Storage, Moisture, and All-Weather

Kath · 01-02-2016, 07:54 PM

A question for those who are concerned about keeping their lenses dry in storage:

I normally keep my lenses and cameras in a watertight case with silica for moisture absorption. Recently, on acquiring a new long lens and building a tabletop platform for it, I started to tear it down to put it away and thought, "Wait. I'm going to use this tomorrow." So I put it away in the cabinet all set up like this:

My question is this: given that both my lens and camera are All-Weather and resistant to moisture, should I expect any problems if I keep them attached this way and place them in the cabinet where I keep my other lenses? If they truly are sealed against moisture, would keeping them connected in this way not help that process along? It just got me wondering whether this was a reasonable way of thinking this through... Your opinions?

**luftfluss** · 01-02-2016, 07:59 PM - **3 Likes**

Right now, the moisture is me salivating over that lens...

**clackers** · 01-02-2016, 08:03 PM - **1 Like**

Oh, sh1t, what a beauty!

Anything you can do to keep their environment a stable, dehumidified temperature will be great. People go to a lot of trouble to look after wine collections less valuable than what you have.

r0ckstarr · 01-02-2016, 08:30 PM

I store my cameras with the lenses mounted on them. I only ever use the body cap if I run out of room to fit another camera with lens attached in my bag. I also store my cameras in their camera bags / backpacks until I use them again. I have silica packs in every compartment of the bag.

As for lenses that aren't in the camera bag, I store them on a shelf, in a closet, with a well vented door, also with silica packs.

promacjoe · 01-02-2016, 08:42 PM

unfortunately water resistant does not mean waterproof. On the lens shown, water can still get in through the filter door.
a good stable environment, "temperature and humidity", is desirable for any camera equipment. if you live in a area with low to moderate humidity, and your home has a good central air and heating system, you should be fine. If on the other hand you're in a high humidity area, you may need to use a dehumidifier, or place your equipment in a cabinet that can Isolate It from the humidity. even an old broken refrigerator can work good for this purpose. remember, all camera equipment like all homes must breathe with the temperature. as the temperature gets colder, it can pull in any moisture that is in the air, into your camera.

Keeping your camera clean and dry, goes a long way in making sure It lasts a long time.

blende8 · 01-03-2016, 01:42 AM - **1 Like**

You only made this topic up to show the setup, right?

**Alex645** · 01-03-2016, 03:20 AM

To really answer this, you'd need to put a hygrometer in your cabinet and monitor the RH over a period of time. The potential danger of putting any equipment into an air tight case, like a Pelican, is that desiccants have their limits and you may be sealing in moisture that would have 'dried out' if left somewhere with dry circulation. Wood is excellent in absorbing humidity.

Kath · 01-03-2016, 04:11 PM

Originally posted by luftfluss

Right now, the moisture is me salivating over that lens...

Well, you'd better stop that, then. My lens is fogging up.

---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:13 PM ----------

Originally posted by clackers

Oh, sh1t, what a beauty!

Anything you can do to keep their environment a stable, dehumidified temperature will be great. People go to a lot of trouble to look after wine collections less valuable than what you have.

Thanks, I'm enjoying it immensely. Yes, that's why I thought I should take a look at this situation. Trying to find a balance between convenience and safety.

---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:17 PM ----------

Originally posted by blende8

You only made this topic up to show the setup, right?

Busted! No, really, I wanted to get ideas, so I don't inadvertently mess up my new best friend. I really like being able to set it in the cabinet like this (for convenience), but I feel like I should be taking more precautions. The problems with getting all fussy with my storage is that then I hesitate to pick up the gear spontaneously and just shoot. So, looking for some kind of balance with this.

---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:19 PM ----------

Originally posted by r0ckstarr

I store my cameras with the lenses mounted on them. I only ever use the body cap if I run out of room to fit another camera with lens attached in my bag. I also store my cameras in their camera bags / backpacks until I use them again. I have silica packs in every compartment of the bag.

As for lenses that aren't in the camera bag, I store them on a shelf, in a closet, with a well vented door, also with silica packs.

I've been using silica packs, too. I feel a little like I'm distributing fairy dust around in the hope nothing bad happens. So far, so good, tho.

