Sillica gel; thirsty hippo; dry boxes; dehumidifier lamp in a cupboard which one?

Silica Gel; Thirsty Hippo; DryCabinet, Which ONE??


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I play around with my camera every 1 or 2 days, so I guess being a 'hippo and lock & lock' guy wouldn't hurt much for now.. :)
 

aiya nowadays everything cause cancer, fastfood, instant noodle, styrofoam, cigarette, etc2 but it doesn't stop people from using it everyday like, compare to silica gel that u change every once or twice a week while keeping it in an airtight box, u count the probability of u getting cancer from it and the other stuff i mention above, and beside i haven't see any forumer create a thread "i'm diagnosed cancer cos of my dry box silica gel" lol :bsmilie:

lol.... wow i have been using for 3 mths with the same silica gel lol just keep recharging lol.....
 

if you scared explode or cancer, use hair dryer n slowly blow dry them. thats what i heard my friend is doing coz he simply got too much time and no microwave

The electricity used by the hairdryer is probably enough to power a digicab for a few days. :bsmilie:
 

mmm i heard will cause cancer for the blue ones, is it really that dangerous to reheat in microwave?

hahah haven't revisit this thread since I started it .. am glad that have helped a few photographers save $ for lens instead of a dry cabinet.

To understand the risks involved you can see
MSDS For Silica Gel Blue
http://www.hysilicagel.com/images/MSDS for Silica Gel Blue.pdf

But understand that it is risk only.
you take a gamble when u cross the road but you still do as the risk is not unbearable.

of course when u are the one hit by a car, u imagine the risk to be bigger.

that said everyone's risk tolerance is different. you can use colorless Sillica or as mentioned thirsty hippo.
note that colorless silica is used in quite a few food packaging.

I have tried drying silica gel on old pans on stove tops before as well, it was a waste of time and very tedious!
 

icic thanks for the information =D, how do i know it leaked -.- lol.... i think its time to change i have a few of them cracked half
 

Sillica gel - use the microwave - 1 minute will do.... Put into the dry box is really good....
 

The film store at parkway parade basement sells the silica for 4 to 4.50 only.

silica is quite powerful.

just a handful will put my dry box to 30% RH.

scared me when i saw it after work when i came back... gan cheong take out my stuff and check for damage, luckily none.

now i bought a dry cabinet because the storage not enough.

now i put the remainder into my cupboards, cos i now know how powerful the silica is..

my 2 cents.
 

icic thanks for the information =D, how do i know it leaked -.- lol.... i think its time to change i have a few of them cracked half

Oh the cobalt ion is soluble in water so if you soak your silica in water ur silica will turn colorless and the water becomes blue(regardless of whole or cracked beads). but u use it as drying agent so the odds that it will come in contact with puddles of water to leech out the cobalt seems small.
 

Oh the cobalt ion is soluble in water so if you soak your silica in water ur silica will turn colorless and the water becomes blue(regardless of whole or cracked beads). but u use it as drying agent so the odds that it will come in contact with puddles of water to leech out the cobalt seems small.

oh so cobalt comes out in water, when i heat it up, somehow there are water vapours while it indirectly contact the silica... errrr i dunno lol!!!! maybe i should get those cobalt free to ease my mind then =D
 

oh so cobalt comes out in water, when i heat it up, somehow there are water vapours while it indirectly contact the silica... errrr i dunno lol!!!! maybe i should get those cobalt free to ease my mind then =D
I really don't understand why people go through all these troubles when they could have just gotten a dry cabinet instead. :dunno:
 

I really don't understand why people go through all these troubles when they could have just gotten a dry cabinet instead. :dunno:

Agreed. Getting a dry cabinet is all worth while..
Thats a saying goes: "You save more, when you get the best"...
 

This is an interesting thread.
I am interested in trying the silica gel method + box.
But any idea where to buy silica gel?
 

Apart the film store at parkway mentioned above.
Any other places like home shopping centres, funan, etc?
 

Apart the film store at parkway mentioned above.
Any other places like home shopping centres, funan, etc?

most of the neighbourhood photo printing shops usually carry it, i always buy a 500ml silica gel from near chai chee tech park(where i work) shops for S$4.5
 

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i bought from ebay cobalt free orange
 

Got my Lock n Lock and Silica Gel (500gm@$4.5) from NTUC XTra at AMK
Hygrometer from DAISO
 

Oh no... i stumble onto this thread too late. So it should be around 45-55% RH....

I just bought my camera and using a dry box with silica gel and a hydrometer. I notice that it's been 20% for a few (to be exact 5 days since i put my new camera in) days and i did take out my camera for the last 3 days to do some setting & test shots. (about 2 hours a day) so storing my new camera for 5 days at 20% RH will it be already damage?

Pls advice.
 

the humidity in my room is <15%. stored my lens in my drawer, no problems.
 

15%? Your aircon must be on the whole day at full blast! :)
 

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