Damp Rid question

[Ken Honeycutt]

I know this maybe a strange question but went to check on my boat yesterday (inside unheated storage) and noticed that the damp rid containers had a hard crust on top of the crystals and there was no water collection in the tubs. This has me concerned as to whether the crystals below the 'crust' are absorbing any moisture. I broke up the crust before I left but now I'm wondering if I'm removing much of the moisture from the cabin if this continues to happen. Not sure if it has anything to do with the subfreezing weather we've had lately. I can't check on the boat every weekend since it is a 2 hour round trip and gasoline gets expensive so I may be looking for some kind of alternative to the damp rid.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

that's normal

Bet the folks in Fl love reading this stuff...Assuming it is calcium chloride (which you could buy in greater quantities at any hardware store for much less money than those dry packs) and it's only surficial hardening, that is a normal physical reaction to the adsorption of moisture indicative that it is working. Once it gets saturated, the moisture will penetrate down the container eventually allowing water droplets to collect at the bottom. At that point, it is saturated and should be replaced.It is the same exact stuff, marketed as various types of ice melt, you probably buy to melt surface ice on roads, driveways and steps at home.If you want to start over, pick up some cheap colanders and a 5 gal bucket of the stuff, fill the colanders and place them strategically throughout the boat in buckets.

 

[Ross]

Ken the chemical in Damp-rid is

calcium chloride and it will absorb water if the relative humidity is high enough. In sub-freezing weather the humidity is usually very low. You should not be concerned about the effectivness of the damp-rid it will work if the humidity gets higher. In the mean time be sure that there is some ventilation for the interior.

 

[CalebD]

I have used Damp Rid

and if it is working you will find a viscous or syrupy fluid in the collection pot which needs to be emptied from time to time. I never really got all that much liquid in the collection pot anyway and have begun to rethink using this product at all. Using the Damp Rid did not mean that I could get away without doing an annual cleaning of all cabin surfaces so what was the point? I store my boat outside, unheated and continue to be a firm believer in providing ventilation as the best defense against trapping moisture. If your boat is inside why not just leave a port or two open to allow ventilation?There are a lot of products 'they' try to market to us boaters that are of questionable value and I think that this might just be one of them. Save your money for something else.

 

[Rich (P303)]

all set

don't worry... there is no humidity in cold air. Those moisture things are usless in the winter. They will do their job the other 3 seasons.

 

[Chuck Creel]

DAmpness problems

Down here we just leave a 100 wat light bulb burning adn it takes care of the moisture/condensation problems.

 

[RichH]

Don's correct.

Damp-Rid is a 'deliquescent salt' and sometimes you will form a 'skin' of hard crust on top. Simply break up the 'crust' as the larger surface area (many small crystals have much more 'surface area' than a crust ... will affect better absorption of water vapor from the ambient air ..... and you will 'back in business'.

 

[Big Windy]

Calcium Chloride

Get it al Wal Mart...much cheaper, it's in the auto supply section. I put a big pile on a screen over a standard sized bucket. Works fine.

 

[Ken Honeycutt]

I'll check out Wal-Mart

Thanks for the advice from everyone.Tried HD, Pep Boys, Auto Zone, Sears Hardware and Ace Hardware with no luck. Found some Magnesioum Chloride at a 7-11. Seems like they used to have this stuff everywhere (Calcium Chloride - I remember now using it for my sidewalks) not sure what's happened.

 

[Rick Webb]

Pool Store

Or do they only sell snow blowers up there this time of year. It is on of the things we have to add to the pool everyonce in a while to keep everything in balance. A 25# bag is like10 or 12 dollars. The feed store may have it as well as it goes in tractor (snow blower?) tires for extra weight.I was thinking of getting in the pool today but it has been hailing and everything is white like ist has been snowing. Guess we had a white Christmas after all.