Dry heat

RetiredTorng

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2024
Messages
232
Location
Laguna Woods
Recently I camped in Quartzsite desert. It's close to freezing cold in the night, so I turned on my electric heater, and my skin was all dried up. Anybody has any recommendation on how to resolve this issue? Thanks for your advices.
 
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It's Arizona!
 
On a related note. Does putting a 5 gallon bucket of water in an rv (in dry climates) really help to raise the humidity level?
 
On a related note. Does putting a 5 gallon bucket of water in an rv (in dry climates) really help to raise the humidity level?
It can't hurt. As the water evaporates the moisture has to go somewhere. In that bucket of water scenario, it goes into your rig

Suggestion: If you aren't going to trip over it put that pale of water so the heater blows across it
 
It can't hurt. As the water evaporates the moisture has to go somewhere. In that bucket of water scenario, it goes into your rig

Suggestion: If you aren't going to trip over it put that pale of water so the heater blows across it
I’m in the desert. Trips will be out of the desert. My humidity inside the rig has been about 21%. My concern will be the combination of prolonged dryness and heat (when it arrives).
 
On a related note. Does putting a 5 gallon bucket of water in an rv (in dry climates) really help to raise the humidity level?
Yes, if you put a Ryobi fan on top of it to evaporate the water. Use a humidifier and keep the humidity at or near 40% for comfort and the coach/camper
 
I was thinking about a humidifier, but was afraid it may put out too much percipitation and damage my RV. Putting out a bucket of water in front of the electric heater seems like a good alternative. I will give it a try. Thanks for the advices.
 
Recently I camped in Quartzsite desert. It's close to freezing cold in the night, so I turned on my electric heater, and my skin was all dried up. Anybody has any recommendation on how to resolve this issue? Thanks for your advices.
Better humidifiers have a humidistat and turn off when the set humidity is reaches the set value. There are several types of humidifiers: evaporation (wet media), cool mist and warm mist.. Personally cool mist is best if you use water with low dissolved solids. Warm mist works when the air is very dry and you want to raise the humidity fast. Those wet media humidifiers work best with hard water, but require you to change the water in the tank quite often.
 
To dove tail on Beau if you use an ultrasonic unit distilled water is a must and in a camper it is best anyway, shouldn't take much per day and at 1.30 or so per gallon not that bad for comfort and wood preservation
 
With 30% relative humidity, walking across a wool carped, with rubber slip-ons and getting next to a ground (light switch) will draw about a 1/4 inch spark (it hurts). I find 60-70% is best if the heat is on and 40-50% is A/C is on (IMHO). If you use hard water with a cool mist humidifier, you not only get a cool water mist, plus a white snow of calcium and magnesium carbonate.
 
With 30% relative humidity, walking across a wool carped, with rubber slip-ons and getting next to a ground (light switch) will draw about a 1/4 inch spark (it hurts). I find 60-70% is best if the heat is on and 40-50% is A/C is on (IMHO). If you use hard water with a cool mist humidifier, you not only get a cool water mist, plus a white snow of calcium and magnesium carbonate.
Completely makes sense and my dry environment gives me multiple shocks a day.

How in the world did you test all these parameters?
 
Better humidifiers have a humidistat and turn off when the set humidity is reaches the set value. There are several types of humidifiers: evaporation (wet media), cool mist and warm mist.. Personally cool mist is best if you use water with low dissolved solids. Warm mist works when the air is very dry and you want to raise the humidity fast. Those wet media humidifiers work best with hard water, but require you to change the water in the tank quite often.
Just the kind of advice I need. Check in Amazon and found the more intelligent humidifiers you mentioned. Will get one for my future trips. Thank you very much.
 
At just over a year in Arizona I can confirm it's dry here and I made it a habit of filling a five gal pail half full with water and leave in the shower stall. At half full it takes maybe 3 weeks (depending on temps) to evaporate. I'm not sure just what I'm protecting but last summer before I started the water thing a few trim pieces of counter top came loose and I assume from dryness. A bit less high tech than a humidifier but seems to keep the humidity in our comfort zone. Bonus is a spare 2-3 gallons of water for whatever.
 
At just over a year in Arizona I can confirm it's dry here and I made it a habit of filling a five gal pail half full with water and leave in the shower stall. At half full it takes maybe 3 weeks (depending on temps) to evaporate. I'm not sure just what I'm protecting but last summer before I started the water thing a few trim pieces of counter top came loose and I assume from dryness. A bit less high tech than a humidifier but seems to keep the humidity in our comfort zone. Bonus is a spare 2-3 gallons of water for whatever.
I will be doing this very thing in about 2 days.
 
I bought a cool mist humidifier with humidity control. Because this is most likely used in the cold weather, I think I will change it to a warm mist humidifier with humidity control.
 
I was thinking about a humidifier, but was afraid it may put out too much percipitation and damage my RV. Putting out a bucket of water in front of the electric heater seems like a good alternative. I will give it a try. Thanks for the advices.
This and hanging a towel in it, even in the shower.
 

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