---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:21 PM ----------

Originally posted by promacjoe

unfortunately water resistant does not mean waterproof. On the lens shown, water can still get in through the filter door.
a good stable environment, "temperature and humidity", is desirable for any camera equipment. if you live in a area with low to moderate humidity, and your home has a good central air and heating system, you should be fine. If on the other hand you're in a high humidity area, you may need to use a dehumidifier, or place your equipment in a cabinet that can Isolate It from the humidity. even an old broken refrigerator can work good for this purpose. remember, all camera equipment like all homes must breathe with the temperature. as the temperature gets colder, it can pull in any moisture that is in the air, into your camera.

Keeping your camera clean and dry, goes a long way in making sure It lasts a long time.

*****

---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:27 PM ----------

Originally posted by Alex645

To really answer this, you'd need to put a hygrometer in your cabinet and monitor the RH over a period of time. The potential danger of putting any equipment into an air tight case, like a Pelican, is that desiccants have their limits and you may be sealing in moisture that would have 'dried out' if left somewhere with dry circulation. Wood is excellent in absorbing humidity.

These two quotes are making me think more about keeping track of what's going on in the cabinet. I like the idea of sticking the hygrometer in there and measuring it over time. But, is it the change in humidity (up or down) that I would worry about? Or, an increase in humidity over a certain acceptable level? And, what level would that be?

I have cringed a few times putting a lens back in a sealed bag with dessicant, never really being sure that I'm not sealing in the moisture as well...

**Alex645** · 01-03-2016, 06:05 PM

Originally posted by Kath

Well, you'd better stop that, then. My lens is fogging up.

---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:13 PM ----------

Thanks, I'm enjoying it immensely. Yes, that's why I thought I should take a look at this situation. Trying to find a balance between convenience and safety.

---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:17 PM ----------

Busted! No, really, I wanted to get ideas, so I don't inadvertently mess up my new best friend. I really like being able to set it in the cabinet like this (for convenience), but I feel like I should be taking more precautions. The problems with getting all fussy with my storage is that then I hesitate to pick up the gear spontaneously and just shoot. So, looking for some kind of balance with this.

---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:19 PM ----------

I've been using silica packs, too. I feel a little like I'm distributing fairy dust around in the hope nothing bad happens. So far, so good, tho.

---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:21 PM ----------

*****

---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:27 PM ----------

These two quotes are making me think more about keeping track of what's going on in the cabinet. I like the idea of sticking the hygrometer in there and measuring it over time. But, is it the change in humidity (up or down) that I would worry about? Or, an increase in humidity over a certain acceptable level? And, what level would that be?

I have cringed a few times putting a lens back in a sealed bag with dessicant, never really being sure that I'm not sealing in the moisture as well...

I don't know if anyone has done a scientific study on this, but essentially the lower the RH the better (under 40%). Over 60% for an extended period is not good and you should consider either using a rechargeable desiccant system, or even a low wattage tungsten bulb to keep things dry. Change in humidity, is not the issue. Exceeding 60% RH for long periods is not good.

One person I know keeps his cameras in a safe in an unheated secured garage. He ran tests all over his property and found that his garage was the driest room in the house. Apparently one of the causes was better circulation, and another was whenever one of two cars were parked, the cooling hot engine would dry out the air.

For me, I "park" my cameras and lenses in an insulated closet with very little air movement and use three Eva-Dry E-333 Renewable Wireless Mini Dehumidifiers. I also keep a hygrometer in the closet to monitor the situation. For long term storage, I use a Pelican case, with one of those dehumidifiers inside. The beads turn color once they need to be recharged and dried out by plugging it into the wall. Note: When you plug in the unit to dry it out, do it far from your equipment or else you'll be adding moisture back into the air.

anemone · 01-04-2016, 08:11 AM

n % RH means air has absorbed n% of it's capacity to absorb humidity (water vapour pressure is the key here) When temperature raises, air can absorb more.

Condensing happens when cold equipment comes to warm air and then cools the air near its surface. The air can't hold the amount of water anymore.

One solution is to build airtight cabinet, put a fan inside it and peltier element. The cold side condenses the water out of the air and then you have to direct the water through water lock to drain or lock to a cement or some other absorbent. And the total heat from peltier will keep nicely above condensation point and little bit warmer than outside of cabinet.

For control you need to control the peltier and measure temperature and humidity. You don't want to go much above exterior temperature and it is useless to dry already dried air. This stuff needs some electronics understanding and building skills.

Or get a air conditioned computer rack cabinet. I have +10 input air and + 28 output and on the bottom I can dry almost anything

Kath · 01-04-2016, 10:51 PM

Originally posted by Alex645

I don't know if anyone has done a scientific study on this, but essentially the lower the RH the better (under 40%). Over 60% for an extended period is not good and you should consider either using a rechargeable desiccant system, or even a low wattage tungsten bulb to keep things dry. Change in humidity, is not the issue. Exceeding 60% RH for long periods is not good.

