Strange anti damp device

[newfutile]

During an eicr I have encountered a device consisting of a titanium wire and some type of transformer.
I wonder if anyone knows anything about these ?

 

[Murdoch]

Is it one of those systems that wrap around pipes in the loft?

 

[Andy™]

never seen anything like it. at a guess, the transformer is more of a choke / ballast to limit current flowing through the wire

 

[newfutile]

The titanium wire snakes around the timber in the basement,it's beyond me how this can stop damp, I will put a meter on the output and see what I get.

 

[newfutile]

The titanium wire snakes around the timber in the basement,it's beyond me how this can stop damp, I will put a meter on the output and see what I get.

It appears to generate 5 volts AC but that may not be accurate and draws 12mA on the output ,one side is connected to earth .

The titanium wire snakes around the timber in the basement,it's beyond me how this can stop damp, I will put a meter on the output and see what I get.

 

[binky]

Never seen anything like that before. Looks oldish?

From the point if view of inspecting, I would only be looking at the supply to the gadget.

 

[newfutile]

its not part of my inspection that finished at the socket, I’m just curious .

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

Looks like its an "electro osmosis damp prevention device" guaranteed to prevent damp and even dry the wall out.

Everyone else knows it as a large bucket of snake oil, odd thing is not only did people believe it, they were not cheap.

 

[newfutile]

Looks like its an "electro osmosis damp prevention device" guaranteed to prevent damp and even dry the wall out.

Everyone else knows it as a large bucket of snake oil, odd thing is not only did people believe it, they were not cheap.

I did wonder how 5 volts at 12ma could do anything at all ,what a waste of titanium if that's real

 

[Geoff1946]

Was there any damp?

 

[roys]

Brother in laws house had the system, 1st and only time I have seen it, disconnected and scrapped now, as above snake oil, his house still has damp not as bad now he has sorted out a lot of the causes.

 

[Phoenix]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electro-osmosis
Its supposedly based on the fact that a small DC voltage can interfere with the capilary action of damp but its contraversal, some folk will swear by it, others say its snake oil. Its a similar thing to that used for active cathodic protection, so I suppose its plausable.

I'd give it more credabiility than injected chemical 'DPCs'

 

[Geoff1946]

I'd give it more credabiility than injected chemical 'DPCs'

I successfully used that system myself at my old house. I had a damp internal single leaf wall built of common brick. I hired the pump, drilled lots of holes below floor level and made sure the course of bricks above the old DPC was well saturated with the silicone fluid. It worked OK.
I can envisage lots of situations where it wouldn't be effective, such as a bridged cavity, too few holes drilled for a continuous barrier, insufficient fluid injected, injecting the mortar joints instead of the bricks, doing it too high up, such as behind skirting board, etc, but with care it can work.

 

[ProDave]

I was asked to connect one in an old cottage being renovated. To me it looks like some snake oil device. I have no idea if it worked or not. The thin wire just went all around the wall under the floor boards. IIRC it was not a loop of wire just a wire that was routed around and then ended.

It probably allows them to state it has had some "damp proof treatment" if they sell the house.