J Sigmo
Known around here
- Feb 5, 2018
- 996
- 1,336
I just thought I'd add that what I find the most useful are these bags of drierite:
Drierite - Drierite Desiccant Bags
Since you end up paying shipping on the orders, the total price will be higher than just the prices shown. And if you can't use it all at once, you need a very moisture-tight way to store what you won't use right away.
They also sell humidity indicators, which are great for visually verifying when desiccant needs to be changed out. You can cut them into much smaller pieces so one indicator gives you 8 little ones.
You can regenerate this stuff in an oven (they tell how on the site).
Drierite - Regeneration of Drierite Desiccants
Because of the high temperature required, I remove the desiccant from the paper bags for regeneration. Then I can repack it into other perforated containers or new porous bags, etc.
The regenerated desiccant, just as new stuff, needs to be stored in an airtight container until you use it.
And here is some electronics grade RTV on good old Amazon. They really do have a lot of stuff!
https://www.amazon.com/Clear-Electr...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0063U2RT8
Some things to keep in mind about silicone sealants:
They have a shelf life. Never use expired lots. An opened tube will go bad even sooner.
They cure by reacting with atmospheric moisture. So ironically, to get them to cure rapidly, you want to expose them to high humidity and high temperatures. If you seal your bathtub or shower with silicone sealant, the best thing you can do to make it cure rapidly is to take a long, hot shower in there right away!
We used to force cure the RTV on circuit boards in 100% humidity at about 150 degrees F. Even thick beads would cure in a couple of hours. Then we had to dry the boards thoroughly by baking in a dry environment before assembling them into the sealed downhole tools. This was all high temperature electronics to withstand downhole oil well temperatures (350 degrees F).
While these silicone sealants stop liquid water, they are somewhat porous, and may not stop water vapor over long periods. After all, since they cure by reacting with moisture, they'd never cure except at the very surface if they were moisture-proof. They actually form lots of tiny pores as they cure. That's why mildew grows inside beads of silicone, and is why some silicone sealant now comes with a fungicide built-into the formula.
If you've ever used clear silicone sealant that doesn't have the fungicide in a humid location, you've probably seen the mold that grows within the silicone over time.
Drierite - Drierite Desiccant Bags
Since you end up paying shipping on the orders, the total price will be higher than just the prices shown. And if you can't use it all at once, you need a very moisture-tight way to store what you won't use right away.
They also sell humidity indicators, which are great for visually verifying when desiccant needs to be changed out. You can cut them into much smaller pieces so one indicator gives you 8 little ones.
You can regenerate this stuff in an oven (they tell how on the site).
Drierite - Regeneration of Drierite Desiccants
Because of the high temperature required, I remove the desiccant from the paper bags for regeneration. Then I can repack it into other perforated containers or new porous bags, etc.
The regenerated desiccant, just as new stuff, needs to be stored in an airtight container until you use it.
And here is some electronics grade RTV on good old Amazon. They really do have a lot of stuff!
https://www.amazon.com/Clear-Electr...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0063U2RT8
Some things to keep in mind about silicone sealants:
They have a shelf life. Never use expired lots. An opened tube will go bad even sooner.
They cure by reacting with atmospheric moisture. So ironically, to get them to cure rapidly, you want to expose them to high humidity and high temperatures. If you seal your bathtub or shower with silicone sealant, the best thing you can do to make it cure rapidly is to take a long, hot shower in there right away!
We used to force cure the RTV on circuit boards in 100% humidity at about 150 degrees F. Even thick beads would cure in a couple of hours. Then we had to dry the boards thoroughly by baking in a dry environment before assembling them into the sealed downhole tools. This was all high temperature electronics to withstand downhole oil well temperatures (350 degrees F).
While these silicone sealants stop liquid water, they are somewhat porous, and may not stop water vapor over long periods. After all, since they cure by reacting with moisture, they'd never cure except at the very surface if they were moisture-proof. They actually form lots of tiny pores as they cure. That's why mildew grows inside beads of silicone, and is why some silicone sealant now comes with a fungicide built-into the formula.
If you've ever used clear silicone sealant that doesn't have the fungicide in a humid location, you've probably seen the mold that grows within the silicone over time.
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