Silica Gel Packets

[SilverLynx]

Hello all, Forum newbie here...

 

I searched the forum and haven't found any posts on this topic, so I thought I would share.

 

Silica Gel packets come in many things, shoes, medicine, clothing, etc. Most people throw them out without a second thought. These little packets were designed to absorb moisture, and come in many different shapes and sizes. My idea (and I'm sure others have come up with ot too) is to add 1 or more to your micro/small caches to keep the logs dry. Granted, they only absorb so much moisture, and really wouldn't help if the cache isn't watertight or is already waterlogged, but it will help against condensation and might be the difference between a dry log or a log with pages stuck together and smeared ink.

 

Carry a few with you the next time you do cache maintence, or drop one in a cache the next time you go caching.

 

Just my 2¢

 

Lynx

[+Nurse Dave]

Okay, I have to say just use waterPROOF containers. We all know by now those little black film cans are not waterproof and so it's a little irresonsible to use those for caches knowing the log can get wet. Same thing for altoids tins, AOL tins, hide-a-keys......

[+Vic303]

Okay, I have to say just use waterPROOF containers. We all know by now those little black film cans are not waterproof and so it's a little irresonsible to use those for caches knowing the log can get wet. Same thing for altoids tins, AOL tins, hide-a-keys......

Waterproof will do nothing to combat condensation inside the cache. The silica pkts will at least help with that.

[Smaug1]

Okay, I have to say just use waterPROOF containers.

I'm not sure, but I think the original author already knew that.

 

I think he was thinking more of absorbing any of the moisture in the air trapped in the container.

 

My second cache had a soggy log, even though it was in a film canister. I'm sure it didn't leak, it was just the moist air. If it had leaked, it would have wreaked (sp?) all sorts of havoc, especially on the ink in the logs if it had actually leaked.

 

By the way, all film canisters are not created equal. The Fuji ones are a bit "more equal" than the Kodak ones.

[+YuccaPatrol]

Yes, they will really only be able to help with minimal condensation, but that could be the difference between a dry and a damp log book.

 

If you have been saving these packets, they are likely already saturated with water.

 

They will need to be cooked in an oven to remove the water and then sealed inside a closed container.

 

When I worked in pharmaceutical labs, we used silica gel to keep some chemicals dry. We used some that had a color changing indicator to let us know when to change it. After cooking in the oven for a couple hours, it was good as new.

 

Even though we were indoors and in the dry climate of Colorado, the silica gel had to be replaced every few weeks.

 

My guess is that they would definitely help for a short period of time, but long term these little packets are probably not going to make much of a difference if the container is not absolutely airtight and is opened frequently.

 

Also, consider the cost of heating your oven for a few hours. . . .

Edited January 5, 2005 by YuccaPatrol

[SilverLynx]

Also, consider the cost of heating your oven for a few hours. . . .

 

LOL! On occasion I'll turn on the oven to help heat the house in winter, so its all good.

 

Well maybe its not such a great idea, but it can't hurt, and the things are pretty much free (though you can buy them in bulk)

It was a thought.

 

Lynx

[+dunos]

The only thing I have worries about is the fact the silica gell packs have DO NOT EAT written all over them. This doesn't make the cache very child friendly or, as is written on some caches, animal safe?

[+SamLowrey]

The only thing I have worries about is the fact the silica gell packs have DO NOT EAT written all over them. This doesn't make the cache very child friendly or, as is written on some caches, animal safe?

I wonder about this rule. Do we expect unsupervised children to read a GPSr but not a silica packet? Parents to take their kids only to ignore they are eating the cache contents?

[+Team Fegel]

The only thing I have worries about is the fact the silica gell packs have DO NOT EAT written all over them. This doesn't make the cache very child friendly or, as is written on some caches, animal safe?

LOL, McToys say what amounts to DO NOT EAT on their packages too.

[+fly46]

Chalk sticks work just as well.

You can buy a box of 24 for about 50 cents.

[+ChileHead]

The only thing I have worries about is the fact the silica gell packs have DO NOT EAT written all over them. This doesn't make the cache very child friendly or, as is written on some caches, animal safe?

LOL, McToys say what amounts to DO NOT EAT on their packages too.

Too bad their food doesn't come w/ the same warning.

[+CYBret]

I get to Markwell myself!

 

And here's another good one also on this topic.

 

Bret

[+NightPilot]

You may have a waterproof container, but that just means that when someone finds your cache in the rain, and the logbook gets water on it, it will stay in the container and not evaporate. A little silica gel might help.