Well, it happened - water in basement!

debodun said:
I asked the guy that brought them to set them up to empty into the sump. He phoo-phooed that idea. I should be happy just to have them and it's good exercise climbing the stairs with a 5 gallon bucket of water.

BTW - why do dehumidifiers have such short electric cords? That limits where they can be put. All info I've seen online says not to use and extension cord with a DH.
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You can use a power strip with surge protection to extend distance. I used many three and six footers in various buildings. Fire Marshal said they were ok. If the surge fuse ever fails, it needs to be replaced (some aren’t replaceable) or a new power strip purchased.
 

more than likely this warning is because typical extension cords are 14/2 with a ground. They can heat up quickly under a load like a high amp humidifier would draw.

Dehumidifier says not to use extension cord

DoItYourself.com
DIY Home Improvement Information | DoItYourself.com
Aug 14, 2017 — Cords can be dangerous for many reasons, which is why manufacturers don't want people to use them. However, they are fine for temporary use.
Questions about running a dehumidfier on an extension cord
Jul 15, 2020
Aprilaire 700 120vac plug but no electrical outlet near by
Dec 4, 2016
More results from www.doityourself.com

Then there are extension cords that can handle the amps.


How many amps can 12 2 extension cord handle?
12-gauge: This gauge is suitable for heavy-duty use, such as powering large power tools and appliances. It can handle up to 20 amps of current and is suitable for cords up to 150 feet in length. May 2, 2023
 
Knight said:
more than likely this warning is because typical extension cords are 14/2 with a ground. They can heat up quickly under a load like a high amp humidifier would draw.

Dehumidifier says not to use extension cord

DoItYourself.com
DIY Home Improvement Information | DoItYourself.com
Aug 14, 2017 — Cords can be dangerous for many reasons, which is why manufacturers don't want people to use them. However, they are fine for temporary use.
Questions about running a dehumidfier on an extension cord
Jul 15, 2020
Aprilaire 700 120vac plug but no electrical outlet near by
Dec 4, 2016
More results from www.doityourself.com

Then there are extension cords that can handle the amps.


How many amps can 12 2 extension cord handle?
12-gauge: This gauge is suitable for heavy-duty use, such as powering large power tools and appliances. It can handle up to 20 amps of current and is suitable for cords up to 150 feet in length. May 2, 2023
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This is important as you've already pointed out.

Many people think they can plug anything into a strip Extension lead simply because there is the available socket space. This isn't the case.. All extension leads have a maximum wattage.. and so must not exceed that..sometimes that means only one item can be plugged in to a 6 socket extension lead depending on it's output For example a Kettle or an electric fire would be the maximum wattage for an extension lead... wheras smaller items could be plugged in at the same time, .. . One of the better types to look for , are ones like I have where each socket has it's own on off switch.. ..and always where possible buy a surge protected gang socket extension lead
 

debodun said:
I asked the guy that brought them to set them up to empty into the sump. He phoo-phooed that idea.
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I would have phoo-phooed that contractor right out of the basement! lol
Running waste water from your dehumidifiers, furnace and water softener into your sump is common practice.
debodun said:
BTW - why do dehumidifiers have such short electric cords? That limits where they can be put. All info I've seen online says not to use and extension cord with a DH.
Click to expand...
Dehumidifiers tend to cycle on and off often, and they have a heavy amp draw when they start, that's why they have short and heavy cords. Short explanation is the longer the electric cord is means more resistance is created making it harder for the dehumidifiers to start which can cause overheating of both the cord and the dehumidifier. The cord can overheat and short out possibly starting a fire, or the life span of the dehumidifier can be shortened because it's always struggling to start due to loss of amperage thru a long cord.

And another obvious reason not to use an extention cord is you basement flooded, do you really want extention cords or power strips laying on the floor?
 
Deb that's a little bit scaremongering above.

As long as you ensure you have a good quality extension lead, and don't put it where it's likely to get wet, it will be absolutely fine to run the de-humidifiers from it.

I have one in my barn which runs on a 4 gang socket extension lead, and has done for 4 years...



if you're in doubt.. call in the advice of an electrician.
 
Screenshot_20240906_160108_Google.jpg
A little bit of scaremongering? Yes, I'll admit to that but not apologize. Thousands upon thousands of people use extension cords improperly, or use an improper cord for their application and never have a problem, but I'll bet 3,300 people wished they'd not taken the chance.

