I have an aluminium double-glazed unit, approx 3x2' in my garage workshop (insulated/heated inside).
A while ago, the ivy growing outside found its way through the seal, and quite  a lot of moisture
built up inside - eventually a quarter of an inch of water at the bottom, and condensation on the
inside. 

Figuring the seal was already gone so I had nothing to lose, I used a carbide drill to make a 1.5mm
hole in the glass at the bottom corner from the inside, and drained the pool of water out, and used
some thin tubing to syphon below the level of the hole, however the condensation is still there.
 
As it would be a PITA to replace or dismantle, and expensive as it is laminated glass, I was
wondering how I might be able to get rid of the condensation.
 I was thinking maybe making another small hole in an opposite corner and flowing warm, dry air
through over a long period might do the job. 
 
Perhaps another approach would be to  put some black card over part of the glass on the outside to
absorb some heat and warm the glass, to encourage it to evaporate, and/or use a pump to reduce the
air pressure inside slightly (but not so much it collapses!) to encourage evaporation.

Anyone successfully done anything like this ?   I can live with it as it is, so am not considering
replacing, but it would be nice to be able to improve it, and all the more satisfying if a cunning
scientific method could be utilised...! 

The ivy is gone now, so I would think that soaking the remains where it went through the seal with
some sort of runny, flexible sealant would get it pretty close to sealed again.

"Mike Harrison"  wrote in message 
news:8u1jh1ttpl2j4rj6s97dfmsheosm3f4166@4ax.com...

>I have an aluminium double-glazed unit, approx 3x2' in my garage workshop 
>(insulated/heated inside).
> A while ago, the ivy growing outside found its way through the seal, and 
> quite  a lot of moisture
> built up inside - eventually a quarter of an inch of water at the bottom, 
> and condensation on the
> inside.
>
> Figuring the seal was already gone so I had nothing to lose, I used a 
> carbide drill to make a 1.5mm
> hole in the glass at the bottom corner from the inside, and drained the 
> pool of water out, and used
> some thin tubing to syphon below the level of the hole, however the 
> condensation is still there.
>
> As it would be a PITA to replace or dismantle, and expensive as it is 
> laminated glass, I was
> wondering how I might be able to get rid of the condensation.
> I was thinking maybe making another small hole in an opposite corner and 
> flowing warm, dry air
> through over a long period might do the job.
>
> Perhaps another approach would be to  put some black card over part of the 
> glass on the outside to
> absorb some heat and warm the glass, to encourage it to evaporate, and/or 
> use a pump to reduce the
> air pressure inside slightly (but not so much it collapses!) to encourage 
> evaporation.
>
> Anyone successfully done anything like this ?   I can live with it as it 
> is, so am not considering
> replacing, but it would be nice to be able to improve it, and all the more 
> satisfying if a cunning
> scientific method could be utilised...!
>
> The ivy is gone now, so I would think that soaking the remains where it 
> went through the seal with
> some sort of runny, flexible sealant would get it pretty close to sealed 
> again.


I had an indicator lens unit on my car with water in.  I tipped the water 
out, ran along the joint with silicone sealant, then left a couple of bags 
of silica gel in the bottom to get rid of the condensation.  (leaving it on 
the radiator for a day did not get rid of it, since there were 2 separate 
"cells" in the unit, and no air flow).

I think the only way to get rid of the condensation is to split the DG unit, 
replace or dry out the silica gel in the sealed unit frame, then reassemble.

Bob

It happens that Mike Harrison formulated :

> Figuring the seal was already gone so I had nothing to lose, I used a carbide 
> drill to make a 1.5mm
> hole in the glass at the bottom corner from the inside, and drained the pool 
> of water out, and used
> some thin tubing to syphon below the level of the hole, however the 
> condensation is still there.


I would not expect you would be able to get away with no water staining 
on the inside, however I would suggest....

Drill more holes both top and bottom to encourage air circulation - 
then when it appears to be as dry as it is going to get, direct a fan 
heater onto the inside panel then finally reseal it up.

-- 

Regards,
        Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.org

On Sat, 03 Sep 2005 14:04:41 +0100, "Harry Bloomfield"  wrote:


>It happens that Mike Harrison formulated :
>> Figuring the seal was already gone so I had nothing to lose, I used a carbide 
>> drill to make a 1.5mm
>> hole in the glass at the bottom corner from the inside, and drained the pool 
>> of water out, and used
>> some thin tubing to syphon below the level of the hole, however the 
>> condensation is still there.
>
>I would not expect you would be able to get away with no water staining 
>on the inside, however I would suggest....
>
>Drill more holes both top and bottom to encourage air circulation - 
>then when it appears to be as dry as it is going to get, direct a fan 
>heater onto the inside panel then finally reseal it up.