One person I know keeps his cameras in a safe in an unheated secured garage. He ran tests all over his property and found that his garage was the driest room in the house. Apparently one of the causes was better circulation, and another was whenever one of two cars were parked, the cooling hot engine would dry out the air.

For me, I "park" my cameras and lenses in an insulated closet with very little air movement and use three Eva-Dry E-333 Renewable Wireless Mini Dehumidifiers. I also keep a hygrometer in the closet to monitor the situation. For long term storage, I use a Pelican case, with one of those dehumidifiers inside. The beads turn color once they need to be recharged and dried out by plugging it into the wall. Note: When you plug in the unit to dry it out, do it far from your equipment or else you'll be adding moisture back into the air.

Thank you very much for your input, Alex. Seems I've got some work to do.

---------- Post added 01-04-16 at 09:52 PM ----------

Originally posted by anemone

n % RH means air has absorbed n% of it's capacity to absorb humidity (water vapour pressure is the key here) When temperature raises, air can absorb more.

Condensing happens when cold equipment comes to warm air and then cools the air near its surface. The air can't hold the amount of water anymore.

One solution is to build airtight cabinet, put a fan inside it and peltier element. The cold side condenses the water out of the air and then you have to direct the water through water lock to drain or lock to a cement or some other absorbent. And the total heat from peltier will keep nicely above condensation point and little bit warmer than outside of cabinet.

For control you need to control the peltier and measure temperature and humidity. You don't want to go much above exterior temperature and it is useless to dry already dried air. This stuff needs some electronics understanding and building skills.

Or get a air conditioned computer rack cabinet. I have +10 input air and + 28 output and on the bottom I can dry almost anything

Thank you, anemone, for taking the time to share your thoughts.

**Alex645** · 01-05-2016, 12:26 AM

Kath, please update this thread when and if you find something that works (or not) as I grew up in a dry environment, but now struggle with constant humidity and am always looking for ideas for improvement.

Kath · 01-05-2016, 12:29 AM

Originally posted by Alex645

Kath, please update this thread when and if you find something that works (or not) as I grew up in a dry environment, but now struggle with constant humidity and am always looking for ideas for improvement.

Will do, Alex.

fwcetus · 01-05-2016, 06:13 AM - **1 Like**

I'm thinking about a related aspect of anti-moisture and anti-fungus protection, prompted by my new-ish HD DA 55-300/4-5.8 WR lens, which is my first and (so far) only WR lens, but also prompted by this thread's discussion.

Especially with non-IF lenses (or with non-internal-zooming lenses), whether WR or not, every time they are used, air is sucked in and pushed out. Now, if they are used even just in high humidity conditions (and if rain or fog or spray is sitting on them, they will be in high-humidity conditions), they are going to be "containers" of high humidity air when brought back into a (hopefully) dry storage environment.

With non-WR lenses in a dry environment, there are significant gaps in the lenses' physical construction that at least allow some way for internal humidity to be eventually dissipated. However, with a WR lens, especially with its caps on (particularly with its rear cap on, or with a WR body still attached), there is little chance for any internal humidity to easily escape into the outside air -- WR lenses would tend to trap internal humidity more than non-WR lenses.

So, I am wondering whether WR lenses should be ~more~ exposed to (hopefully) dry air when being stored than other lenses - i.e., should WR lenses be stored with caps off (especially with the rear cap off), and outside of any lens case (despite the greater potential contact with dust)?

Therefore, are WR lenses even ~more~ vulnerable to long-lasting internal moisture and possible fungus under some conditions than are non-WR lenses?

I'm just thinking out loud here...

anemone · 01-05-2016, 08:41 AM

Interesting point fwcetus. There is one little flaw. Water vapour pressure wants to find equilibrium. So when the lens is in dryer air, water vapour flows to it. To accelerate that, drill a hole to end cap and put some non linting cloth over it so that dust doesn't end in lens. That way you have storage cap for faster drying. If physical labour is acceptable, pump zooms couple of times so air is exchanged.

