Dehumidifier

[ostosix]

Hi there, just wondering does anybody dry firewood using a domestic dehumidifier? I thought of this as sometimes we dry our washing in the dining room with one and its fast with doors shut.

 

I was thinking of a small shed fairly well airtight and wheeling in a warehouse cage of split oak one at a time. My solar panels will provide power so effectivley drying wood quicker cost free.

 

All your thoughts are welcome.

Cheers

[gdh]

We looked into it on a commercial scale but it wasn't practical. The electric was the killer but it's surprising how little water they remove and how much there is in wood - to dry 1ton from 40 to 15% means you need to remove around 250 litres. 

 

If you have free electric I would personally invest in a fan but I would be interested to see how a dehumidifier works. 

[SbTVF]

They don't remove nearly enough water even with a large desiccant dehumidifier. You need plenty of heat and good air movement to coax the water out of wood at any decent rate.

[richy_B]

It will improve drying time but not by enough to make it worthwhile. As has been said, heat and airflow is what you need. Insulate your shed, stick a oil filled electric radiator in there and a domestic heat exchanger unit. Or just air dry and be patient!

 

 

[ostosix]

I cut a large oak tree down in April and it was split by May, so i've a garden over loaded with timber, but dont think it'll be dried for this winter. Was hoping to speed things along.

 

When I've had my burner on, i've noticed when the temp goes up to say 25 degC humidity drops to 50% (on my geeky little meter), where as its normally 85%. So heat does obviously dry wood, but is it the drop in humidity that helps it along?

 

My main plan is to eventually have a large poly tunnel which will have closed doors with fans and dehumidifer. I'll have it all switch on timed between 11 and 4 when solar is good and high temps in the  tunnel.

 

If I could speed upthe process into shorter than a summer with out continuous running cost i'd say it'll be worth the effort. Starting to get enough wood to flog some now but storage space is tight and limits things a bit.

 

Cheers

[SbTVF]

Low RH isn't necessary for drying wood. As long as the air isn't saturated wood will dry. Heat air flow dry accelerate the process.

You need high RH in the initial period of drying or the outside if the log dries too fast and you get case hardening (moisture locked in the log)

Just put up the poly tunnel and let nature do the work. Vented bags are ok but neat stacks or IBC's are better for airflow.

[sandspider]

11 hours ago, ostosix said:

 

My main plan is to eventually have a large poly tunnel which will have closed doors with fans and dehumidifer. I'll have it all switch on timed between 11 and 4 when solar is good and high temps in the  tunnel.

 

 

I wouldn't bother with fans or dehumidifier personally, just leave a couple of the windows / doors open so there's some air movement.

 

I've got a polytunnel in a reasonably sunny / breezy spot, and wood I've had in there since April (split smallish, stacked on pallets, mesh windows and south facing door open) should be good for burning this year. In retrospect I should have put some sort of vapour barrier down, but it's still drying well.

Edited August 31, 2017 by sandspider

[Ashes_Firewood]

With Oak you will be lucky if it's dry enough to burn by winter 2018 never mind this winter

[ostosix]

Sandpiper, thats a good tip about vapour barrier. 

Ashes Firewood... thats what i was thinking! I maybe better selling it.

 

[briquette_seller]

Put them in the microwave. Someone on here was doing that, forgetting who