Desiccant Reactivation

[wyntrout]

I have been using some of my desiccant packs for over 30 years and decided it was about time to make sure that they are actually working.

I hope that I have gathered them all up, but I'll probably run across a few more later. These danged things call for 16 hours in an oven at 250°F!

So I looked every where and came up with close to 20. I didn't want them in direct contact with the bottom of the pizza pan, so I put a small rack in the pan and then stretched several layers of tin foil with the shiny side down over the rack. I used metal clips to keep the foil from sagging.

I don't know that this is actually necessary, but that's what I did.

I made sure that I got the oven turned off just after 16 hours 10 minutes or so, because I had to throw a few more bags in there about 10 minutes after I started.

I bought a few more S.A.W. cans as well as others and want to do an ammo inventory and mark and store the ammo a little better, as well as make it more easily accessed and moved.

I include a few pix. Snacks, anyone??:D

Wynn:)

[MW surveyor]

FWIW - I have a desiccant pack that I use for my hearing aids. Reactivate it in the microwave for about 30 seconds for the one pack. Wrap the pack in a paper towel (one layer). Works very well.

[wyntrout]

I'm just following the directions... none for microwave... how long and all.

Off to the beach!

Wynn:)

[Longitude Zero]

Well maybe. They are 30 year old technology. I would just bust out the wallet for some newer models. Hoepfully ones that do not take up that much power to reactivate.

[Bawanna]

FWIW - I have a desiccant pack that I use for my hearing aids. Reactivate it in the microwave for about 30 seconds for the one pack. Wrap the pack in a paper towel (one layer). Works very well.

Ok, MW, I gotta know. How do you use desiccant packs for hearing aids?

At night or what. I'm just not getting it.

I wear one, the other ear is completely out of commission. Does it help anything?

[jocko]

wtf is a desiccant pack??? areu insultin ol jocko by "code" or sumpin..

[OldLincoln]

Jocko, it's similar to a pack of deviants cept you don't have to bake those as long to re-energize them.

[jocko]

Ok, now I am cool. Most of my riding buds are deviants but I really never knew u had to bake them. I thought they were just born that way or once they got a harley they automaticaly turned into one. My bike just will not go past a Hooters or a Showme, without sputtering. Course I would never enter one of those places either. Just sayin.

[JERRY]

Ok, now I am cool. Most of my riding buds are deviants but I really never knew u had to bake them. I thought they were just born that way or once they got a harley they automaticaly turned into one. My bike just will not go past a Hooters or a Showme, without sputtering. Course I would never enter one of those places either. Just sayin.

this why we say some folks are half baked...;)

[jocko]

ok, I get it then a deviant is really a dessiccant but just not fully baked. Wow does that make things clear for me now. Thanks for clearing that u.

wow what a forum, someone always willing to help:D Just sayin

[MW surveyor]

Ok, MW, I gotta know. How do you use desiccant packs for hearing aids?

At night or what. I'm just not getting it.

I wear one, the other ear is completely out of commission. Does it help anything?

I sweat a whole bunch. What I have is a plastic container with the desiccant contained in a cloth and plastic pack. I put the hearing aids in this at night or after getting the annoying beep that the hearing aid is getting moisture in it/them. First clean/dry the hearing aid with whatever absorbent paper is around, then place them in the container. Drys them out completely by sucking the moisture out of them.

[Bawanna]

I sweat a whole bunch. What I have is a plastic container with the desiccant contained in a cloth and plastic pack. I put the hearing aids in this at night or after getting the annoying beep that the hearing aid is getting moisture in it/them. First clean/dry the hearing aid with whatever absorbent paper is around, then place them in the container. Drys them out completely by sucking the moisture out of them.

I'll have to give that a try, sometimes the feed back drives one bonkers. Never considered moisture. No harm in trying it.

[MW surveyor]

I'll have to give that a try, sometimes the feed back drives one bonkers. Never considered moisture. No harm in trying it.

The hearing aids that I have beep at me when there is something wrong or the batteries are dying. The feedback is usually something different but I believe that if you can keep them dry, you'll have a better experience.