01-02-2016, 07:54 PM	#1
Kath Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Portland, OR Photos: Gallery Posts: 737	Storage, Moisture, and All-Weather A question for those who are concerned about keeping their lenses dry in storage: I normally keep my lenses and cameras in a watertight case with silica for moisture absorption. Recently, on acquiring a new long lens and building a tabletop platform for it, I started to tear it down to put it away and thought, "Wait. I'm going to use this tomorrow." So I put it away in the cabinet all set up like this: My question is this: given that both my lens and camera are All-Weather and resistant to moisture, should I expect any problems if I keep them attached this way and place them in the cabinet where I keep my other lenses? If they truly are sealed against moisture, would keeping them connected in this way not help that process along? It just got me wondering whether this was a reasonable way of thinking this through... Your opinions?

01-05-2016, 06:13 AM - 1 Like	#14
fwcetus Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New England Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,286	I'm thinking about a related aspect of anti-moisture and anti-fungus protection, prompted by my new-ish HD DA 55-300/4-5.8 WR lens, which is my first and (so far) only WR lens, but also prompted by this thread's discussion. Especially with non-IF lenses (or with non-internal-zooming lenses), whether WR or not, every time they are used, air is sucked in and pushed out. Now, if they are used even just in high humidity conditions (and if rain or fog or spray is sitting on them, they will be in high-humidity conditions), they are going to be "containers" of high humidity air when brought back into a (hopefully) dry storage environment. With non-WR lenses in a dry environment, there are significant gaps in the lenses' physical construction that at least allow some way for internal humidity to be eventually dissipated. However, with a WR lens, especially with its caps on (particularly with its rear cap on, or with a WR body still attached), there is little chance for any internal humidity to easily escape into the outside air -- WR lenses would tend to trap internal humidity more than non-WR lenses. So, I am wondering whether WR lenses should be ~more~ exposed to (hopefully) dry air when being stored than other lenses - i.e., should WR lenses be stored with caps off (especially with the rear cap off), and outside of any lens case (despite the greater potential contact with dust)? Therefore, are WR lenses even ~more~ vulnerable to long-lasting internal moisture and possible fungus under some conditions than are non-WR lenses? I'm just thinking out loud here... Last edited by fwcetus; 01-05-2016 at 07:03 AM.

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01-02-2016, 07:59 PM - 3 Likes	#2
luftfluss Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,627	Right now, the moisture is me salivating over that lens...

01-02-2016, 08:03 PM - 1 Like	#3
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Oh, sh1t, what a beauty! Anything you can do to keep their environment a stable, dehumidified temperature will be great. People go to a lot of trouble to look after wine collections less valuable than what you have.

01-02-2016, 08:30 PM	#4
r0ckstarr Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,507	I store my cameras with the lenses mounted on them. I only ever use the body cap if I run out of room to fit another camera with lens attached in my bag. I also store my cameras in their camera bags / backpacks until I use them again. I have silica packs in every compartment of the bag. As for lenses that aren't in the camera bag, I store them on a shelf, in a closet, with a well vented door, also with silica packs.

01-02-2016, 08:42 PM	#5
promacjoe Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 340	unfortunately water resistant does not mean waterproof. On the lens shown, water can still get in through the filter door. a good stable environment, "temperature and humidity", is desirable for any camera equipment. if you live in a area with low to moderate humidity, and your home has a good central air and heating system, you should be fine. If on the other hand you're in a high humidity area, you may need to use a dehumidifier, or place your equipment in a cabinet that can Isolate It from the humidity. even an old broken refrigerator can work good for this purpose. remember, all camera equipment like all homes must breathe with the temperature. as the temperature gets colder, it can pull in any moisture that is in the air, into your camera. Keeping your camera clean and dry, goes a long way in making sure It lasts a long time.

01-03-2016, 01:42 AM - 1 Like	#6
blende8 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bremen, Germany Photos: Albums Posts: 1,521	You only made this topic up to show the setup, right?

01-03-2016, 03:20 AM	#7
Alex645 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Kaneohe, HI Photos: Albums Posts: 3,526	To really answer this, you'd need to put a hygrometer in your cabinet and monitor the RH over a period of time. The potential danger of putting any equipment into an air tight case, like a Pelican, is that desiccants have their limits and you may be sealing in moisture that would have 'dried out' if left somewhere with dry circulation. Wood is excellent in absorbing humidity.

