Commercial Dehumidifier

[derek labian]

I have a 1800BTU mini-split which controls the temp and has a built in dehumidifier. I can only set it to dehumidify and the strength to operate. It does not have a hygrometer. I would like to supplement the temperature with a dehumidifier. I know many are using box store units, however I would rather spend more money for a higher end unit that will last a bit longer. I think it's likely to cost the same money in the long run. (Multiple box store units vs one higher end unit)

I saw a few threads about this in the past, but none really talking about specific products or commercial dehumidifiers.

Is anyone using a commercial or semi-commercial/whole house dehumidifier to keep their shop/studio dry and if so, which model and what experience have you had?

I've been looking at:

AlorAir® Storm LGR Extreme Commercial Restoration Dehumidifier (https://www.alorair.com/pdf_files/product_guides/1605766464.1603698229.1601089872.Wi-Fi-Storm-LGR-Extreme_Yellow.pdf) with pump, wifi, and is for garages among other things.

and a semi-commercial unit

AloAir Sentinel HDi65 (https://www.alorair.com/pdf_files/product_guides/1629851941.Sentinel-HDi65.pdf) which seems basically comparable to the Storm LGR Extreme.

The HDi65 seems to be for permanent house installation, i.e. semi-portable, and the Storm LGR seems to be for portable commercial usage. HDi65 setup for duct installation, and you can buy a remote hygrometer for another $100.

[Jim Becker]

Those are both interesting units, Derek...you actually posted at a good time as I'm considering a solution for our basement here at the new house.

[Rush Paul]

I used an Ebac AD850E (http://www.ebacusa.com/swimming_pool/AD850E.html) dehumidifier in my basement shop for many years. Worked perfectly and maintained below 50% humidity at all times. The nice thing about the Ebac dehumidifiers is that they are designed to work without icing up even in colder temperatures.

[Steve Jenkins]

I had a water leak in my crawl space and bought one that would fit there. An important feature was having a builtin pump. Spent about a grand.

[derek labian]

I used an Ebac AD850E (http://www.ebacusa.com/swimming_pool/AD850E.html) dehumidifier in my basement shop for many years. Worked perfectly and maintained below 50% humidity at all times. The nice thing about the Ebac dehumidifiers is that they are designed to work without icing up even in colder temperatures.



It looks pretty nice, but $2500 is a big spend. For me, I was hoping to be under $1k. I wonder how much the quality goes up after you get past consumer units?

[Ed Fang]

I use the xpower XS-85L2. It looks similar to this but has double the water elimination capability. Works mostly in the summer and after rainstorms. But it’s remarkably effective.

One thing to note - many humidifiers generate some heat. So you will want the ability to cool if running lots of dehumidification

[derek labian]

Maybe I was planning to under-spend a bit. AlorAir has a newer model with a SLGR design and a few other new features. It will do 85PPD ATAHAM at 5.6A and rated for continuous operation.

https://www.alorair.com/pdf_files/product_guides/1605766464.1603698229.1601089872.Wi-Fi-Storm-LGR-Extreme_Yellow.pdf

I was testing the smart mode on my mini-split and it works pretty well between cooling and de-humidifying automatically, but its keeping the temp a bit lower than my wife likes, 69 degrees which is a 10+ degree differential. I think adding this will allow the mini-split to focus on temperature only. Maybe both units will last longer.

[Phillip Mitchell]

Derek,

I bought an AlorAir Sentinel HD55 last summer for my walkout basement shop to replace a 7 year old failing Lowe’s unit. I’m extremely happy with the 55. Looking at current prices I see that it has come down in price a bit since when I bought it last summer. I think I paid around $850 then, but that was peak pandemic time.

My basement is essentially an uninsulated and otherwise totally unconditioned space with concrete slab and poured concrete and block walls and is around 600 sq ft. The 55 has no problems keeping this less than ideal space between 45-50% RH even in the warmest and wettest days of summer, though of course it’s working to do so. I typically keep it set around 47-48% in summer. If I didn’t dehumidify it would be in the 75% RH or higher range and really get moldy and be a health issue for the space and the house above. The basement is the driest part of the house (when the AC isn’t on in the house.)

The best thing about it aside from the performance (and long warranty) is that it uses about 1/2 the amps of the typically 70 pint big box store units. I think my 55 is rated at something like 3.5 amps or less so I really notice that difference in my monthly utility bill in summer. I built a shelf for it and it sits up high in the wall and gravity drains straight into a grey water drain that was already in my basement for a few other things.

I clean the filter daily on mine when using sawdust making machines. Really easy to slide it out and blow it out with a blow gun or wash it if needed.

Highly recommend these units. I can only imagine the bigger and pricier ones being just as good or better...though I do appreciate the relative simplicity of my 55.

[Lisa Starr]

We have a SantaFe crawl space dehumidifier for our home. It replaced the last "cheapo" consumer one 6 years ago and has be flawless. I can't comment on using it in a shop, but you'll need to keep the filters clean for it to operate well.

[Tom M King]

I ordered some crawl space liner online, and they also had a number of interesting dehumidifiers. I didn't look at them long enough to have an opinion, but it's probably worth a little time Googling "crawl space liner", as a first lead in.

[Alan Lightstone]

I did some quick calculations on the energy usage of the AlorAir Sentinel HD55. At my electric rates, running it 24/7 would cost about $40/month. That Storm LGR Extreme would cost $62.51/month. Seems pretty costly. My mini-split with 2 air handlers only runs me $24/month at the height of summer heat. Of course that cost far more than the dehumidifier, but it does a wonderful job cooling the space.