Well before resorting to that, I have come up with a plan....
I've drilled another hole in the opposite corner. 
I'll attach some tubing to each hole, and circulate the air through a container of freshly-baked
silica gel, using an aquarium air pump. 

Will let you know if it works - may take some time though....!

Now the annoying thing is I KNOW I had an aquarium pump somewhere in the 'might come in useful
pile'....

"Harry Bloomfield"  verbally sodomised 
in news:mn.1b4c7d5979d5a1ed.8412@tiscali.co.uk: 


> It happens that Mike Harrison formulated :
>> Figuring the seal was already gone so I had nothing to lose, I used a
>> carbide drill to make a 1.5mm
>> hole in the glass at the bottom corner from the inside, and drained the
>> pool of water out, and used
>> some thin tubing to syphon below the level of the hole, however the 
>> condensation is still there.
> 
> I would not expect you would be able to get away with no water staining 
> on the inside, however I would suggest....
> 
> Drill more holes both top and bottom to encourage air circulation - 
> then when it appears to be as dry as it is going to get, direct a fan 
> heater onto the inside panel then finally reseal it up.
> 


So many euphemisms, so little time.

-- 
Phil Kyle  
Uno
Dos
Tres
Cuatro
CINCO!!!!!!

"Be very aware that my willingness 
to continue to criticise your sig 
is infinite." -- Neil Barker

"Harry Bloomfield"  verbally sodomised 
in news:mn.1b4c7d5979d5a1ed.8412@tiscali.co.uk: 


> It happens that Mike Harrison formulated :
>> Figuring the seal was already gone so I had nothing to lose, I used a
>> carbide drill to make a 1.5mm
>> hole in the glass at the bottom corner from the inside, and drained the
>> pool of water out, and used
>> some thin tubing to syphon below the level of the hole, however the 
>> condensation is still there.
> 
> I would not expect you would be able to get away with no water staining 
> on the inside, however I would suggest....
> 
> Drill more holes both top and bottom to encourage air circulation - 
> then when it appears to be as dry as it is going to get, direct a fan 
> heater onto the inside panel then finally reseal it up.
> 


So many euphemisms, so little time.

-- 
Phil Kyle  
Uno
Dos
Tres
Cuatro
CINCO!!!!!!

"Be very aware that my willingness 
to continue to criticise your sig 
is infinite." -- Neil Barker

"Harry Bloomfield"  verbally sodomised 
in news:mn.1b4c7d5979d5a1ed.8412@tiscali.co.uk: 


> It happens that Mike Harrison formulated :
>> Figuring the seal was already gone so I had nothing to lose, I used a
>> carbide drill to make a 1.5mm
>> hole in the glass at the bottom corner from the inside, and drained the
>> pool of water out, and used
>> some thin tubing to syphon below the level of the hole, however the 
>> condensation is still there.
> 
> I would not expect you would be able to get away with no water staining 
> on the inside, however I would suggest....
> 
> Drill more holes both top and bottom to encourage air circulation - 
> then when it appears to be as dry as it is going to get, direct a fan 
> heater onto the inside panel then finally reseal it up.
> 


So many euphemisms, so little time.

-- 
Phil Kyle  
Uno
Dos
Tres
Cuatro
CINCO!!!!!!

"Be very aware that my willingness 
to continue to criticise your sig 
is infinite." -- Neil Barker

"Harry Bloomfield"  verbally sodomised 
in news:mn.1b4c7d5979d5a1ed.8412@tiscali.co.uk: 


> It happens that Mike Harrison formulated :
>> Figuring the seal was already gone so I had nothing to lose, I used a
>> carbide drill to make a 1.5mm
>> hole in the glass at the bottom corner from the inside, and drained the
>> pool of water out, and used
>> some thin tubing to syphon below the level of the hole, however the 
>> condensation is still there.
> 
> I would not expect you would be able to get away with no water staining 
> on the inside, however I would suggest....
> 
> Drill more holes both top and bottom to encourage air circulation - 
> then when it appears to be as dry as it is going to get, direct a fan 
> heater onto the inside panel then finally reseal it up.
> 


So many euphemisms, so little time.

