Condensation Problem

[Bob/Mn]

I have a Shappell 3000 portable and heat it with a sun flower heater.
When ever the temp fall into the teens I get a lot of condensation inside the house.
Any suggestions on how to solve the problem.

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Bob/MN

[Guest]

Not much you can do.

Almost every house I have fished in has had this problem. Ones with a plastic like coating are the worst, but canvas does it too.

You can lessen it by keeping the floor as dry as possible and keeping the door, windows or vents open a little more.

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[Guest]

quit breathing so hard......sorry I couldn't resist

[CNY Tim]

Bigguns! - LMAO too funny. I was gonna suggest something else but it's a family forum.

[Brian Gilbertson]

About all that works for me is to open up as much ventilation as you can and crank up the heater. In my old Trap, I get sometimes 1/8 of ice and frost on the inside roof when it's really cold. Then, when I crank up the heater, it melts and starts raining on me! My new Nordic has two vents near the roof which have, so far, kept things a lot drier.

[Sgt. Rock]

My cousin solved the problem in his perm. shack by going with a wood stove. Small little beauty and dry heat. No moisture from the propane. Something about the wood fire makes it feel homey!!

[pj4]

i use the sun flower or the mr heater in my otter magnum and dont have that problem. i do have both upper vents open for a draft. do you think the thicker canvas on otter has a better insulating value? or a better venting system?

[WoodlandSavage]

I have an otter cabin with sunflower heat and it only gets condensation build-up when the temp is at 15F or below. I think only because my Mr. Heater can't pump out enough heat when it gets that cold. I try venting it, but it never seems to help when it gets really cold.

You should see the layers of ice built up on the inside when I take it up to Dryden and it's -40 out!

[Crappie Killer]

Since I've switched to a kerosene heater, (omni 105, I believe) I've not had the condensation problems sunflower heaters create. Odorless and whisper quiet, too.

[the big dipper]

someone should try cutting a 2'X3' or so flap out of the ceiling material and sewing in a breathable panel (polar fleece maybe?). Something that would let most of the humid vapor (and fumes) out-while still retaining heat and blocking wind. The flap of original material could have velcro strips or a zipper to fasten it up when you would prefer it closed.

I sewed up a homemade portable out of a breathable cloth, and it had no condensate- the drawback was that the wind blew through and it was cold when windy. I solved that prob. somewhat by coating one wall with a rubberized waterproofing compound and then always setting up with that side to the wind.

[scalescratcher]

Haven't been able to eliminate it under some conditions but found that adding a "pitch" to the roof by inserting something between the tarp and the frame has helped move the drip pattern off to the edges.

[Guest]

Propane creates a ton of moisture, its hard to escape except keep some ventalation going helps.
Kerosene Heater?? Intresting.. do tell us more about this please. is it efficient? and where did you get it.

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Crappie:
It's the other white meat.

[This message has been edited by frozenminnow (edited 12-10-2003).]

[kslipsinker]

This is something that a friend of mine said to try, but I haven't verified that it works. Put a thermal blanket between the frame and the cover. It will retain heat better and reduce condensation. You can use the foil like survival blankets that are available in camping stores or the ones you carry in a car for winter emergency.

[solofisherman]

I hang a wool blanket from pole to pole. It holds in the heat a lot better and no dripping on my head.

[WoodlandSavage]

I believe that the colder it gets outside, the warmer it needs to stay inside your fishhouse to keep the condensation from building up. Sometime the sunflower heater doesn't get hot enough to keep the condensation off. Not much you can do about that?!

I have an otter cabin w/ sunflower heat. The only time condensation builds up is when it's about 10F or below.