storing lenses.. using dessicants ??

**dcmsox2004** · 03-19-2009, 10:18 AM

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i'm trying to avoid fungus (not on me) on any stored lenses...
even though i store unused lenses in as low a humidity and temperature environment... i was wondering if using those little silica gel packets would be
of any benefit.... any other ideas....

Last edited by dcmsox2004; 03-19-2009 at 10:21 AM. Reason: new info

**dcmsox2004** · 03-19-2009, 10:22 AM

for example.........................

Silica Gel Desiccant Dry Packs 125 Grams Storage Camera - eBay (item 180324541111 end time Mar-30-09 08:14:05 PDT)

SOldBear · 03-19-2009, 10:59 AM

I'm not sure about the benefit of silica gel.

I don't store cameras and lenses in enclosed space. They are on open shelves attached to the walls of my study. They can collect dust, but I clean them periodically, and dust is much easier to handle.

With an open space, silica gel would help very little, if any.

Storing cameras and lenses in their cases, and/or in an enclosed space is asking for trouble, silica gel or no silica gel.

vizjerei · 03-19-2009, 11:07 AM

I put mine in an air tight box, with silica gel pack.

The Air tight box is cheap from Korean supermarket, which their main purpose for storing Kim-Chi. I got a big air tight box which can put all my lens including 50-135 for only $6.99 Can.

**dcmsox2004** · 03-19-2009, 11:10 AM

can you provide a pic of what your air lock box looks like, i've never heard of this...
thanks !!! dave m
also, how often do you change the silica gel pack (and where do u buy them)...
i also know there are different sizes of silica gel packs....

vizjerei · 03-19-2009, 11:15 AM

Originally posted by dcmsox2004

can you provide a pic of what your air lock box looks like, i've never heard of this...
thanks !!! dave m
also, how often do you change the silica gel pack (and where do u buy them)...
i also know there are different sizes of silica gel packs....

( read my last post also, i added some info of it )
I will take a pic of it when I got home, silica gel can be reused, you can mircowave them to get the water out of them.

How to reuse drying agents

rburgoss · 03-19-2009, 11:27 AM

Originally posted by vizjerei

( read my last post also, i added some info of it )
I will take a pic of it when I got home, silica gel can be reused, you can mircowave them to get the water out of them.

How to reuse drying agents

Note 1: Microwaving or heating by any other method, silica gel packs that are made from any type of plastic, WILL MELT THE PLASTIC making the silicagel unusable. Better to get enough silicagel packs, open them and transfer crystals to paper envelopes. Better if using cotton cloth type bag packets.

Not 2: Air tight containers = TUPPERWARE from any local supermarket.

**dcmsox2004** · 03-19-2009, 11:31 AM

thanks.... i'll give my wife my order at her next party...
i did found another post in the forum.....
what would i do without my daily 'forum'............
simply the best......

vizjerei · 03-19-2009, 11:40 AM

Thanks rburgoss. I have no idea about those brand name of storage :P

dcmsox2004: There is also another thing, which is dry cabinet with temperature control and stuff.. of course it cost $, they are quite a norm in Asia (Hong Kong and other cities) as it is humidite in summer.

RioRico · 03-19-2009, 11:57 AM

I now live in high dry places, with lenses stored (maybe in loose cases or loose little cardboard boxes) in loose little Ikea CD cabinets. (Loose = nowhere near airtight.) When I lived in low moist places (SF, KC, NYC, LA) lenses & bodies & flashes etc resided in sealed Tupperware containers with silica gel. To dry the gel, follow directions to oven-bake, NEVER MICROWAVE! Nuking lenses & cams & flashes probably doesn't help them much, either.

StevenVH · 03-19-2009, 07:21 PM

I was just contemplating this and searching the 'net recently. By googling for "dry box" I found everything from cheap Tupperware type containers to fishing/hunting boxes and dry bags to Pelican types to climate controlled boxes and cabinets.
I may go cheap and just get a plastic air tight bin of some sort, but I was tending toward getting something more useful like a Pelican case.
I already got some very nice aluminum, reusable silica packs from a coin dealer on fleabay.

hth

Ira · 03-19-2009, 08:04 PM

All you do to clean silica gel is run the faucet over it, regardless of the pak or pouch it's embedded on.

And a great thing to know:

The stuff removes moisture, so a nice amount of it in the proper pak is amazing to put in your refrigerator. It removes the moisture, which makes your fridge work a lot harder to maintain the same temp.

And because of less moisture, vegetables last A LOT longer.

mithrandir · 03-19-2009, 08:16 PM

Another possibility is this item from Sportsman's Guide:

Remington Dehumidifier, Shooting Supplies, Remington at Sportsman's Guide

You can use it in a cabinet, safe, or other semi-sealed space.

StevenVH · 03-19-2009, 08:48 PM

Originally posted by Ira

All you do to clean silica gel is run the faucet over it, regardless of the pak or pouch it's embedded on.
/snip

haha...never heard that before.

Tom S. · 03-20-2009, 02:56 AM

Originally posted by Ira

All you do to clean silica gel is run the faucet over it, regardless of the pak or pouch it's embedded on.

That may work to clean it, but unless you dry it out afterwards, you've just defeated it's purpose. Putting it in a warm oven will dry it out so it will again absorb moisture.

