Humidifiers for Guitar/Home Studio..

[duane v]

"An invisible mist humidifier uses a wick to absorb water from the reservoir, pulling it up toward a small fan. Some of the water evaporates, based on the humidity level of the air around it. Then the fan blows that evaporated water up in an invisible, cool stream of moist air."

[duane v]

No need to use distilled water as long as you are using the bacteria solution. The difference is that water vapor unit you bought just throws water mist into the air until the RH percentage is reached..... For me that isn't a good solution for humidifying a room full of guitars and electronic amps....

You can use what you like... Like I said I wouldn't use a water vapor unit that sends a cloud of unevaporated water into my guitar room..... Maybe I would use that if I had  greenery or horrible allergies, but since I don't have either I wouldn't go near those with a 10 ft pole. 

[duane v]

My system doesn't blow fog or a water mist...lol ... as stated previously the one I use is an invisible mist humidifier.

So ya if I had one of those units you had I wouldn't place it anywhere near my guitars.... But I wouldn't purchase that option. 

 

 

[duane v]

1 hour ago, Larsongs said:

I went to their website & typed in the model #HD1409 & this is their Link, https://www.sylvane.com/aircare-valiant-whole-house-humidifier.html?_srt=ssr&keywords=hd1409

It looks good but do you think it's overkill for an 11X13 Room?? I like the idea of a 5 Gallon tank & able to use Tap Water.. How expensive are the filters & how often do you change them? 

Is there a way to check if your Guitar is at a proper Humidity level?? And, if so, how? And, what is the proper humidity level??

Thanks..

I have mine set for 40% and that works great for the dry SoCal weather. 

I change mine out every six months but my room is 2x the size of yours. The filters are  $40 for the 8 pack and I haven't used them all yet in two years. I also have Humidity and Temperature Indicator... see link below.

 

https://www.amazon.com/AIRCARE-Replacement-Wicking-Humidifier-Filter/dp/B07P45MPPC/ref=asc_df_B07P45MPPC/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=241917938064&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15706542566335046159&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1013962&hvtargid=pla-649438030985&th=1

 

https://www.coleparmer.com/i/digi-sense-precalibrated-humidity-and-temperature-indicator/2025030?PubID=UX&persist=true&ip=no&gclid=CjwKCAjw9-KTBhBcEiwAr19ig8F9Aeiz3XgZqHTkPwgd4XUjFS_Qbf-gauPc9xGxY8LP1wtnPXi90hoCEAsQAvD_BwE

[ghost_of_fl]

5 hours ago, Larsongs said:

Question; OK, I turned on the Humidifier, my 11 X 13 room humidity is 30%. I set the humidifier for 40% humidity.. over the course of 3-4 hours the humidity in the room increased to 34%. It took a gallon of water to achieve that.. Seems like it will take a ton of water & a lot of time to get to just 40% humidity.

 

Ok so I set mine to the same settings at around 12:00pm.    It was reading 20% humidity.  Now at 4:30 it's reading 37% humidity.    The room is 24' x 22'.  It most definitely didn't take 2/3 of my reservoir to get there.   

[Larsongs]

3 minutes ago, ghost_of_fl said:

Ok so I set mine to the same settings at around 12:00pm.    It was reading 20% humidity.  Now at 4:30 it's reading 37% humidity.    The room is 24' x 22'.  It most definitely didn't take 2/3 of my reservoir to get there.   

Where are you located? Have you been humidifying your room for some time? If the Hygrometers are registering just air humidity is it taking into account the Room & Guitars internal Humidity? I wouldn’t think so.. Especially if you’ve been humidifying your Room for some time.. But, I don’t know for sure?

[ghost_of_fl]

Nah I just moved recently and haven't been using it at all.  I'm in NY. 

My hygrometer needs to be replaced, I'm just going by what it says on the digital display of the Levoit.  The humidity inside your cases and instruments will definitely be different than the air humidity until it has been running in the room for some time.    Does your hygrometer generally match up with what the Levoit says humidity-wise?

[Larsongs]

7 hours ago, ghost_of_fl said:

Nah I just moved recently and haven't been using it at all.  I'm in NY. 

My hygrometer needs to be replaced, I'm just going by what it says on the digital display of the Levoit.  The humidity inside your cases and instruments will definitely be different than the air humidity until it has been running in the room for some time.    Does your hygrometer generally match up with what the Levoit says humidity-wise?

