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Posted: 5/27/2008 3:15:41 PM EDT
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Guys, I bought a desiccant a few months back...thinking that it would be fine for my relatively small gun safe. I'm too lazy to go check the brand name now, but it's a coffee can sized container of tiny silicon gel balls. (I think they're silicon) The gel balls are blue when they're ready to go to work...and then they turn pink when they're saturated. Anyway, I bought the biggest size 'cause it was advertised as being able to protect a 50 some odd square foot are for X amount of time. This thing "fills up" in about two weeks or less. I run a dehumidifier in my basement 24/7...so I don't really get it. Anyone have a similar experience? Recommendations? |
Fortunately you can "reset" silica gel by baking it in the oven to release the moisture its absorbed. Your stuff should have a description on the procedure. It sounds like, dehumidifier or not, you have a lot of moisture in the area. I would suggest maybe using some weather stripping around the door and caulking at any other cracks, seams, or joints where air can pass to create an airtight seal on your gun safe. This should extend the useful life of your desiccant, between resets. I actually built a small (6x4x8) "vault" of sorts in my basement and I keep ammo, as well as reloading supplies such as powder and primers, and rifles in there. Its completely sealed and airtight. Its so airtight in fact that I cant just shove the door closed, I have to lean on it with my body to gradually push it in and allow air to escape around the weather stripping. If you sat inside there for a while you would literally suffocate. Even at the most humid times of the year my silica gel lasts a couple months or more assuming that I dont open the door constantly. I'm usually in there at least once per day for one thing or another, but I go in, get what I need, and leave sealing the door. Your guns themselves should not have any issues with humidity assuming they are properly cleaned and lubed regularly with something that protects the metals. CLP etc... I keep my pistols in a small gun safe in my bedroom but I am not concerned about humidity with regard to the pistols themselves. My "home defense" ammo gets rotated out and used at the range every couple weeks so I'm not concerned about humidity there either. |
Yeah, I know I can reset it. I was just expecting to get a bit more life out of it between resets. That sounds like a great setup you've got. When I finish my basement this summer, I'm going to try to make a poor man's version of what you've got. Thanks! |
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