Have checked out the unit and, as I suspected, the controls amount to on or off... I'm guessing the thing just runs continually until the tank fills and only then switches off, so is there any point in changing the timer from one hour on, one hour off?? Live in the South West. It tends to be either cold and dry here or warm and wet, so hopefully, poor performance below 8 degrees shouldn't be too big an issue
Given the tiny cost of running it I'd leave it on all the time. Switching it on / off on the timer is unlikely to do any harm to the unit. Note most units have have the hose that fills the bucket, routed so that it can run straight out to a drain.
Thanks. I was wondering if putting something like a 60watt bulb-holder under there might give some extra warmth to keep condensation at bay and to make the unit work more efficiently or is that an inefficient way of doing things?
Why not get yourself one of these. Motorcycle Vac Bags - Vac Bag Products Ltd No fire risk. No ongoing cost. Humidity contolled environment to keep your pride and joy.
Some pretty wild claims. The motorcycle environment is NOT humidity controlled. You are putting your motorcycle into a plastic bag (secured with a ty-wrap), with a bag of hygroscopic salts that will remove all the water out of the air until they are saturated. It's better than putting your bike into a wet garage, but only just. The salts could be re-charged by heating slowly above 100°C to evaporate off the water, then reused. Very little instruction on how to use. The air clearly hasn't been removed or it would be sticking to the bike like a wet bikini on a super model (Boobies anyone). I'd suggest that better option is the one that changes the air, often. Can't find the link now.
Please don't use a light bulb. They have particular electrical characteristics that make them unsuitable for heating in this situation. Please google / ebay Greenhouse heater, electric. Ideal for your suggested purpose. Extra warmth around the bike, to increase the temperature of the surface of the bike, when compared to the surrounding atmosphere is EXACTLY what you need. @bradders...sorry but I'm an expert here aswell.... See another one of my products. MirrorMaster the original Mistfree Mirror makers
It would rapidly drop well below 20% RH (until the salts became saturated) and then gradually increase (depending on leakage and temperature) back to ambient. You'll need to keep an eye on the meter provided and keep swapping out the salts pack(s). Better than a wet garage. Not sure what the super dry (short lived) environment would do to things (PR2 circuit boards won't like being super dry). Perhaps I should market one to put around all the speedo's / Clocks (when storing overnight) on the MTS1200 not currently suffering from the LED glimmer problem...(it's too late if you already have it). It would prevent the problem!!
This is better than cooking Christmas dinner As I mentioned above my research shows an ideal Humidity to be 50% for long term storage (classic car world when storing £m cars so I guess it's a good guide). To this end I purchased a humidity meter off Ebay for £7 delivered - it came before Christmas but only worked for a couple of hours . Replacement sent by the seller on the 23rd without me returning the faulty one, arrived Special Delivery on the 24th! Unbelievable service and trust from the seller for such a low value item It has been in the bike room overnight and is showing 51% so I don't think I need a de-humidifier in there at all. The temp is usually 15 degrees with the rads turned off in there when the rest of the house is at 20(again an ideal temp allegedly) it is only high as Mrs Ex Exige has the heating set to tropical (23 degrees all the time £££) I will try it in the garage next...
The important thing is that the temperature and Humidity stay level / the same over time. It is the *variations that cause the condensation!! *The air heats and cools much more quickly than the surrounding materials (bikes, walls, grass / glass etc) this is why we seem water as dew or running down our mirrors. The warmer the air the more water vapour it can hold, as it cools it condensates out as rain, dew, mist or good old condensation.
Looking good @Exige, but then you weren't the guy with the problem? Does the brick built garage adjoin the house, via the kitchen or utility or laundry room? You need to keep warm moist air out of the garage. Don't forget that breath is 100% saturated, so ask the wife not the enter the man cave or if she does to hold her breath for the duration. Just tell her you read it from a thermodynamics guy on-line, so it must be true.
So, always thought my Wood Garage was reasonably dry (if this is reasonably dry ;-) <br/> How many bikes you got?!?!?!?!