[downtownv]

No Fuss No Muss
REMINGTON MODEL 365 MINI-DEHUMIDIF​IER / GUN CABINET'S, SAFE'S, STORAGE REM19950 electrically re charge in any outlet lasts for months on the same charge! about $30

[CJB]

Excuse me for getting into this thread late, but I've got a whole lot of experience with Desi Pak reactivation.

First off, there are at least TWO kinds of Desi Pack containers.

The one in the picture is the older one, it may still be produced though. These are the stiff brownish fibre material. The outer envelope has a bit of body to it. These are the yellowish, tan, brown envolopes with the black or blue writing.

The other is the white Tyvek lookink material (white, non-woven). This is actually a form of GoreTex material, and is a vapor only barrier. These are the white envelopes with the blue writing.

Here's what: I use a ton of these to keep sealed equipment dry on the inside, so they don't form condensing atmospheric conditions when the temperature changes. I have a canister full of electronics, all sealed up for protection, and I drop a few of these inside the canister so the relative humidity inside the unit is very low, keeping condensation nil.

As good as the seals are, they do weep, and we get moisture inside, so eventually the Desi Pak needs to be refreshed.

I've MELTED the GoreTex type in 250 degree oven. They do not stand up. Most ovens don't go lower. So.... I called the Desi Pak folks, and they gave me the real scoop. Inside the envelope is dry clay. Its mined out West and is very dry, and absorbs a lot of moisture. To re-dry it, you only need a constant heat source to drive the moisture out of things. It does not need to be 250 degrees!

What I built, based on the talk with Desi Pak, was a bit of a chicken egg incubator, made of wood, with a 100 watt bulb inside. Basically wooden box. Inside I put a 100 watt bulb, with an old disposable pie pan under it as a reflector (and to protect the wood). Above the lamp, I had a wooden shelf that took up the entire inside of the incubator. Imagine two compartments. Lower, black paint inside, pie pan and 100 watt bulb. Upper, just wood, for the Desi Paks.

I put the Desi Paks inside a NON SEALED plastic bag. This is important. You make it non-sealed, and as humidity leaves the desiccant, it condenses on the bag. When the condensation is gone, you're all dried out. So, inside the bag go a few packs (in my incubator, I could get a dozen in a big freezer bag, inside the upper chamber). Turn on the light, put the wooden lid on the incubator and wait......

Takes anyplace from a day to two days, and you're all dried out. The FIRST run of the incubator will take longer, as the wood needs to dry too. I used 1/2 inch plywood. After that, maybe two days. I left it at work, so I just checked it every day. Two days was enough.

When you're done - IMMEDIATELY take the Desi Paks and put them in a sealable plastic bag, then put that bag in another sealable bag. They'll store in the FREEZER that way, and stay dry. Yap, freezer, so sayeth the Desi Pak folks. I could dry out a couple of dozen a week, and have 'em ready to go in the freezer. Warm to ambient temperature before opening the bags.

And thats it for reactivation. It takes dry environs... heated makes for dry... and time. If you go too fast, the GoreTex will melt, or, steam will form inside the envelope and it will puff up and burst. Slow steady heat is best.

Hope that helps (and now I'll read the thread.... ahem).

[wyntrout]

The ones I have are not filled with clay. It's the little balls of some chemical that can draw moisture out of the air. Reactivation is 16 hours at 250°F, as indicated on both types of Desi-Packs that I have. These are military spec stuff from 30 to 40 years ago and the contents are similar to those little "No Not Eat" packs they put in almost everything, including shoes.

I bought a package of these things one time and there was a piece of whitish, thick paper with circles on it that would turn pink or blue depending on the state of absorption. This let you know the state of the packs in the plastic bag.

I've only found one that I missed so far. The rest I put in a Ziplock bag. I haven't gotten to my ammo inventory and repackaging everything, yet.

Wynn:)

[CJB]

silica gel... do not eat is right!

[Planedude]

I just toss my military type tyvek bags up on the dash of the truck on a nice Texas 105 degree work day...:rolleyes:

Works great.:D