It did match up..  I got it at Home Depot. It’s made by Accurite & cost $14.00… It shows current Temperature & Humidity. As well as the High & Low Temperature & Humidity of the day..

Edited May 10 by Larsongs

[fortyearspickn]

As I touched on a few days ago - the  air has to get and stay humid for awhile as the materials in the room - wooden flooring, rugs, leather couches, as well as guitars, absorb the invisible moisture.   Some  materials can retain more moisture - compare a sponge to a brick or wood to plastic - and will imperceptibly steal moisture from the air while other materials are 'full'.   But, as Ghost said - it shouldn't have taken that long and that much water to get to 40% and it shouldn't have dropped off rapidly ... unless you LEFT the door open and had your AC or Fan blowing.   My room has double 'french' doors with a quarter inch gap between and I can feel the air blowing out when they are closed and the Central Air system is active.  Since I always keep the doors closed, I got on chair and adjusted the air vent to a minimum to get to a less volatile space.  I shoot for 50%,  but that's me. 

Interesting Duane's  info  on the wick type   VS the  mist blowing ultra-sonic .   I definitely wouldn't want a mist floating over near my guitars or electronics. 

[ghost_of_fl]

2 hours ago, fortyearspickn said:

Interesting Duane's  info  on the wick type   VS the  mist blowing ultra-sonic .   I definitely wouldn't want a mist floating over near my guitars or electronics. 

So what you get from the "non-wick type" is a small amount of mist where the vapor comes out.  It quickly disappears because you are blowing mist into dry air.   Even very close to the unit where the mist is falling, it is never damp to the touch, because the vapor immediately evaporates into the room air instead of creating condensation. 

Long story short I don't believe for a second that the water vapor which is evaporating a foot from the humidifier is magically re-saturating the air when it reaches my guitars.   If you set it to shut off when the humidity reaches 40 or 50%, it just doesn't makes sense that the room would ever fill with a cloud of water vapor.   

[mihcmac]

I still have to run a de-humidifier to fight off too much condensation, corrosion and oxidation. But this part of the joy of having all the windows open all year around for fresh air..

[ghost_of_fl]

"I had an upright - it took me years and years to get enough bread to get it. I'm from Florida, so one morning I woke up, go in the corner, and the bass is in a hundred pieces 'cause the humidity is so bad. I mean, the upright just blew up. I said, 'Forget it, man. I can't afford this anymore.'"

~Jaco Pastorius

[Larsongs]

6 hours ago, fortyearspickn said:

As I touched on a few days ago - the  air has to get and stay humid for awhile as the materials in the room - wooden flooring, rugs, leather couches, as well as guitars, absorb the invisible moisture.   Some  materials can retain more moisture - compare a sponge to a brick or wood to plastic - and will imperceptibly steal moisture from the air while other materials are 'full'.   But, as Ghost said - it shouldn't have taken that long and that much water to get to 40% and it shouldn't have dropped off rapidly ... unless you LEFT the door open and had your AC or Fan blowing.   My room has double 'french' doors with a quarter inch gap between and I can feel the air blowing out when they are closed and the Central Air system is active.  Since I always keep the doors closed, I got on chair and adjusted the air vent to a minimum to get to a less volatile space.  I shoot for 50%,  but that's me. 

Interesting Duane's  info  on the wick type   VS the  mist blowing ultra-sonic .   I definitely wouldn't want a mist floating over near my guitars or electronics. 

Where I live, Palm Springs, Ca.,  it’s hot so I run A/C all day this time of year & thru Summer… I did leave the door closed & humidity started at 29%. After a few hours it was 32% in my 11 X 13 Room… It used aprox a gallon of Distelled water… 

That’s another question. From what I read on all the Humidifiers I don’t see anything that states Distilled or Purified Water is required. Whether they have reusable Filter or not.. Can Tap Water be used in all of them?

Edited May 10 by Larsongs

[ghost_of_fl]

OK so the 2 are fighting each other.  The A/C dehumidifies (that's why they drip water) and the humidifier is trying to compensate for the moisture the A/C is removing.  That is a problem I don't have.  On the east coast the summer heat generally brings humidity.  

