned- check your meters every now and then.

Now I am not in a rush to get a room dehumidifier. Still would like to get one though. Would be fun to experiment and see how a few percentage points, going from 58% to 50% might sound.

[G-Money]

I'm in so cal as well and yes we have had a wet spell of a few months, and many/most do not have air conditioning. What I've been doing with my small collection is focussing on keeping the RH down in my cases, using the occasional periods of sub-50 RH as well as the careful use of silica desicant packets. It's fussy and a pain in the butt but I've succeeded in getting the guitars and cases around 45-50, allowing me to play the instruments for a couple hours a day then return them to the properly (de)humidified case.

I also have the theory that humidipaks will de humidify as well as humidify only once a good chunk of the gell in the pack has been exhausted, but I haven't really confirmed this despite some attempts.