Dehumidifier - time clock or not?

[Waldi]

Hi Marco,

it depends on the tide:)

Our house is 0.5 m above “NAP”,  our reference level, which is close to the average sea level.

In 2017 we had a very high tide: almost 3 m above NAP (and even 4 m in the northern part) so the ground floor of our house would have flooded if the dikes broke which they did not.

30% of our country is situated below sea level. Some parts in Holland are much lower, the lowest part is 6.7 m below NAP.

In 1953 when we had the “water disaster” the highest level was 4.55 m above NAP. This started the Delta works master plan.

We have primary and secondary barriers: dykes and locks. And large dry basins that can be flooded if the water flow from Rhine and Maas is very high.

For me it is kind of funny that only 2 people have asked me this question, both have a TR, and both live in Germany:)

Cheers,

Waldi

[Z320]

3 hours ago, Waldi said:

For me it is kind of funny that only 2 people have asked me this question, both have a TR, and both live in Germany:)

This is scary to me for several reasons.

I remember driving on top of a dike from Den Haag east. Left and right 2-4 m down from the dike the fields, cows, fields.

And up on the dike the raod, us with the TR, dutch people and their houses - and a small river!

Absolutely strange to me, 275 m above sea level.

[john.r.davies]

12 hours ago, Z320 said:

This is scary to me for several reasons.

I remember driving on top of a dike from Den Haag east. Left and right 2-4 m down from the dike the fields, cows, fields.

And up on the dike the raod, us with the TR, dutch people and their houses - and a small river!

Absolutely strange to me, 275 m above sea level.

Why did anyone build a dike 275m above sea level?     Even climate chnage won't raise the ocean that much!

j.

[Z320]

Sorry me for any questions about my short statement, I wanted to say:

"The situation at the NL was absolute strange to me, because I live at 275 m above the sea level without any danger to be flooded away."

Edited October 23, 2019 by Z320

[Waldi]

Hi Marco,

I got it:)

The Dutch are so used to this situation, most of us don’t think about it much.
The world relies on engineering abd predictive models, but disasters can always happen: Fukushima, Oil industry, flooding from rivers, collapsing civil structures, etc. But the people who live in those area (sometimes have to) accept the risk.

Waldi

 

 

[MikeF]

Postscript

Thk s for all the replies and comments. HEre is what I did

I remeasured the garage and confirmed that a carcoon etc wouldn't be practical (taking into account the angled access to garage)).So I sealed it and bought a Meaco DD8L Zambezi Dessicant Dehumidifier which has a built in clock if needed. This is suitable for a 3 bed house. I reasoned that the duty cycle in a garage would not overstress it. I also bought a meter as it was on offer for a few quid. I am not sure I trust it as it differs from the Zambezi by small or large amounts higher or lower. Another problem is the coded instructions, which I nearly understand - I think.Sealing the garage has resulted in a strong smell of unleaded - the connection  fuel pipe to tank needed tightening, the smell is much reduced, but still there with no visible leak. Another item on my to do list.

Question: Anyone know the operating principle of these meters? Could the fumes be interfering in the measuring process. (I know from a past life that organics can upset oxygen measurements.)

 

As a ps: years ago I was passenger on a dike across what was then called the Zuider Zee. It was a foggy day so the view ahead faded into grey. To the left was grey water which faded into a grey sky and to the right the land similarly faded, but close to was a field then another field then a house surrounded by trees and then repeat. And repeat.  The engine was gently humming and the wheels were going bumpity bump pause bumpity  bump pause on the road. Very hypnotic and disorientating. The only thing of interest was the occasional gull perched on a pole. After some time I awoke from a doze to find that we were slowing to a halt. My driver had also fallen into a trance!

 

[RobH]

Those meters usually use a cheap ceramic sensor which 'soaks up' moisture from the air so that its resistance changes with humidity. They are never very accurate as surface contamination from dust etc. alters the sensitivity and it's not surprising the reading is different from that in the dehumidifier. The latter has a heater in it to dry the dessicator so the local condition around it is likely to be different from that at the meter. (%RH varies widely with temperature even though absolute humidity is constant). The meter also relies on ambient changes to dry out the sensor when humidity drops, so again there may be a substantial lag to changes. 

Your nose is very sensitive and the petrol fumes you can smell will probably not be at a high enough concentration to make any appreciable difference. 

Edited November 15, 2019 by RobH

[MikeF]

Got it thanks