Moisture absorbing crystals

[craigb]

Is it possible to buy those crystals that you often find packaged in little bags when you buy an electrical item?

Or do I have to go and splurge on something electrical so I can get a couple of cents worth of crystals? :rolleyes:

[Auld Bassoon]

Hi Craig,

Mainly the sachets you refer to contain silica gel. I'd try asking at packaging supplier.

If you already have some of these sachets, did you know that you can regenerate them by heating to about 150C for 10 ~ 15 minutes in an oven?

Cheers!

PS However, it may be more satisfying to take the "splurge" option :D

[Ianab]

This stuff is probably the same?

http://www.hydroshop.com.au/Products/StockInformation.asp?stockNo=1229

Common in NZ because of our high humidity, you just put a pot of it in your closet and it soaks up the moisture.

Cheers

Ian

[Termite]

This stuff is probably the same?

http://www.hydroshop.com.au/Products/StockInformation.asp?stockNo=1229

Common in NZ because of our high humidity, you just put a pot of it in your closet and it soaks up the moisture.

Cheers

Ian
Different stuff, its not silica gel, bloke 2 bays down from where I used to work used to pack "Damp Rid" and he did tell me what it was one time but I'm having a "Senior moment" and cant remember the name. :o

[bitingmidge]

I know a bloke who knows a bloke.....

They manufacture "pads" for dehumidifying shipping containers and so on, in a non-chemical, all natural way, without the use of silica gel and it looks suspiciously like "DampRid".

If you read this I'll have to kill you, but the secret ingredient is a mix of salt, and dry tapioca. The salt sucks up the humidity, the tapioca sucks up the salt, and everything stays dry and cuddly.

Launch it on the world market in a fancy box, and make a motza... oh no that's right, they are already doing it!

Fascinating.

P;)

[craigb]

I know a bloke who knows a bloke.....

They manufacture "pads" for dehumidifying shipping containers and so on, in a non-chemical, all natural way, without the use of silica gel and it looks suspiciously like "DampRid".

If you read this I'll have to kill you, but the secret ingredient is a mix of salt, and dry tapioca. The salt sucks up the humidity, the tapioca sucks up the salt, and everything stays dry and cuddly.

Launch it on the world market in a fancy box, and make a motza... oh no that's right, they are already doing it!

Fascinating.

P;)

Thanks Midge, I'll give it a try although I still haven't got over the tapioca pudding some sadist served me when I was a kiddie. :eek:

Tapioca - bleah !!

[Robert34]

Thanks Midge, I'll give it a try although I still haven't got over the tapioca pudding some sadist served me when I was a kiddie. :eek:

Tapioca - bleah !!

Craig

When I was kid we called it Frogs Eggs.:D :D

Robert34

[AlexS]

Craig, we used to buy silica gel in bulk from Selby Pharmaceuticals and put it in our field instriments in old stocking feet.

(Dont ask!);)

[bennylaird]

We used it in bulk to remove moisture from radar waveguides. If it's blue it's dry if it's pink it's damp. Reactivation is easy in a slow oven and dropping blue ones in water makes them explode.

Any packageing mob of electonic equipment will have them. Rather than buy them just ask at an electonics shop, Hardly Normal perhaps? They are sure to have lots of sachels around.

[Iain]

dropping blue ones in water makes them explode.
OK Mr Mythbuster, just how entertaining is it:D :D :D

[bennylaird]

When you are sitting in a RADAR enclosure with nothing to do it rates above 8 on a scale of 10. Almost as much fun as playing Canasta.

[craigb]

Thanks for the replies.

I've put the word out amongst the people at work who unpack the PC's so should be able to get some from them.

I'm going to put them in the toolbox where I keep my expensive tools. Even though I put Ubeaut wax on the tools as soon as I get them, I discovered a couple of spots of surface rust on mv LV LA block the other day. :eek: :(

[bennylaird]

Unless you have an almost airtight toolbox you will have to reactivate them fairly regularly. Once they are pink then they cease to be of value and that's fairly quickly if exposed to normal air. We have dehydrators which are constantly refreshing them and using a coleser to remove the majority of the moisture. It's a major problem and a lot of work to maintain.

They may help but in my opinion they will not stop your surface rust problems.

[craigb]

Unless you have an almost airtight toolbox you will have to reactivate them fairly regularly. Once they are pink then they cease to be of value and that's fairly quickly if exposed to normal air. We have dehydrators which are constantly refreshing them and using a coleser to remove the majority of the moisture. It's a major problem and a lot of work to maintain.

They may help but in my opinion they will not stop your surface rust problems.

Ah well, I'll give it a burl anyway. What have I got to lose? :)

The toolbox is pretty well sealed but not airtight.

[silentC]

Rust spots? Luxury!!!

[Iain]

Here's an opportunity, I happen to have for sale a Pelican case, big bastard, it's air tight, dust tight and water tight, special valve so you can open it again after high altitude work.
They really are a great piece of gear for anyone who wants to look after their cameras or instruments.
I am putting it on Ebay soon but if any is interested give me a hoi, I am am looking at around the $250 mark.
I used to house 2-6x6 cameras, flash gear, 4 lenses and assorted accessories in it.
They are almost bullet proof.

[AlexS]

They are almost bullet proof.
Yes, but if you read the fine print, they are not warranted against attack by polar bears or 3 year old children.

[scooter]

Or the pelican's mum.... :eek:


Cheers.............Sean, mum's the word

[Master Splinter]

Have a look in your local pet shop - some of the newer forms of kitty litter are sillica gel crystals. The bags have mostly white crystals with the occasional blue crystal.

At $4.50 for four kilos, its not a bad way to buy sillica gel. To reactivate it, (when the blue crystals go pink) toss it in the oven at about 150 degrees.

[bennylaird]

Just try and keep kitty out of the box though, lol.

[Master Splinter]

Its a two birds with one stone solution - the silica gel keeps the tools dry, and the kitty deposits keep the would-be tool borrowers away! :D