Dehumidifier

Scot_39

And you conflate domestic with the right to break electrical safety.  Try explaining that to your home insurer if things go wrong.

DiY electrical used to be common - most work - new work (inc non like for like upgrades) - is now by certified electricians -  sockets, external lights etc etc - the law has changed - just as the standards expected by regs changes.  The Part P rules in part accelerated into law after death of a lhouse of lords members daughter iirc caused by poor work in a kitchen.

And electrical - including safety - appraisals / inspections are common domestically- a legal necessity for millions of private landlords - and electrics like CU and isolation / protection commented on in all house surveys I've ever seen - so its not purely industrial.

And despite the dropping of the 2 year period from rule - meters are still iirc subject to a requirement for periodic safety inspections.

And as to the concept the room is truly dry - particularly in the context of a small room with no space to move around the quantity of laundry drying in it.

It might be worth asking yourself the question - if the laundry is making the air damp enough for the dehumidifier to extract it - what other potentially cold surfaces in the room are also getting a layer of damp from the air.

In the same way windows, porcelain fittings and walls would likely show heavy condensation with no dehumidifier.  

And so then what happens to those surface condensation levels if the dehumidifier cuts out - fails, goes into defrost mode if room jnhet whilst door closed, or as discussed above tank fills etc.

And where and what that could even drip onto - including potentially a trailing socket - if inside the bathroom.

Emmia

Scot_39 said:

And you conflate domestic with the right to break electrical safety.  Try explaining that to your home insurer if things go wrong.

DiY electrical used to be common - most work - new work (inc non like for like upgrades) - is now by certified electricians -  sockets, external lights etc etc - the law has changed - just as the standards expected by regs changes.  The Part P rules in part accelerated into law after death of a lhouse of lords members daughter iirc caused by poor work in a kitchen.

And electrical - including safety - appraisals / inspections are common domestically- a legal necessity for millions of private landlords - and electrics like CU and isolation / protection commented on in all house surveys I've ever seen - so its not purely industrial.

And despite the dropping of the 2 year period from rule - meters are still iirc subject to a requirement for periodic safety inspections.

And as to the concept the room is truly dry - particularly in the context of a small room with no space to move around the quantity of laundry drying in it.

It might be worth asking yourself the question - if the laundry is making the air damp enough for the dehumidifier to extract it - what other potentially cold surfaces in the room are also getting a layer of damp from the air.

In the same way windows, porcelain fittings and walls would likely show heavy condensation with no dehumidifier.  

And so then what happens to those surface condensation levels if the dehumidifier cuts out - fails, goes into defrost mode if room whilst door closed, or as discussed above tank fills etc.

And where and what that could even drip onto - including potentially a trailing socket - if inside the bathroom.

You won't agree with me, but I think that you, like Eli_Dos are also now clutching at straws to justify your statements.

If the tank gets full the dehumidifier cuts out.

From my personal situation, my bathroom is not ice cold - there is heating in there which works. In addition as it's hardly used for bathing and showering it's dry, not damp and I have an extractor fan (no window) with a humidistat that keeps it that way... So condensation isn't a problem. The door is also usually left open when someone isn't using the loo or washing is being dried so air circulates.

The dehumidifier is not used overnight or when the house is unoccupied. We also don't use the washing machine or dishwasher when the house is empty or overnight.

I don't see how my arrangement is more of a risk than drying washing in my lounge or a spare bedroom. 

Ectophile

With all this talk of safety rules, Building Regulations Part P, and BS7671 "Wiring Regulations", only apply to the fixed electrical installation.  That's the wiring and fixed fittings (lights, switches, sockets, etc).

If you can pick it up or wheel it around, and it comes with a plug, then it's an appliance.  It should meet the relevant product safety regulations and be CE or UKCA marked.  If you're daft enough to wheel your dehumidifier into the shower, then that's your problem.  There's no rules to stop you.

Scot_39

No one thinks something bad will happen until it does.

The history of safety legislation in tge uk is sadly litered with such lessons.

Scot_39

Ectophile said:

With all this talk of safety rules, Building Regulations Part P, and BS7671 "Wiring Regulations", only apply to the fixed electrical installation.  That's the wiring and fixed fittings (lights, switches, sockets, etc).

If you can pick it up or wheel it around, and it comes with a plug, then it's an appliance.  It should meet the relevant product safety regulations and be CE or UKCA marked.  If you're daft enough to wheel your dehumidifier into the shower, then that's your problem.  There's no rules to stop you.

I accept all of that.

Eldi_Dos

RedFraggle said:

Eldi_Dos said:

Emmia said:

Eldi_Dos said:

Emmia said:

Eldi_Dos said:

Swipe said:

Scot_39 said:

And you dont have to be using the bath or shower - for the pipework to spring a leak - and risk flowing all over an unattended electrical extenion lead socket and plug.

I guess that rules out using them in utility rooms and kitchens then

Extension leads yes I would agree, especially  if left for a length of time.

It would be interesting to hear from those who do use a extension lead for what we are discussing whether they fully uncoil it or only run it out enough to reach the portable appliance?

Fully uncoiled.

Sorry that was a bit of a low blow, as you can be criticised whatever the answer.

In fairness the lead is not left out, and the dehumidifier is not left in the bathroom when not in active use.

