I recently read in a post by Pineywoods about condensation in a solar kiln rotting out the front wall. If memory serves, this was the impetus to install the dehumidifier. What do you do to deal with condensation when the kiln is not in use? Do you prop a door open (vent), or is this not an issue without green lumber releasing moisture into a relatively sealed environment?
Our kiln is being based on the VT design but with the collector and DH like Pineywoods and Planman have.
Jmoore and I sawed out enough wood Wednesday to finish the kiln project. This afternoon, we will begin cutting and installing the foam insulation the he sourced second hand. It came out of a commercial chicken house.
Thank you,
Caveman
I don't know, but it would seem that if you covered the clear panels and cracked open a door or vents, that should minimize condensation.
The VT kiln with a vapor barrier properly installed will not have condensation in the walls. The original kiln that I built at VT in 1978 was removed in 1996.
Thanks, we are installing a vapor barrier on the warm side. I am just trying to cover all of the bases.
Since the pineywoods design I used is built using conventional home walls (proven for over 60 years here in the south) there is little risk for mold inside an idle building. I've had no mold whatsoever. The thread "Solar Dry Kiln Construction" has photos showing the wall construction. Felt was applied over the outside stud walls with siding nailed over it. Typical kraft backed (paper) fiberglass batt insulation was placed in the wall cavities with the paper facing the inside (once again, typical home installation technique.) Finally, a thin siding was nailed over the inside walls to hold the insulation in place.
Good deal, Planman. I will post a picture or two of today's accomplishments in the other post. Thanks.
I've had no problems with condensation in an empty kiln. But I did have a bunch of problems, literally raining inside when I first loaded a stack of very wet boards and had not yet put in the dh unit. My initial thought was that the moisture would condense on the sheet metal collector and dribble down to a small trough at the bottom end. Didn't work at all. The moisture condensed on the bottom of the plastic glazing and ran down into the front wall.