Silica Gel Amount

[pool7979]

Hi ,

I am current in the stage of making a DIY drybox. I have gotten myself a air tight box from supermarket and insert a foam at the bottom to cushion my camera. However, I have a question about the amount of silica gel to be added. Is there a recommended ratio of silica gel amount for camera box ? My air tight box is around 3 litre in volume and Im not sure how muchsilica gel to add. I will be adding hrgrometer soon to measure and maintain humidity ard 40-50% too. Hope someone here able to gif mi guidance. thanks !

 

[Snoweagle]

Hi ,

I am current in the stage of making a DIY drybox. I have gotten myself a air tight box from supermarket and insert a foam at the bottom to cushion my camera. However, I have a question about the amount of silica gel to be added. Is there a recommended ratio of silica gel amount for camera box ? My air tight box is around 3 litre in volume and Im not sure how muchsilica gel to add. I will be adding hrgrometer soon to measure and maintain humidity ard 40-50% too. Hope someone here able to gif mi guidance. thanks !

Make a small packet and fill it full. Packet size around the size of those instant noodles seasoning power can already and make sure to change it when it fades to light pink.

 

[pool7979]

woah kkk ... i shall wait for my hygrometer come first .. for those no box one .. better buy one or diy ahz .. i panic n did one quickly after i see fungus frowing at the underside of my scanner .. ! aniwae thanks for ur help !

 

[Snoweagle]

woah kkk ... i shall wait for my hygrometer come first .. for those no box one .. better buy one or diy ahz .. i panic n did one quickly after i see fungus frowing at the underside of my scanner .. ! aniwae thanks for ur help !

But honestly i advise u to buy a proper dry cabinet, unless u're using this DIY dry box for travelling purposes.

 

[pool7979]

ya i knoe .. but mi abit poor .. studnet nia .. and my camera ... hahaz .. dun think worth buying a dry box .. mi using lumix fz28 .. its a prosumer nia , unlike DSLR .. so jus hope this box can tahan that fungus lorz ..

 

[burningacid]

ya i knoe .. but mi abit poor .. studnet nia .. and my camera ... hahaz .. dun think worth buying a dry box .. mi using lumix fz28 .. its a prosumer nia , unlike DSLR .. so jus hope this box can tahan that fungus lorz ..

hmm, how much have spent so far? I bought my dry box from MS Color for $23, comes with hygrometer too. Just need to replace Silica gel when they turn pinkish.. but i guess still can re-heat in microwave to re-use..

 

[emotic]

I put my silica gel in a small drawstring pouch.. Put in about 3-5 tablespoon (if you want to be precise).. If you're putting in a plastic ziploc bag, ensure that you make small pinholes to allow moisture/airflow..

 

[pool7979]

haha .. i super budget onez .. i bought an air tight box from careffour .. $3 .. ms photo silica gel .. $4 and a hygrometer from ebay ard 5 bucks .. think silica gel dun need reuse bahz .. 1 bottle can last quite long i think .. somemore mine small box nia .. i sharing with my friend .. then in future need then buy lorz .. dun wan let my silica stay too long .. so effective i spent 10 bucks ! budget hor ? hahaz !!

 

[Snoweagle]

ya i knoe .. but mi abit poor .. studnet nia .. and my camera ... hahaz .. dun think worth buying a dry box .. mi using lumix fz28 .. its a prosumer nia , unlike DSLR .. so jus hope this box can tahan that fungus lorz ..

As long as it's a camera, u should store it in a dry cabinet.

 

[Fotophilic]

4-5 tablespoons of the beads should be enough.
best way to confirm is to use your hygrometer. play by ear, adjust accordingly, trial and error.

 

[erictan8888]

hmm, how much have spent so far? I bought my dry box from MS Color for $23, comes with hygrometer too. Just need to replace Silica gel when they turn pinkish.. but i guess still can re-heat in microwave to re-use..

microwave oven is to heat food....
if i were you, i wouldn't want to heat the silica gel in the microwave oven...

anyway, a bottle of silical gel don't cost that much...

 

[kaixiang]

I wouldn't try a microwave oven since it heats up food by emitting electromagnetic waves which reverse polarization very quickly to move the water molecules and cause friction. I'm not sure if that would work once the water bonds to the compound silica gel is made of itself (the compound might not be polarized anymore). A normal oven or some kind of pot would work better. I vaguely remember having done that in some science class when I was younger but as the guy above said, silica gel is cheap. Is it worth the effort? If you do not open the camera box often, is it going to last you really really long.

 

[Octarine]

I wouldn't try a microwave oven since it heats up food by emitting electromagnetic waves which reverse polarization very quickly to move the water molecules and cause friction. I'm not sure if that would work once the water bonds to the compound silica gel is made of itself (the compound might not be polarized anymore). A normal oven or some kind of pot would work better. I vaguely remember having done that in some science class when I was younger but as the guy above said, silica gel is cheap. Is it worth the effort? If you do not open the camera box often, is it going to last you really really long.

Have a look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica_gel
Silica gel absorbs water - but doesn't bind it in any chemical way. It's not a "Thirsty Hippo". That means that the water is still there in its normal molecular form. Exposing saturated silica gel to microwaves will only heat up the water (which is the desired effect).
But there are other factors to consider when heating up Silica Gel in a microwave oven used for food: Silica Gel itself might be safe but the colour indicator is Cobalt Chloride. Cobalt Chloride is toxic and Cobalt was carcinogenic in lab tests with mammals. Nothing that I want to have somewhere near my food.

 

[pool7979]

Have a look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica_gel
Silica gel absorbs water - but doesn't bind it in any chemical way. It's not a "Thirsty Hippo". That means that the water is still there in its normal molecular form. Exposing saturated silica gel to microwaves will only heat up the water (which is the desired effect).
But there are other factors to consider when heating up Silica Gel in a microwave oven used for food: Silica Gel itself might be safe but the colour indicator is Cobalt Chloride. Cobalt Chloride is toxic and Cobalt was carcinogenic in lab tests with mammals. Nothing that I want to have somewhere near my food.

ya i couldnt agree more. I think its better not to heat them in microwave la .. and its not worth the effort to reheat too. can get a bottle .. its quite cheap and a bottle can last u quite long i think. aniwae i have put my camera in drybox with camera le .. just trial and error see how much u have to put in can le, according to size of ur airtight tupperware. Added in a hygrometer .. it reads ard 45%.

btw, try to calibrate ur hygrometer b4 u insert it. get some salt n moist it with water(not soak or dissolve) and then leave it in ur airtight box with ur hygrometer.. leave it overnite .. it shld be ard 75% .. if its not .. u can either adjust it or simply jus offset if ur hygrometer cannot adjust ..