03-19-2009, 10:18 AM	#1
dcmsox2004 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: rhode island Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,522	storing lenses.. using dessicants ?? Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. i'm trying to avoid fungus (not on me) on any stored lenses... even though i store unused lenses in as low a humidity and temperature environment... i was wondering if using those little silica gel packets would be of any benefit.... any other ideas.... Last edited by dcmsox2004; 03-19-2009 at 10:21 AM. Reason: new info

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03-19-2009, 10:22 AM	#2
dcmsox2004 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: rhode island Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,522 Original Poster	for example......................... Silica Gel Desiccant Dry Packs 125 Grams Storage Camera - eBay (item 180324541111 end time Mar-30-09 08:14:05 PDT)

03-19-2009, 10:59 AM	#3
SOldBear Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 3,206	I'm not sure about the benefit of silica gel. I don't store cameras and lenses in enclosed space. They are on open shelves attached to the walls of my study. They can collect dust, but I clean them periodically, and dust is much easier to handle. With an open space, silica gel would help very little, if any. Storing cameras and lenses in their cases, and/or in an enclosed space is asking for trouble, silica gel or no silica gel.

03-19-2009, 11:07 AM	#4
vizjerei Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,418	I put mine in an air tight box, with silica gel pack. The Air tight box is cheap from Korean supermarket, which their main purpose for storing Kim-Chi. I got a big air tight box which can put all my lens including 50-135 for only $6.99 Can.

03-19-2009, 11:10 AM	#5
dcmsox2004 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: rhode island Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,522 Original Poster	can you provide a pic of what your air lock box looks like, i've never heard of this... thanks !!! dave m also, how often do you change the silica gel pack (and where do u buy them)... i also know there are different sizes of silica gel packs....

03-19-2009, 11:15 AM	#6
vizjerei Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,418	Originally posted by dcmsox2004 can you provide a pic of what your air lock box looks like, i've never heard of this... thanks !!! dave m also, how often do you change the silica gel pack (and where do u buy them)... i also know there are different sizes of silica gel packs.... ( read my last post also, i added some info of it ) I will take a pic of it when I got home, silica gel can be reused, you can mircowave them to get the water out of them. How to reuse drying agents

03-19-2009, 11:27 AM	#7
rburgoss Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Jose, Costa Rica Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 972	Originally posted by vizjerei ( read my last post also, i added some info of it ) I will take a pic of it when I got home, silica gel can be reused, you can mircowave them to get the water out of them. How to reuse drying agents Note 1: Microwaving or heating by any other method, silica gel packs that are made from any type of plastic, WILL MELT THE PLASTIC making the silicagel unusable. Better to get enough silicagel packs, open them and transfer crystals to paper envelopes. Better if using cotton cloth type bag packets. Not 2: Air tight containers = TUPPERWARE from any local supermarket.

03-19-2009, 11:31 AM	#8
dcmsox2004 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: rhode island Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,522 Original Poster	thanks.... i'll give my wife my order at her next party... i did found another post in the forum..... what would i do without my daily 'forum'............ simply the best......

03-19-2009, 11:40 AM	#9
vizjerei Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,418	Thanks rburgoss. I have no idea about those brand name of storage :P dcmsox2004: There is also another thing, which is dry cabinet with temperature control and stuff.. of course it cost $, they are quite a norm in Asia (Hong Kong and other cities) as it is humidite in summer.

03-19-2009, 11:57 AM	#10
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	I now live in high dry places, with lenses stored (maybe in loose cases or loose little cardboard boxes) in loose little Ikea CD cabinets. (Loose = nowhere near airtight.) When I lived in low moist places (SF, KC, NYC, LA) lenses & bodies & flashes etc resided in sealed Tupperware containers with silica gel. To dry the gel, follow directions to oven-bake, NEVER MICROWAVE! Nuking lenses & cams & flashes probably doesn't help them much, either.

03-19-2009, 07:21 PM	#11
StevenVH Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: N Carolina, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 475	I was just contemplating this and searching the 'net recently. By googling for "dry box" I found everything from cheap Tupperware type containers to fishing/hunting boxes and dry bags to Pelican types to climate controlled boxes and cabinets. I may go cheap and just get a plastic air tight bin of some sort, but I was tending toward getting something more useful like a Pelican case. I already got some very nice aluminum, reusable silica packs from a coin dealer on fleabay. hth

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03-19-2009, 08:04 PM	#12
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216	All you do to clean silica gel is run the faucet over it, regardless of the pak or pouch it's embedded on. And a great thing to know: The stuff removes moisture, so a nice amount of it in the proper pak is amazing to put in your refrigerator. It removes the moisture, which makes your fridge work a lot harder to maintain the same temp. And because of less moisture, vegetables last A LOT longer.

03-19-2009, 08:16 PM	#13
mithrandir Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,895	Another possibility is this item from Sportsman's Guide: Remington Dehumidifier, Shooting Supplies, Remington at Sportsman's Guide You can use it in a cabinet, safe, or other semi-sealed space.

03-19-2009, 08:48 PM	#14
StevenVH Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: N Carolina, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 475	Originally posted by Ira All you do to clean silica gel is run the faucet over it, regardless of the pak or pouch it's embedded on. /snip haha...never heard that before.

03-20-2009, 02:56 AM	#15
Tom S. Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Michigan Photos: Albums Posts: 4,317	Originally posted by Ira All you do to clean silica gel is run the faucet over it, regardless of the pak or pouch it's embedded on. That may work to clean it, but unless you dry it out afterwards, you've just defeated it's purpose. Putting it in a warm oven will dry it out so it will again absorb moisture.