Condensation

Michaeljp86

Michaeljp86

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Its been cold this week, in the teens and today it was to the 40s. Everything is drenched in condensation. Ive been trying to keep the lathe soaked in WD40 to keep rust away. Anyone have any good ideas to keep the rust away. This is one reason Im worried about buying a VFD. Im afraid our temperature changes will raise hell with it.
 
It will happen whenever the dew point is higher than an object's temperature. The only preventive is to keep the moist air out, or raise the temperature of the machinery above the dew point.
 
It's the temperature swings that make matters even worse. In the daytime, the equipment warms up a little then it cools off quickly at sundown -and the moisture in the air immediately condenses on the warmer equipment.

I used to just make sure the equipment had a coat of oil and that did the trick but now, I keep the garage heated (albeit at low temperature) 24x7. Noticeable improvement. Ideally, it would be good to have a thermostat that keeps the inside temps constantly about 4-5 degrees warmer than outside. That would be the ideal solution.
 
Ray C said:
It's the temperature swings that make matters even worse. In the daytime, the equipment warms up a little then it cools off quickly at sundown -and the moisture in the air immediately condenses on the warmer equipment.

I used to just make sure the equipment had a coat of oil and that did the trick but now, I keep the garage heated (albeit at low temperature) 24x7. Noticeable improvement. Ideally, it would be good to have a thermostat that keeps the inside temps constantly about 4-5 degrees warmer than outside. That would be the ideal solution.
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I guess Ill just have to keep it covered in oil, this drafty old building isnt getting heat any time soon.
 
Add heat is likely the only real way to control the problem. One can never seal tight enough to solve it that way. If you can you could use a small radiant heater that points down on your equipment and use a thermostat to control it. Mind you, you will have to compensate from time to time for the temps from season to season. This is what I have done but I have not added the thermostat yet but will shortly. I am manually controlly it at the moment by using a remote temp sensor and watching the relative humidity. I am also thinking of using a new type of control called a DEWSTOP that will in my case turn on the heater instead of a fan it was originally designed for.
Pierre
 
Ray C said:
It's the temperature swings that make matters even worse. In the daytime, the equipment warms up a little then it cools off quickly at sundown -and the moisture in the air immediately condenses on the warmer equipment.
Click to expand...

Methinks you have that backwards old buddy. Cool machines condense warm humid air, just like a glass of iced tea sweats. I have that problem with some of my raw materials in an unheated outbuilding. After a few days of cool, everything in there is nice and chilly, then a warm front moves in bringing moisture with it, and everything gets wet. Doesn't hurt anything, as most all of it is SS or Brass or some such. Carbon and alloy I keep in the main shop.
 
I am in the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. My equipment is in a heated garage, but I only heat during September through December. We head south January through April and the garage remains unheated during this time. I apply lots of oil and cover my equipment when unheated, but have found that I still lose the battle with condensation. In turn, I heat to keep me warm. Regarding VFDs, I have one powering my lathe and remove it from the garage when I am gone. The company that I purchased the VFD from told me that the VFD should not experience temps below -10. Temps below -10 will destroy the electonics in the VFD.
 
Doooh! Your're right... That's what I get when replying in a hurry.


Tony Wells said:
Methinks you have that backwards old buddy. Cool machines condense warm humid air, just like a glass of iced tea sweats. I have that problem with some of my raw materials in an unheated outbuilding. After a few days of cool, everything in there is nice and chilly, then a warm front moves in bringing moisture with it, and everything gets wet. Doesn't hurt anything, as most all of it is SS or Brass or some such. Carbon and alloy I keep in the main shop.
Click to expand...
 
When I was rebuilding my tractor engine it warmed up on me. You could imagine my face when I keep everything nice and clean and the next day the engine is soaked it water.
 
If there is not a lot of air turnover, you could try a dehumidifier. Otherwise heat is the only real answer.
 
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