Cost: £180 (but can be found on offers which I did at £120.)
Date of Review: 21/1/2018
Background:
I am little concerned about the Mustang rusting away before my very eyes. So I try to do everything I can to prevent it. I installed a radiator to frost out of the garage, the walls are insulated, the ceiling had insulation to keep the car warm, but not too hot.
The temperature is important, but the quality of the air is important if not more so. If the air is too humid, metal will get damp and start rotting. Too dry and the leather, rubber and plastic parts can dry out. I have researched the pros and cons and what is good value for money; this is what I came up with.
The Sales Pitch from PureMate:
- Extracts up to 12 litres of moisture per day. Rapid control of humidity & indoor laundry drying. Controls mould, condensation and bacteria growth.
- Adjustable humidity – Continuous or range of 40% to 80% relative humidity. Noise Level 43dB.
- Automatic shut off safety feature for preventing overheating of compressor and overflowing water. Dual fan speeds and 24 hour timer function. 1.5 Litre Removable Water Tank Capacity.
- Digital LCD display, practical solution for laundry drying , washable pre-filter included. Product Dimensions(LxWxH): 27x 17x 49 cm
- Portable & Easy to move with casters and Lightweight compressor. Direct drain option for continuous operation.
Source: http://www.puremate.co.uk/puremate-pm-412-portable-dehumidifier-with-ioniser-12-litre.html
What You Get:
1 x PureMate 12 Litre Dehumidifier
1 x English User Manual
Power Supply AC 220-240V 50Hz
Moisture Removal 12L/24h (under test condition 30oC, 80%)
6L/24h (under test condition 27oC, 60%)
Air Flow (nominal) 105 m3/h
Noise Level on Low/High 43dB/46dB (+/-2dB)
Negative Ion Output ≥3 ×106/cm3
Coverage Area Up to 18 m2 (194 ft2)
Water Tank Volume 1.5L
Fan Speeds Low, High, Dry
Timer Selection 1-24 hours
Power Consumption 245W/1.06A
Compressor Type Pistol
1 Year Manufacturer Warranty
Compressor Refrigerant R134a
Net Dimensions (L x W x H) 276x 185 x 470(mm)
Gross Dimensions (L x W x H) 320 x 230 x 522(mm)
Net/Gross Weight 10kg (22 lbs.) /11Kg(24.3 lbs.)
Product Description:
This is a portable dehumidifier which can be used in the home or office, or in my case tha garage. It’s relatively light and has lots of features found on many top of the range models.
The unit is compact and doesn’t look like it can do the job to be honest. But looks are very deceptive. The unit is plastic cased and feels solid enough, looks neat and easy to wipe over the outside. The unit looks good in any room or environment.
The unit has a handle where you can move the unit around on the easy glide all independent casters under the unit.
The handle folds away into the top of the unit giving back the smooth unobtrusive lines.
There is a vent flap on the top of the unit under the controls that can be directed to the angle you want, and can be closed to stop anything falling in it. Turning the unit on is a surprise as the unit is quiet even when on full power. I would say no more noisy than a desktop PC on the desk next to you.
The control panel is clear and easy to understand which still has the protective film on the top at the moment.
There indicators for high/low, timer, ion function, dry mode and of course the power. The speed is selected via a cycle sequence which will also engage the dry function as well for washing.
The Timer operates hour intervals all the way up to 24hrs.
The ion button charges the air with negative ions which in effect makes it easier to breath. Not something I expect to use in the garage, but it would be great in the house where allergy problems can be a problem.
The “hum” or humidity button again is a cycle sequence button that goes from 40% – 80% in 5% increments. The digital display will show the current humidity setting and then revert back to the real-time display.
Full indicator is where the storage draw is full of water and will turn the unit off as well. The removable draw will hold one and half litres of water at a time. There is a float on the side which has a magnetic switch sensor for the appliance. The design of the draw is a saddle bag effect with two deep troughs each side then they will be met in the middle as the tray fills up. This is so the tray can sit over the workings at the bottom I suspect.
Here you can see how much moisture was removed from the first night of operation, about a litre in total I would say.
The tray also has a notch that can be removed to alow a pipe for continuous drain. The pipe is a 10mm size and about 1m long.
The back of the unit has an “Active carbon filter” that is easily removed and cleaned under a tap.
The port on the top left is where the tube will fit for the continuous drain. The tray is simple to insert and easy to remove without fuss.
The unit will shut down when the tray is removed while on, and will also start-up again if the unit is on when reinserted.
The power consumption is important to me as well, this unit runs at 200w and some others I have seen run at three times that amount.
Instructions:
The unit is so simple you don’t really need to read them. I have a few of the pages here.
Rating: 8 out 10
Why 8 score? Well the unit says the humidity was 59rh and the digital meter I have says it’s different. Perhaps it’s that level lower to the floor I don’t know. In this case I would expect the read out to be accurate or just a dial. This is my meter I use which sits on top of the car in the middle of the garage. The PureMate unit was set on 55rh over night but the digital shows a low of 45 and a high of 50rh.
I will monitor this closely and adjust until I am happy with the humidity. I would rather atmosphere be on the dry side than the damp side.
I may well re-vist the score at a later date once things have settle down. I haven’t had it long and it could break after a week of constant use.
Ease of use – So simple, turn on, set it and leave it. Until you need to empty it of course.
Conclusion:
The unit has to condition the garage and settle the moisture down as it needs to, then I can fine tune it from from there. Constant drain is the way to go for my garage. To use the clothes dry function would be a boom in the winter no doubt.
I purposefully went for this model due to the low power consumption being run 24/7. Also the fact I wanted constant drain. With those two things in mind, there is not a huge amount of choice for a sensible budget.
Would I recommend it? Yes.
Would I buy it again? Yes, especially at the price of £120 that i paid for it instead of the rrp of £180.