You do know that if you move a compressor type dehumidifier you are meant to leave it for a couple of hours before switching on.

I'm guessing I get zero points for keeping it in the unused bathroom though 😉.
Is it actually a bathroom though? The door's shut and I can't see in. It was a bathroom but what if a subatomic event has removed the bath, basin and loo and it's an empty room now. 
I'll check with Schrödinger before I open the door. Or maybe send the cat in. 

Never could get my head round that  Schrodiner cat thing, Meet the Fockers and the cat scene are more to my liking while I ponder the use of opposable thumbs.

Eldi_Dos

Emmia said:

Swipe said:

Eldi_Dos said:

Emmia said:

Eldi_Dos said:

Emmia said:

Eldi_Dos said:

Swipe said:

Scot_39 said:

And you dont have to be using the bath or shower - for the pipework to spring a leak - and risk flowing all over an unattended electrical extenion lead socket and plug.

I guess that rules out using them in utility rooms and kitchens then

Extension leads yes I would agree, especially  if left for a length of time.

It would be interesting to hear from those who do use a extension lead for what we are discussing whether they fully uncoil it or only run it out enough to reach the portable appliance?

Fully uncoiled.

Sorry that was a bit of a low blow, as you can be criticised whatever the answer.

In fairness the lead is not left out, and the dehumidifier is not left in the bathroom when not in active use.

You do know that if you move a compressor type dehumidifier you are meant to leave it for a couple of hours before switching on.

That's only if you fail to keep it upright, which is why many are on castors. 

Ours is on castors, and wheeled, not lifted (it's too heavy really for that). It doesn't go up or downstairs, it moves from its storage position into the "in use" position. 

So moved in a way it is designed for.

But not I note to a place it is designed for.

Eldi_Dos

EssexHebridean said:

Eldi_Dos said:

Swipe said:

Eldi_Dos said:

Emmia said:

Eldi_Dos said:

Emmia said:

Eldi_Dos said:

Swipe said:

Scot_39 said:

And you dont have to be using the bath or shower - for the pipework to spring a leak - and risk flowing all over an unattended electrical extenion lead socket and plug.

I guess that rules out using them in utility rooms and kitchens then

Extension leads yes I would agree, especially  if left for a length of time.

It would be interesting to hear from those who do use a extension lead for what we are discussing whether they fully uncoil it or only run it out enough to reach the portable appliance?

Fully uncoiled.

Sorry that was a bit of a low blow, as you can be criticised whatever the answer.

In fairness the lead is not left out, and the dehumidifier is not left in the bathroom when not in active use.

You do know that if you move a compressor type dehumidifier you are meant to leave it for a couple of hours before switching on.

That's only if you fail to keep it upright, which is why many are on castors. 

But I would posit that many when moving a dehumidifier will use two hands, one on the carryhandle and one on the base of dehumidifier, to help spread the load.

I would suggest that you are wrong. Not only have I (in 20 years or so of dehumidifier use) never moved one in that way (indeed - it wouldn't even occur to me to do so) I have seen a reasonable number of people move theirs, and never seen any of them do such a ludicrous thing, either.

It feels like you are now grasping at straws in order to bolster your perceived position on the moral high ground and keep this thread running with ever thinner arguments. You've used "scare statistics" without any form of context - and indeed, in a way that was designed to make it seem that they were something (UK figures) they were not. You've referred to "safety appraisals" which suggests that you are conflating what must be done in an industrial setting with what most people would do in a home setting. Quite honestly, if you are the sort of person that would tip a dehumidifier onto its side to move it, then I would very much suggest that you personally should continue to follow every single rule to the Nth degree, too - it's probably best, in your case. 

Not me who is keeping thread running on ever thinner arguments, I am just being polite and replying to posters who quote me.

As regards the fiqures you mention I made my Mea Culpa as soon as I realised the fiqures did not apply to UK only and apologised, I had hoped that would suffice, but apparantly not.

Concerning the carrying of dehumidifiers you may note I said many not all. I myself do use two hands when I move the 13 kg dehumidifier from the hall to the kitchen worktop when I carry out routine cleaning and service to the dehumidifier before it goes back to its sensible position in the hall where it can dehumidify the rooms that open onto the hall, as per manufacturer's recommendation's.

Eldi_Dos

Thats me RIP with this thread seems to be getting a bit personalised.

Seems you can take a horse to water but not a dehumidifier.

masonic

Eldi_Dos said:
Concerning the carrying of dehumidifiers you may note I said many not all. I myself do use two hands when I move the 13 kg dehumidifier from the hall to the kitchen worktop when I carry out routine cleaning and service to the dehumidifier before it goes back to its sensible position in the hall where it can dehumidify the rooms that open onto the hall, as per manufacturer's recommendation's.

That certainly sounds a bit rubbish in terms of design. The ones I have come across have all either had a single handle at the top or side, but been small enough and light enough to lift with one hand, or had a handle on each side so that they can be lifted upright with two hands. Though I should think in your scenario, the safest way to lift would be handle in one hand, fingers hooked under the base with the other, and lift upright using the knees. This will also make it easier to put down and avoid any twisting motion. Also, you don't get wet feet if you accidentally forget to empty the tank!