[derek labian]

Derek,

I bought an AlorAir Sentinel HD55 last summer for my walkout basement shop to replace a 7 year old failing Lowe’s unit. I’m extremely happy with the 55. Looking at current prices I see that it has come down in price a bit since when I bought it last summer. I think I paid around $850 then, but that was peak pandemic time.

Thanks for all the information. Did you end up buying the remote hygrometer or have any issues with the built in unit? Are you running it while woodworking? I was going to place my dehumidifier in front of a AFS-1000B's output to hopefully provide it clean-ish air. Sam for my mini-split.

[derek labian]

I did some quick calculations on the energy usage of the AlorAir Sentinel HD55. At my electric rates, running it 24/7 would cost about $40/month. That Storm LGR Extreme would cost $62.51/month. Seems pretty costly. My mini-split with 2 air handlers only runs me $24/month at the height of summer heat. Of course that cost far more than the dehumidifier, but it does a wonderful job cooling the space.

Hi Alan,

Thats why I purchased the mini-split I did, as it has separate modes for heating, cooling, and de-humidifying, along with a smart mode that alternates. But it's a garage, and in smart mode, it keeps the garage around 70 degrees and 55% RH. I don't even keep my house at 70 degrees. I'll have to hook up a meter to it and calculate the cost, but I'm sure its going to be more than $24 a month. Thats why adding a separate de-humidifier will allow the mini-split to maintain the temperature, and the dehumidifier just to maintain the humidity. I don't expect the de-humidifier to run continuously or near continuously. I guess I'll find out though.

Good idea to check actual cost though of the mini-split.

[Jim Becker]

I can tell you that the mini split in my old shop barely moved the electric meter, although I didn't baseline it. It's a 20 SEER unit. I ran it at 74ºF summer and 65ºF winter.

[derek labian]

I can tell you that the mini split in my old shop barely moved the electric meter, although I didn't baseline it. It's a 20 SEER unit. I ran it at 74ºF summer and 65ºF winter.

What is your RH like in the summer? It's often 100% in southern Texas. The real question I guess isn't how much it draws, its how often it runs. I figure that will be hard to test without something that can track over time.

Did you have a dehumidifier in your old shop, or just the mini-split? My mini-split is 23-seer, but I'm still not sure how thats going to translate into overall power consumption.

If my mini-split runs 24/7 it will be $97 a month. Half the month, $48. Seems pretty reasonable, but I wonder how wear and tear on the unit would be. Jim, how long were you using your MS for?

I guess the $24 dollar a month at the height of summer wasn't unrealistic. Its a 550sqft space, insulated doors, and that would be 6 hours per day of operation. It can cool the space in about 15 min.

The dehumidifier looks like it would cost $2 dollars per day if running 24/7. So running 4 hours a day, it can turn over all the air in the garage 8 times per day at a cost of $10 a month.

[Jim Becker]

I only had the mini split, Derek. Our RH isn't at the level of places like Houston and thereabouts, but the Delaware Valley does have its share of higher humidity. My mini split was installed in March 2018 and it pretty much was turned on, say, 9 months of the year. My shop was well insulated and I used the temps I previously indicated. It generally was a few degrees warmer in the shop in the winter due to other heat sources (lighting, machines, etc.) and had an easy time maintaining a comfortable environment during the warm/hot months.

I do have an interest in dedicated dehumidification for our basement here at the new property...it really needs it. But first, I need to put in power and do a few other things...

[Tom Jenson]

I picked up a barely used Phoenix Drymax XL and I have been very pleased with it so far. My shop is in what used to be the parlor of an old dairy barn. Sealing things up has been a work in progress so a good dehumidifier has been a must.

[derek labian]

I got the Storm SLGR 850X. Its heavy and appears well built. Slight shipping damage. Can't get the WIFI working.

When I first turned it on the hygrometers in the unit and my stand alone unit didn't agree. After 8 hours, they agree. Seems to work well but I really need the WIFI working to tell more..

467373

[derek labian]

I moved the hygrometers next to each other (the portable near the dehumidifier). They seem to stay about 5 degrees (F) and 5% RH apart. I guess as long as they are consistently in disagreement.

I spoke to tech support about the WIFI. They answered the phone, as in a real person, and they were helpful. The result is I am going to need a new logic board, but they offered to ship one out to me.

I have the unit set to 50% humidity, and it keeps it at about 48%, not sure why. The output air is 35% humidity. Seems like the unit needs to be installed somewhere it can circulate the room well.

In the few minutes it was off, the humidity went up by several % RH. Perhaps I need to seal the garage, err, I mean "studio" better. ;)

[Tom Jenson]

That looks like a nice unit! I know running mine makes a huge difference in the shop.

My dehumidifier reads a few % higher than my weather station, so I wouldn’t be concerned about that. I did have to replace the condensate pump after a few years, but that’s it.

[Bob Falk]

We have a SantaFe crawl space dehumidifier for our home. It replaced the last "cheapo" consumer one 6 years ago and has be flawless. I can't comment on using it in a shop, but you'll need to keep the filters clean for it to operate well.


+1 on the SanteFe....I have a floor model in my basement that I bought used over 10 years ago.....runs daily and never had a problem. I also have a ceiling mounted unit in my garage shop....bought new, but after a couple years quit working....called SanteFe (they are local to me) and even though the unit was out of warranty, they fixed for free. Good company.