drying EPS

[yugi]

I’ve had to open my whole deck. With age it broke and water was getting in. I cut around the whole deck pad and peeled it off. Gouged out a bunch of the wet eps. Got most of the really wet stuff out.

So, heres the question: how do I best dry any residual humidity that there is in the remaining EPS?

I was thinking to put the board in the sun upside down and let it heat, then at night here it is cold. Etc to let it breath. Or right side up, exosed EPS to sun?

Or other tactics?

[Bean]

Yugi, I would love to know how many and how fast you are able to shed the pounds with the entire deck pad peeled off. 

The way I look at it, if the water is dripping, let gravity do the work, but once the drip stops, face the opening up to allow for evaporation.  If I had your board-situation I would place the board in my basement and let my dehumidifier do the work.

 

[supuk]

I’ve had to open my whole deck. With age it broke and water was getting in. I cut around the whole deck pad and peeled it off. Gouged out a bunch of the wet eps. Got most of the really wet stuff out.

So, heres the question: how do I best dry any residual humidity that there is in the remaining EPS?

I was thinking to put the board in the sun upside down and let it heat, then at night here it is cold. Etc to let it breath. Or right side up, exosed EPS to sun?

Or other tactics?

I'm asuming it's all fresh water which should stand a lot better chance of drying at least.

[yugi]

Evian, mind you!

How long should I let dry?

[yugi]

Yugi, I would love to know how many and how fast you are able to shed the pounds with the entire deck pad peeled off. 
...

It's soooo light now! And probably quite comfortable. But any wave over the edge and it would get heavy quickly if I tried to ride it this way.

[supuk]

Evian, mind you!

How long should I let dry?

how logs a pice of string! i would get the board in the house where the humidity is nice and low and just leave it, over the winter. You can get a Damp meter of eBay for a few £$€ and monitor it with that. you stand a fairly good chance of getting rid of a fair amount with the top off and with it being fresh water

[Bean]

Monitoring by weighing might be more telling.

I would bet the board would be almost completely dry in about a week or even less in a low humidity location.

[blackeye]

Just an idea if you are in a hurry: What about soaking it with very high proof alcohol, specifically ethanol? I don't think it would harm EPS but maybe check first. I do know that methanol is OK on EPS, but don't use that because the fumes aren't as safe/fun as ethanol.

Alcohol easily mixes with water, so the idea is that it will penetrate all the little interstitial spaces in the EPS where water is now. The resulting alcohol/water mix should evaporate much more quickly and completely than the water that's in there now.

Also, a fan and some heat would get the party started. Literally - be careful breathing around it. Mind you - nothin like vaping ethanol!

We used to use this method to quickly get lab equipment and glassware totally dry.