01-03-2016, 04:11 PM	#8
Kath Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Portland, OR Photos: Gallery Posts: 737 Original Poster	Originally posted by luftfluss Right now, the moisture is me salivating over that lens... Well, you'd better stop that, then. My lens is fogging up. ---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:13 PM ---------- Originally posted by clackers Oh, sh1t, what a beauty! Anything you can do to keep their environment a stable, dehumidified temperature will be great. People go to a lot of trouble to look after wine collections less valuable than what you have. Thanks, I'm enjoying it immensely. Yes, that's why I thought I should take a look at this situation. Trying to find a balance between convenience and safety. ---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:17 PM ---------- Originally posted by blende8 You only made this topic up to show the setup, right? Busted! No, really, I wanted to get ideas, so I don't inadvertently mess up my new best friend. I really like being able to set it in the cabinet like this (for convenience), but I feel like I should be taking more precautions. The problems with getting all fussy with my storage is that then I hesitate to pick up the gear spontaneously and just shoot. So, looking for some kind of balance with this. ---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:19 PM ---------- Originally posted by r0ckstarr I store my cameras with the lenses mounted on them. I only ever use the body cap if I run out of room to fit another camera with lens attached in my bag. I also store my cameras in their camera bags / backpacks until I use them again. I have silica packs in every compartment of the bag. As for lenses that aren't in the camera bag, I store them on a shelf, in a closet, with a well vented door, also with silica packs. I've been using silica packs, too. I feel a little like I'm distributing fairy dust around in the hope nothing bad happens. So far, so good, tho. ---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:21 PM ---------- Originally posted by promacjoe unfortunately water resistant does not mean waterproof. On the lens shown, water can still get in through the filter door. a good stable environment, "temperature and humidity", is desirable for any camera equipment. if you live in a area with low to moderate humidity, and your home has a good central air and heating system, you should be fine. If on the other hand you're in a high humidity area, you may need to use a dehumidifier, or place your equipment in a cabinet that can Isolate It from the humidity. even an old broken refrigerator can work good for this purpose. remember, all camera equipment like all homes must breathe with the temperature. as the temperature gets colder, it can pull in any moisture that is in the air, into your camera. Keeping your camera clean and dry, goes a long way in making sure It lasts a long time. ***** ---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:27 PM ---------- Originally posted by Alex645 To really answer this, you'd need to put a hygrometer in your cabinet and monitor the RH over a period of time. The potential danger of putting any equipment into an air tight case, like a Pelican, is that desiccants have their limits and you may be sealing in moisture that would have 'dried out' if left somewhere with dry circulation. Wood is excellent in absorbing humidity. These two quotes are making me think more about keeping track of what's going on in the cabinet. I like the idea of sticking the hygrometer in there and measuring it over time. But, is it the change in humidity (up or down) that I would worry about? Or, an increase in humidity over a certain acceptable level? And, what level would that be? I have cringed a few times putting a lens back in a sealed bag with dessicant, never really being sure that I'm not sealing in the moisture as well...

01-03-2016, 06:05 PM	#9
Alex645 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Kaneohe, HI Photos: Albums Posts: 3,526	Originally posted by Kath Well, you'd better stop that, then. My lens is fogging up. ---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:13 PM ---------- Thanks, I'm enjoying it immensely. Yes, that's why I thought I should take a look at this situation. Trying to find a balance between convenience and safety. ---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:17 PM ---------- Busted! No, really, I wanted to get ideas, so I don't inadvertently mess up my new best friend. I really like being able to set it in the cabinet like this (for convenience), but I feel like I should be taking more precautions. The problems with getting all fussy with my storage is that then I hesitate to pick up the gear spontaneously and just shoot. So, looking for some kind of balance with this. ---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:19 PM ---------- I've been using silica packs, too. I feel a little like I'm distributing fairy dust around in the hope nothing bad happens. So far, so good, tho. ---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:21 PM ---------- ***** ---------- Post added 01-03-16 at 03:27 PM ---------- These two quotes are making me think more about keeping track of what's going on in the cabinet. I like the idea of sticking the hygrometer in there and measuring it over time. But, is it the change in humidity (up or down) that I would worry about? Or, an increase in humidity over a certain acceptable level? And, what level would that be? I have cringed a few times putting a lens back in a sealed bag with dessicant, never really being sure that I'm not sealing in the moisture as well... I don't know if anyone has done a scientific study on this, but essentially the lower the RH the better (under 40%). Over 60% for an extended period is not good and you should consider either using a rechargeable desiccant system, or even a low wattage tungsten bulb to keep things dry. Change in humidity, is not the issue. Exceeding 60% RH for long periods is not good. One person I know keeps his cameras in a safe in an unheated secured garage. He ran tests all over his property and found that his garage was the driest room in the house. Apparently one of the causes was better circulation, and another was whenever one of two cars were parked, the cooling hot engine would dry out the air. For me, I "park" my cameras and lenses in an insulated closet with very little air movement and use three Eva-Dry E-333 Renewable Wireless Mini Dehumidifiers. I also keep a hygrometer in the closet to monitor the situation. For long term storage, I use a Pelican case, with one of those dehumidifiers inside. The beads turn color once they need to be recharged and dried out by plugging it into the wall. Note: When you plug in the unit to dry it out, do it far from your equipment or else you'll be adding moisture back into the air.

