Power, water and airflow have to work together
A dehumidifier plan fails if condensate, air circulation or supply capacity is ignored. Check the electrical plan alongside the drying layout.
Electrical calculator · desiccant / refrigerant / dehumidifier
Refrigerant vs Desiccant Dehumidifier Selector
Choose a dehumidifier type based on temperature, RH, target and site conditions.
For cold garages, flood work, construction drying and normal indoor humidity control.
Field notes
Field notes for Refrigerant vs desiccant
Practical checks to run before this calculator result turns into a site decision.
Expect changing conditions
Early-stage flood drying can look very different from late-stage drying. Revisit the calculation after the first site readings rather than locking the initial setup in place.
Protect equipment from nuisance trips
Wet leads, pumps, compressors and stacked kit can create leakage or start-current problems. Split circuits before the job becomes intermittent.
FAQ
Refrigerant vs desiccant FAQ
Short answers written for UK temporary electrical and HVAC planning work.
What is the Refrigerant vs desiccant used for?
Choose a dehumidifier type based on temperature, RH, target and site conditions. It is mainly for temporary HVAC, drying, cooling and site-power planning, especially where a quick pre-check is needed before selecting equipment or changing a temporary setup.
Can this replace BS 7671 design, inspection or testing?
No. It is a competent-person planning aid only. Final decisions still need current BS 7671 requirements, manufacturer data, inspection, testing, risk assessment and the actual site conditions.
What should I verify before acting on the result?
Check room volume, temperature, humidity, condensate handling, air movement, available supply capacity and whether wet leads or RCD nuisance trips are likely. If any assumption is uncertain, use the result as a prompt to investigate rather than as permission to energise.
What does an amber or red result usually mean?
It normally means the margin is weak, an assumption is missing, or the load should be split, staged, moved closer to the supply, reduced or reviewed by a competent electrician before use.
Next tools in this workflow
See super flows
Calculator · dehumidifier / litres/day
Dehumidifier litres/day
Estimate litres/day capacity from room volume, temperature, humidity and drying target, then check power requirements.
Calculator · dew point / condensation
Dew point risk
Calculate dew point and cold-surface condensation risk, then decide whether heat, dehumidification or airflow is the first lever.
Calculator · drying / power plan
Drying room power plan
Combine dehumidifiers, air movers and support heaters into a staged circuit plan for drying jobs.
Calculator · condensate / pump
Condensate pump head
Check whether a dehumidifier or portable AC condensate route is likely to need a pump or a shorter drain path.