-- 
Phil Kyle  
Uno
Dos
Tres
Cuatro
CINCO!!!!!!

"Be very aware that my willingness 
to continue to criticise your sig 
is infinite." -- Neil Barker

"Harry Bloomfield"  verbally sodomised 
in news:mn.1b4c7d5979d5a1ed.8412@tiscali.co.uk: 


> It happens that Mike Harrison formulated :
>> Figuring the seal was already gone so I had nothing to lose, I used a
>> carbide drill to make a 1.5mm
>> hole in the glass at the bottom corner from the inside, and drained the
>> pool of water out, and used
>> some thin tubing to syphon below the level of the hole, however the 
>> condensation is still there.
> 
> I would not expect you would be able to get away with no water staining 
> on the inside, however I would suggest....
> 
> Drill more holes both top and bottom to encourage air circulation - 
> then when it appears to be as dry as it is going to get, direct a fan 
> heater onto the inside panel then finally reseal it up.
> 


So many euphemisms, so little time.

-- 
Phil Kyle  
Uno
Dos
Tres
Cuatro
CINCO!!!!!!

"Be very aware that my willingness 
to continue to criticise your sig 
is infinite." -- Neil Barker

On Sat, 03 Sep 2005 14:25:06 +0100, Mike Harrison  wrote:


>On Sat, 03 Sep 2005 14:04:41 +0100, "Harry Bloomfield"  wrote:
>
>>It happens that Mike Harrison formulated :
>>> Figuring the seal was already gone so I had nothing to lose, I used a carbide 
>>> drill to make a 1.5mm
>>> hole in the glass at the bottom corner from the inside, and drained the pool 
>>> of water out, and used
>>> some thin tubing to syphon below the level of the hole, however the 
>>> condensation is still there.
>>
>>I would not expect you would be able to get away with no water staining 
>>on the inside, however I would suggest....
>>
>>Drill more holes both top and bottom to encourage air circulation - 
>>then when it appears to be as dry as it is going to get, direct a fan 
>>heater onto the inside panel then finally reseal it up.
>
>Well before resorting to that, I have come up with a plan....
>I've drilled another hole in the opposite corner. 
>I'll attach some tubing to each hole, and circulate the air through a container of freshly-baked
>silica gel, using an aquarium air pump. 
>
>Will let you know if it works - may take some time though....!



Well it worked better and much faster than I imagined - all condensation gone in 9 hours : 
pics & details here : 
http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/window.html

On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 08:43:26 GMT, Mike Harrison 
wrote:


>Well it worked better and much faster than I imagined - all condensation gone in 9 hours : 
>pics & details here : 
>http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/window.html 


We should have awards for d-i-y ingenuity !  Well done.

-- 
Frankly My Dear, I Don't Give a Damn

In article , 
mike@whitewing.co.uk says...
<snip>

> 
> Well it worked better and much faster than I imagined - all condensation gone in 9 hours : 
> pics & details here : 
> http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/window.html 
> 

Who'd have believed it?  Cool  :-)

Mike Harrison wrote:

> On Sat, 03 Sep 2005 14:25:06 +0100, Mike Harrison  wrote:
>
> >On Sat, 03 Sep 2005 14:04:41 +0100, "Harry Bloomfield"  wrote:
> >
> >>It happens that Mike Harrison formulated :
> >>> Figuring the seal was already gone so I had nothing to lose, I used a carbide
> >>> drill to make a 1.5mm
> >>> hole in the glass at the bottom corner from the inside, and drained the pool
> >>> of water out, and used
> >>> some thin tubing to syphon below the level of the hole, however the
> >>> condensation is still there.
> >>
> >>I would not expect you would be able to get away with no water staining
> >>on the inside, however I would suggest....
> >>
> >>Drill more holes both top and bottom to encourage air circulation -
> >>then when it appears to be as dry as it is going to get, direct a fan
> >>heater onto the inside panel then finally reseal it up.
> >
> >Well before resorting to that, I have come up with a plan....
> >I've drilled another hole in the opposite corner.
> >I'll attach some tubing to each hole, and circulate the air through a container of freshly-baked
> >silica gel, using an aquarium air pump.
> >
> >Will let you know if it works - may take some time though....!
>
>
> Well it worked better and much faster than I imagined - all condensation gone in 9 hours :
> pics & details here :
> http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/window.html


Nice job sir. Cant be many people using conformal coated ivy as window
seals, but hopefully this will now change.


NT