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Posted: 6/13/2024 9:43:47 PM EDT
| My current Cannon gun safe does not have a power outlet or hole for a power cord. I have put 3 large Eva Dry rechargeable packs in my safe and it doesn't seem to make any difference. My safe is in my bedroom, but is almost always at 65% humidity inside it. Any other recommendations I can use in it to help? Any kind of rechargeable heater or fan or something I can do? My main problem is it's right next to my bathroom, and that's the only location I can put it, so it catches the humidity from the shower each morning. |
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Is drilling a small hole for power really not an option? Everyone seems to think goldenrods are best for lowering relative humidity. There won't be a good battery-powered solution. Either chemical dessicants, or a heater. I suppose you could heat from outside the safe.... |
Joined:
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Posts:
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EE: 100% (20)
NC, USA
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Originally Posted By PlaysWithAtoms: Is drilling a small hole for power really not an option? Everyone seems to think goldenrods are best for lowering relative humidity. There won't be a good battery-powered solution. Either chemical dessicants, or a heater. I suppose you could heat from outside the safe.... I had never considered drilling a hold in the safe to feed a cord through. It could be a possibility. |
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I bought a few pounds of Drierite About 20 years ago. Have it in pint sized containers with holes punched in the lid in several locations in the safe. Once it changes color, just spread it on a baking sheet and cook it in the oven to recharge. 
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GD is like putting on crampons and walking through a room full of puppies.
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Originally Posted By FredMan: I bought a few pounds of Drierite About 20 years ago. Have it in pint sized containers with holes punched in the lid in several locations in the safe. Once it changes color, just spread it on a baking sheet and cook it in the oven to recharge. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/77154/73F73F65-034C-4856-9047-D7A975A76E9E-3243113.jpg EvaDry rechargeable dehumidifiers are a much easier option. Remove, plug in overnight, place back in the safe. |
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Originally Posted By PlaysWithAtoms: Is drilling a small hole for power really not an option? Everyone seems to think goldenrods are best for lowering relative humidity. There won't be a good battery-powered solution. Either chemical dessicants, or a heater. I suppose you could heat from outside the safe.... Drilling a hole for power is the best option. A weather station with the “outdoor” transducer placed in the safe and the monitor outside is a necessity in my opinion. This allows you to track the conditions inside the safe relative to ambient conditions. In a truly humid environment, a Golden Rod alone is not going to cut it. I had a safe in an unconditioned garage in central NC, with only a Golden Rod and had big issues when the weather turned warm and humid in the summer. There was mildew all over everything. Thankfully I caught it in time before things rusted to any irreparable degree. I was able to remove the surface rust that occurred with Kroil and some elbow grease without any ill effects. I learned an important lesson. After that, I decided to use a multimodal approach. You can attack the problem by increasing the temp inside the safe above the dew point, reducing absolute humidity (dehumidifier) inside the safe, or both. There are those who argue that because the safe is not a closed system that using both methods is counterproductive, as the more humid ambient air will find its way into the safe to achieve equilibrium within the safe. I have not found this to be the case. I personally prefer to use lightbulbs and a PEET dryer to raise the temp. https://www.peetdryer.com/products/safekeeping-peet Additionally, you can use volatile corrosion inhibitor (VCI) chips/packs. I like these: Zerust VC2-2 NoRust Vapor Capsule - Pack of 4 https://a.co/d/40l315Y VCI molecules sit on the surface of metal and prevent the electrochemical oxidization process. The beauty of VCI is that the appropriately sized chip/capsule will protect a certain volume. Choose the right size and replace per manufacturer’s instructions. The VCI molecules treat all surfaces (including cracks and crevices) within the treatment zone. More information can be found here: https://daubertcromwell.com/vci-education/how-vci-works/ I use dehumidifiers (the rechargeable large EvaDry desiccant type), a 40 W lightbulb, PEET dryer, and VCI capsules (changed every two years). My safe is stored in a room with HVAC. In the past it has been in an unconditioned garage and in a basement that vents to the outside with standard basement vents. With my setup, in all those scenarios it stays about 4 degrees warmer than ambient temp and around 47-50% humidity. I also have a powered dehumidifier in its current location and the ambient humidity tends to be about 60% |
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Drilling a hole for a power cord & using a Goldenrod is your best bet, they work great. I also use a small dehumidifier in the room with the safe, it pulls alot of humidity out of the room. Here is the one I have used for over a decade now. Attached File |
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Originally Posted By agilmore01: I had never considered drilling a hold in the safe to feed a cord through. It could be a possibility. Originally Posted By agilmore01: Originally Posted By PlaysWithAtoms: Is drilling a small hole for power really not an option? Everyone seems to think goldenrods are best for lowering relative humidity. There won't be a good battery-powered solution. Either chemical dessicants, or a heater. I suppose you could heat from outside the safe.... I had never considered drilling a hold in the safe to feed a cord through. It could be a possibility. Thats exactly what I did with mine. Drilled a small hole in the rear (these are not hardened steel, they drill easy enough), just big enough to get a small extension cord wire through (cut the plug off). Then install a plug on the cut wire once it is through - and run to the nearest plug. Once I have power in there, I connect the goldenrod, and my LED light strips which make seeing in the safe SO much easier. |
