Hisense 50. Ran flawlessly 24/7 for 2 years, then developed refrigerant leak.
Did you give your location? And what exactly are you trying to accomplish with your dehumidifier? Mold/mildew prevention? Condensation prevention? Comfort conditions? Are your issues seasonal, or continuous through all seasons?
Will your boat be sealed (very little infiltration) when the dehumidifier is running?
You got advice from almost every different climate conceivable, only some of which may be appropriate for your location.
Heat will prevent condensation in a very cold environment with some ventilation. Boat interior surfaces must be maintained above the dew point temperature of the cabin air. If you are having humidity related issues in a very cold climate, heating and ventilation can work. The trick is to do it safely.
In more moderate climates, a dehumidifier might be the answer - if you can reduce the ventilation rate in your cabin; to allow dehumidification. If you ventilate the cabin with moist air while running a dehumidifier, you may be accomplishing absolutely nothing, or actually causing more of a problem.
Whether you discharge the condensate to your bilge or not is a complex issue. You could be creating a mold/mildew problem in the bilge. Ideally, you would dehumidify everything inside the boat, including the bilge. By discharging into the bilge, you are keeping that area wetter than it would be normally, possibly re-evaporating into the air you just condensed it out of. My advice is discharge overboard or into a closed condensate pumping system that pumps overboard. 50-70 pints of water per 24 hours is a lot of water. The on-board tank on these portable units will have to be emptied too often for practical use - depending on your climate, and how air-tight your boat is. In my area, several times per day. You will definitely need a continuos condensate handling method if you use a dehumidifier, and you are in a humid area.
Just food for thought. Hope you find a solution that works for you.
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