Doesn't matter, Deb never said she was going to use an extension cord, she just asked why dehumidifiers have short cords.
 
Can’t the water from the dehumidifiers be poured down the sump pump. I admit to knowing nothing about them, expect that they remove excess water.

I hate thinking of Deb carrying a 5 gallon pail of water up the stairs. Now I’m starting to think of bad scenarios in the event that she fell.
 
Jules said:
Can’t the water from the dehumidifiers be poured down the sump pump. I admit to knowing nothing about them, expect that they remove excess water.

I hate thinking of Deb carrying a 5 gallon pail of water up the stairs. Now I’m starting to think of bad scenarios in the event that she fell.
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I think in one post Deb shows a new sump pump installed. It makes sense to me to dump that water where the sump pump could pump it out. Not sure if she has her laundry or at least her failing washing machine in the basement, that could be another place to dispose of the water.

I didn't see the post Deb posted while I was typing. But it sure looks easier to slide that cement block out of the way that to chance injury carrying a bucket of water . Even if she were only carrying 3 gallons that would be about 25lbs. . The paver in the pic looks like a 12x12 one inch thick. Probably weighs less than 12 lbs.
 
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debodun said:
The dumpster. Most of what I loaded is in the front and difficult to see because the soaked carpet is in front. It was still dripping off the dumpster this morning. The paneling still has to be removed.

View attachment 363937
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Invite all your neighbors to your Halloween. They''ll love you. Show the slide pictures to them. Have some fun. All is not lost yet!
Mine is cemented to the floor with silicone for Radon Stoppage. Radon Gas removal below the Basement floor with pump. Up thru roof.
 
There are different gauges of wire in extension cords. 16 is the lightest, then 14, 12, and 10 (heaviest). Find one with the thicker wire rated for 15 amps (12 or 10 gauge) and you will be fine as long as you keep the connection and cord secured and all the cord off the floor. Then run that dehumidifier into your sump. This is exactly what I do. The one below is available at Amazon. As far as that sump lid goes, you could probably just secure the dehumidifier hose outlet next to your sump hose. Get some long zip ties to secure things - they are very handy for a lot of things.

61HlQgFnf9L._AC_SX679_.jpg
 
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30 years? Why are you holding onto these things for such a long time @debodun ? There is no need to preserve records that long.

Best way to dry wet documents out is to freeze them in an in tight container. Keeping the temperature below 32° F, the water in the documents is removed through sublimation, which means it goes from a solid (ice) to a gas without becoming a liquid.
 
Gemma said:
30 years? Why are you holding onto these things for such a long time @debodun ? There is no need to preserve records that long.
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Gemma I'm posting this in the kindest way possible. There are pics of the massive amount of stuff thrown out due to the water in the basement & the pics of the remaining stuff. By her posts Deb is an intelligent and a kind person. But IMO this describes why she holds onto "stuff"

Overview
Hoarding disorder is an ongoing difficulty throwing away or parting with possessions because you believe that you need to save them. You may experience distress at the thought of getting rid of the items. You gradually keep or gather a huge number of items, regardless of their actual value.

Hoarding disorder - Symptoms and causes

Not entirely true that she won't part with the "stuff". She holds garage sales that according to her posts no one wants.
 
Gemma said:
30 years? Why are you holding onto these things for such a long time @debodun ? There is no need to preserve records that long.

Best way to dry wet documents out is to freeze them in an in tight container. Keeping the temperature below 32° F, the water in the documents is removed through sublimation, which means it goes from a solid (ice) to a gas without becoming a liquid.
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that's something new I've learned today....(y)
 
debodun said:
Outdoor burning isn't allowed here. Even so, I don't think wet papers would burn easily.
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I was thinking more if you dried them out first.. then just gather the lot and burn them.. but as you can;t do that... gather all the wet papers and make a big Papier Mache ball out of them and throw them in the bin...

We used to have loads.. boxes and boxes of Tv show scripts, and of course we were under strict orders not to throw them in the bin.. and shredding them in our home shredder took too long, so we would tear them in half, and soak them in a big tub of hot water and dish soap outside, for a day or 2.. and then drain the water and squash up the wet paper making it totally unreadable .. it was easily disposed of then..
 

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