Joined:
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Posts:
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EE: 100% (20)
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Originally Posted By JoshNC: Drilling a hole for power is the best option. A weather station with the “outdoor” transducer placed in the I personally prefer to use lightbulbs and a PEET dryer to raise the temp. https://www.peetdryer.com/products/safekeeping-peet Additionally, you can use volatile corrosion inhibitor (VCI) I use dehumidifiers (the rechargeable large EvaDry desiccant type), a 40 W lightbulb, PEET dryer, and VCI capsules (changed every two years). My safe is stored in a room with HVAC. In the past it has been in an unconditioned garage and in a basement that vents to the outside with standard basement vents. With my setup, in all those scenarios it stays about 4 degrees warmer than ambient temp and around 47-50% humidity. I also have a powered dehumidifier in its current location and the ambient humidity tends to be about 60% Originally Posted By JoshNC: Originally Posted By PlaysWithAtoms: Is drilling a small hole for power really not an option? Everyone seems to think goldenrods are best for lowering relative humidity. There won't be a good battery-powered solution. Either chemical dessicants, or a heater. I suppose you could heat from outside the safe.... Drilling a hole for power is the best option. A weather station with the “outdoor” transducer placed in the I personally prefer to use lightbulbs and a PEET dryer to raise the temp. https://www.peetdryer.com/products/safekeeping-peet Additionally, you can use volatile corrosion inhibitor (VCI) I use dehumidifiers (the rechargeable large EvaDry desiccant type), a 40 W lightbulb, PEET dryer, and VCI capsules (changed every two years). My safe is stored in a room with HVAC. In the past it has been in an unconditioned garage and in a basement that vents to the outside with standard basement vents. With my setup, in all those scenarios it stays about 4 degrees warmer than ambient temp and around 47-50% humidity. I also have a powered dehumidifier in its current location and the ambient humidity tends to be about 60% I am also in central NC. My home indoor humidity stays in the 60%'s. I keep 2 rechargeable EvaDry in the safe and t hey seem to make zero difference. |
Joined:
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Posts:
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EE: 100% (20)
NC, USA
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Originally Posted By agilmore01: I have 3 in the safe already. Thwy make zero difference. Right, I was replying to FredMan’s suggestion about a desiccant that requires baking on a cookie sheet to recharge. Your issue is that you need to attack the problem from additional angles as I outlined a few posts above. Do those things and you won’t have any issues. |
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Do all of the following: 1. Peet safe dryer. Drill for power if necessary. If you have a RSC, this is an easy task. 2. EvaDry large dessicant dehumidifiers. 3. VCI capsules. 4. Powered dehumidifier in the room where the safe sits. 5. Weather station to monitor internal safe and ambient temp and humidity. |
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I use DampRid buckets. You can buy them at Lowes or Home Depot. They last a long time and they work very well. They're made for basements so a gun safe is relatively nothing. Clear a spot in the safe, open the top, and leave it be. Don't set it on anything but a shelf or the safe floor. It draws moisture out of the air. |
"History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives."-Abba Eban
"I like it both ways, but still mainly mouth it" -gonzo_beyondo
"I like it both ways, but still mainly mouth it" -gonzo_beyondo
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Originally Posted By rob78: I use DampRid buckets. You can buy them at Lowes or Home Depot. They last a long time and they work very well. They're made for basements so a gun safe is relatively nothing. Clear a spot in the safe, open the top, and leave it be. Don't set it on anything but a shelf or the safe floor. It draws moisture out of the air. You don’t need to take up that much space. Do what I outlined above. It works. Been using it in central NC in multiple settings for 10 + years. I fought this fight with only a Goldenrod and had moisture and mildew issues. Then I added the multimodal approach and it has been perfect ever since. |
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You guys are acting like safes actually seal up better than they do… Basically using desiccant and similar is trying to dry out the whole place, not just the safe. This is why goldenrods are the best solution. Any time I have used big silica gel packs they saturated very quickly. |
a loaded gun won’t set you free, so you say…
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Originally Posted By tac556: You guys are acting like safes actually seal up better than they do… Basically using desiccant and similar is trying to dry out the whole place, not just the safe. This is why goldenrods are the best solution. Any time I have used big silica gel packs they saturated very quickly. It’s best approached in by addressing from all possible angles. Heat inside the safe and VCI are the best interior remedies. A powered dehumidifier outside the safe to condition the ambient room. And a weather station to monitor interior and ambient temp and humidity. A golden rod alone failed me over the summer in a garage in central NC. Mildew everywhere. A Peet safe dryer as I mentioned previously puts out much better heat than a Golden Rod. |
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