Dessicant Packets

[steve187]

Does any one use these packets to manage moisture issues? I don't understand how they work. I realize they absorb moisture but what happens to it? Do they become saturated or ineffective after a while? Just wondering.

[M@TT]

I use them in every thing from my tackle to big 1lb bags in and around the garage in spare motors etc.

I couldnt tell you exactly how the work but I assume it's in the same manner as the inhibitor strips. Absorption.

[spoonbender]

Silica gel is the most common desiccant, absorbs airborne moisture. Auto Supply's sell it for re-furbishing air compressor air dryers, I make up little bags of it with coffee filters and tape them shut with electrical tape. I use it in my gun cabinet, powder paint (to prevent clumping), and ammo reloading components. You can put it on an old cookie sheet and dry it in your oven at 230 degrees for about 2-3 hrs. I wouldn't eat it, but it's pretty stable and doesn't present much of a health hazard. Some of the product also has a moisture indicating coating that starts out blue and turns pink when it needs drying.

Edited November 25, 2010 by spoonbender