[ghost_of_fl]

6 minutes ago, Larsongs said:

 It used aprox a gallon of Distelled water… 

that's crazy, so about 2/3 of the reservoir?  I turned mine on this morning at 8am with the reservoir full and left it running all day.   It's 5pm here now and I only went through about 1/4 of the water.  I'll see how long it takes to run out a full tank.  

[Larsongs]

12 minutes ago, ghost_of_fl said:

that's crazy, so about 2/3 of the reservoir?  I turned mine on this morning at 8am with the reservoir full and left it running all day.   It's 5pm here now and I only went through about 1/4 of the water.  I'll see how long it takes to run out a full tank.  

I currently have 13 Guitars out in the Room too… To be re-humidified..

[fortyearspickn]

6 hours ago, ghost_of_fl said:

So what you get from the "non-wick type" is a small amount of mist where the vapor comes out.  It quickly disappears because you are blowing mist into dry air.   Even very close to the unit where the mist is falling, it is never damp to the touch, because the vapor immediately evaporates into the room air instead of creating condensation. 

Long story short I don't believe for a second that the water vapor which is evaporating a foot from the humidifier is magically re-saturating the air when it reaches my guitars.   If you set it to shut off when the humidity reaches 40 or 50%, it just doesn't makes sense that the room would ever fill with a cloud of water vapor.   

Agree.   I have the ultrasonic type - if you set it only to half way - the mist doesn't get more than a couple of feet out.  Will run for 2 days on half a gallon of distilled water.  It's a balancing act.  One, I might not mind trying in HI.  Lived in Jacksonville, Ft.Lauderdale and Miami -  probably not a lot different.  "It's not the heat, it's the humidity."  

[Larsongs]

On 5/9/2022 at 8:16 AM, duane v said:

Send it back. You don't want a humidifier that sends water vapors into the air like that one. It's bad for amp electronics, your electronics in your guitars and eventually you'll have bacteria build up in your room causing some lung issues. 

I don't think the Le Voit is going to work out. There is nothing wrong with it other than it doesn't fit in my small studio.. A Tower type would be preferable.. 

Would this be a good choice for my 11 X 13 Studio?

https://aircareproducts.com/humidifiers/tower-d46720/

[ghost_of_fl]

It probably would, but that one has 2 Gal capacity.  Didn't the one from Duane's link have a 5 Gal tank?  For $50 more that might be the way to go.  

The Levoit in my case ran for about 26-28 hours before I needed to refill it. 

[Larsongs]

3 hours ago, ghost_of_fl said:

It probably would, but that one has 2 Gal capacity.  Didn't the one from Duane's link have a 5 Gal tank?  For $50 more that might be the way to go.  

The Levoit in my case ran for about 26-28 hours before I needed to refill it. 

The bigger one would be great but it’s too big for my Studio.. I have a space that’s 15” wide between a door to a Closet & a door to a Bath room that a Tower type would fit perfect & not be in the way of anything.. 

 

Edited May 11 by Larsongs

[ghost_of_fl]

That might be your best bet then.  I have the same problem with not really knowing where to put the Levoit.  I have it sitting on a small travel case right now.   It's going through much less of the reservoir today, refilled at 8am and 10 hours later it's only 1/4 empty.   My sinuses feel great.  😄

[duane v]

4 hours ago, Larsongs said:

I don't think the Le Voit is going to work out. There is nothing wrong with it other than it doesn't fit in my small studio.. A Tower type would be preferable.. 

Would this be a good choice for my 11 X 13 Studio?

https://aircareproducts.com/humidifiers/tower-d46720/

I think that one will work. The one I have is technically too big for my room, but I do like the fact I don’t have to refill the resiviores often.

[Larsongs]

3 hours ago, duane v said:

I think that one will work. The one I have is technically too big for my room, but I do like the fact I don’t have to refill the resiviores often.

It would be great if it were taller & could hold more water. 

[fortyearspickn]

10 hours ago, Larsongs said:

It would be great if it were taller & could hold more water. 

It would be great if I were taller and could hold more beer...

[duane v]

11 hours ago, Larsongs said:

It would be great if it were taller & could hold more water. 

With you living in Palms Spring it's gonna be a never ending battle with fighting off the lack of humidity. I live in La Verne and and have many instances of RH in the 20's. If I'm working on electronics I bring a little work table upstairs and my ESD mat and do my electronics work in the jam room.