Relative Humidity and Temperature

Started by ST, August 31, 2018, 10:05:12 AM

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Hi Folks!

Yes, I've read the Guitar Care and Maintenance document on the Larrivée site

I'm setting up a new studio and I've had a guitar vault built in the back.  I keep the whole place cool (about 19 degrees Celsius or 66 degrees Fahrenheit). My electronic hygrometer tells me the relative humidity is hovering around 69%. 

Do you think I need to add a dehumidifier to the vault?



I would not want my acoustic guitars exposed for long periods to 69% RH.

Hi sdelsolray,

Thanks for your thoughts.  I just arrived at the new place and the temperature is 18 degrees Celsius (64.4 Fahrenheit) and the relative humidity is 62%.  It's a small space - about 240 cubic feet.  It would be a pain to put a dehumidifier in there and I'd lose valuable space.  I wonder if silica dehumidifier packs would help - and then, the question is - how many would I need?

I'd prefer not to have some device running all the time in this otherwise, extremely quiet space.

Does anybody have any ideas?

Thanks,

ST

Raising the temperature may lower the RH
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Pain is a good thing

69% is so bad.Do you leave the guitars in there case's while stored?If so put a hygrometer in the locker or in the case's and see what it reads.I've played gigs in high humidity with out problems afterwards.you could also run a small heater to help dry it out some and take the heater in and out.
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Hi Guys,

I guess I'll have to do some climate control in there. The relative humidity in the studio is the same - but I think I'll get another hygrometer just to see if there's really a problem.

The place is new, and it's set in a large, heavily wooded area. 

Yes unclrob, all the guitars are in their cases. Tomorrow I'll have time to check for signs of high humidity.

Thanks everyone for your interest.

ST

Hi, guys, I read somewhere that in high humidity, it's even more humid inside the case!  So get those beauties out of their cases and into some circulating air(a fan?).  My acoustics had a coming out party in mid April when the furnace shut off...in stands and on the wall..with ceiling fan...in October it's back in their cases with humidifiers for the winter.   :nana_guitar


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It's only more humid in the case if there's a humidifier in there. A case is definitely the safest place for them and whole room humidification is the way to go.
Not only is high RH dangerous, but the guitars won't sound as good. I keep mine slightly dry (40%) at 73 to 78*F. Doesn't affect their health at all, but they vibrate very freely and sound better than when I've had them around 55%.
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That definitely seems too high, although, as someone made reference to, the RH will decrease as temperature increases, but I still think you will be too moist even at a more "normal" temperature.

But my reason for replying is to ask what brand of RH meter people prefer, and to suggest that you might want to compare yours to a different monitor.  I have 3 NIST traceable meters in my guitar room, and they read up to 15% apart (that's 15% absolute, not relative to each other).

I use the D'addario humidity pack inside of all my guitarcases. It works extremly good. I have 48% humidity, it never goes up to 50% and never below 45 %. The cases are standing in a wooden closet in a room without direct sunlight. The roomtemperature is about 22C.
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Hi Everybody,

A quick update. I got a small heater and it keeps the vault at 24-25 degrees Celsius (75-77 degrees Fahrenheit). At that temperature, the relative humidity hovers around 40-45 percent. That may be a little warm but it's in the safe zone.

http://www.acousticfingerstyle.com/humdity.htm

Thanks for all your comments and concern.

Quote from: ST on September 24, 2018, 07:29:30 PM
A quick update. I got a small heater and it keeps the vault at 24-25 degrees Celsius (75-77 degrees Fahrenheit). At that temperature, the relative humidity hovers around 40-45 percent. That may be a little warm but it's in the safe zone.
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Just my two cents.
My "music room" (furthest from the outside doors) runs 74 to 76 F and 42 - 50 percent humidity.
I run the AC to keep it that way.
If it gets below 42 percent (deep cold winter in south Texas with the heater on) the guitars go in the cases with humidifiers.
The guitars (six Larrivees) are all on stands on a table normally and do great.
Mike
Larrivee OM-03, OM-03 laurel, OM-50, L-03 laurel, LSV-03 walnut (Forum VI)

Quote from: ST on September 24, 2018, 07:29:30 PM
Hi Everybody,

A quick update. I got a small heater and it keeps the vault at 24-25 degrees Celsius (75-77 degrees Fahrenheit). At that temperature, the relative humidity hovers around 40-45 percent. That may be a little warm but it's in the safe zone.

http://www.acousticfingerstyle.com/humdity.htm

Thanks for all your comments and concern.


Great to hear!
I had to smile at the "a little warm" thing though. Mine stay warmer than that most of the time here in AZ and there's no issue whatsoever.
D-09 Brazilian w/ Eagle inlay. D-02-12
Used to own and love; SD-50, J70 maple Mermaid, SD60sbt, D03R, LV03E.

Here in Michigan, I have to run a dehumidifier most of the summer and a humidifier all winter.
I have 3 or 4 hygrometers (so I never know what the RH is).  :laughin:

It might be possible that your hygrometer is inaccurate (?). Its worth a check on that. More than 60% seems awfully high somehow based on your description.

Ok I guess my little brain doesn't quite get humidity.
I live in raincity Vancouver. What confuses me is that it can be a monsoon outside but if open my windows the humidity plummets? So ya I get the it must be escaping out the window but if the humidity outside is 93 percent the you would think it would go up by letting in the air?
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Quote from: Jeffykcs on December 19, 2018, 12:45:39 AM
Ok I guess my little brain doesn't quite get humidity.
I live in raincity Vancouver. What confuses me is that it can be a monsoon outside but if open my windows the humidity plummets? So ya I get the it must be escaping out the window but if the humidity outside is 93 percent the you would think it would go up by letting in the air?


Hi Jeffykcs,

If the temperature outside was as warm as inside, you would be right.

QuoteRelative humidity depends on temperature and the pressure of the system of interest. The same amount of water vapor results in higher relative humidity in cool air than warm air.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relative_humidity

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