01-04-2016, 08:11 AM	#10
anemone Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 165	n % RH means air has absorbed n% of it's capacity to absorb humidity (water vapour pressure is the key here) When temperature raises, air can absorb more. Condensing happens when cold equipment comes to warm air and then cools the air near its surface. The air can't hold the amount of water anymore. One solution is to build airtight cabinet, put a fan inside it and peltier element. The cold side condenses the water out of the air and then you have to direct the water through water lock to drain or lock to a cement or some other absorbent. And the total heat from peltier will keep nicely above condensation point and little bit warmer than outside of cabinet. For control you need to control the peltier and measure temperature and humidity. You don't want to go much above exterior temperature and it is useless to dry already dried air. This stuff needs some electronics understanding and building skills. Or get a air conditioned computer rack cabinet. I have +10 input air and + 28 output and on the bottom I can dry almost anything

01-04-2016, 10:51 PM	#11
Kath Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Portland, OR Photos: Gallery Posts: 737 Original Poster	Originally posted by Alex645 I don't know if anyone has done a scientific study on this, but essentially the lower the RH the better (under 40%). Over 60% for an extended period is not good and you should consider either using a rechargeable desiccant system, or even a low wattage tungsten bulb to keep things dry. Change in humidity, is not the issue. Exceeding 60% RH for long periods is not good. One person I know keeps his cameras in a safe in an unheated secured garage. He ran tests all over his property and found that his garage was the driest room in the house. Apparently one of the causes was better circulation, and another was whenever one of two cars were parked, the cooling hot engine would dry out the air. For me, I "park" my cameras and lenses in an insulated closet with very little air movement and use three Eva-Dry E-333 Renewable Wireless Mini Dehumidifiers. I also keep a hygrometer in the closet to monitor the situation. For long term storage, I use a Pelican case, with one of those dehumidifiers inside. The beads turn color once they need to be recharged and dried out by plugging it into the wall. Note: When you plug in the unit to dry it out, do it far from your equipment or else you'll be adding moisture back into the air. Thank you very much for your input, Alex. Seems I've got some work to do. ---------- Post added 01-04-16 at 09:52 PM ---------- Originally posted by anemone n % RH means air has absorbed n% of it's capacity to absorb humidity (water vapour pressure is the key here) When temperature raises, air can absorb more. Condensing happens when cold equipment comes to warm air and then cools the air near its surface. The air can't hold the amount of water anymore. One solution is to build airtight cabinet, put a fan inside it and peltier element. The cold side condenses the water out of the air and then you have to direct the water through water lock to drain or lock to a cement or some other absorbent. And the total heat from peltier will keep nicely above condensation point and little bit warmer than outside of cabinet. For control you need to control the peltier and measure temperature and humidity. You don't want to go much above exterior temperature and it is useless to dry already dried air. This stuff needs some electronics understanding and building skills. Or get a air conditioned computer rack cabinet. I have +10 input air and + 28 output and on the bottom I can dry almost anything Thank you, anemone, for taking the time to share your thoughts.

01-05-2016, 12:26 AM	#12
Alex645 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Kaneohe, HI Photos: Albums Posts: 3,526	Kath, please update this thread when and if you find something that works (or not) as I grew up in a dry environment, but now struggle with constant humidity and am always looking for ideas for improvement.

01-05-2016, 12:29 AM	#13
Kath Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Portland, OR Photos: Gallery Posts: 737 Original Poster	Originally posted by Alex645 Kath, please update this thread when and if you find something that works (or not) as I grew up in a dry environment, but now struggle with constant humidity and am always looking for ideas for improvement. Will do, Alex.

01-05-2016, 08:41 AM	#15
anemone Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 165	Interesting point fwcetus. There is one little flaw. Water vapour pressure wants to find equilibrium. So when the lens is in dryer air, water vapour flows to it. To accelerate that, drill a hole to end cap and put some non linting cloth over it so that dust doesn't end in lens. That way you have storage cap for faster drying. If physical labour is acceptable, pump zooms couple of times so air is exchanged.