Stupid "Damp Rid" in my safe! WTF!

[Lead Waster]

This morning, I pulled some guns for the range and noticed that two of the bags at the bottom (Midway "tactical pistol" bags) were a bit damp! I couldn't figure out why, but I thought ... well thank goodness I have that jar of "damp rid!" so I picked up the damp rid and water CAME POURING OUT of a crack at the bottom of the jar!

Damp Rid is a container with a sort of strainer in it full of some chemical (calcium chloride or something, I dunno), the stuff absorbs moisture from the air and then the moisture drips down into the container.

BUT the bottom of my container was cracked, so it basically collected moister from the air and then dripped it into everything below it!

It was sitting on a box of photographs, but luckily they don't seem damaged, BUT the two gun bags were soaking..

My Ruger 22/45 had lots of surface (I hope) rust all over the barrel and controls, including the front of the muzzle, I'm not sure about the bore yet.

My Glock 35 did better, as the tennifer seemed to have rejected the moisture BUT the front Fiber Optic sight is rusted.

D***it Damp Rid, you Piece of Crap!

Guys, if you use it, make sure you know how it works and CHECK that the container does not have cracks in it!

I'm really hoping that rust is just cosmetic, but even so, it sort of made a mess of that Ruger.

[AragornElessar86]

Yeah, my in-laws' heirloom silver was destroyed in exactly the same way. That stuff is bad news. I use desiccant beads instead.

http://www.amazon.com/Eva-dry-E-500-Renewable-Wireless-Dehumidifer/dp/B000H0XFD2/ref=pd_sbs_sg_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1H9NYC50T1NT2REGXCM1

[bruss01]

Calcium chloride is used as road salt in some areas.

It is responsible for the "Michigan Measles" and is the reason that northern states are known as the "rust belt".

After an incident like this I would need to give any of my guns in that safe a thorough stock-off cleaning with water (just like you would after firing corrosive ammo) then a thorough drying followed by a light protective skim of oil, inspecting for any rust spots along the way and treating as needed.

I won't have a calcium chloride "dehumidifier" in my gun safe for exactly this reason. To call something that attracts water a "dehumidifier", especially when as a by-product it produces a highly concentrated salt solution, boggles my mind. Sure, assuming your safe is air tight, eventually it will absorb all the water present. I don't know very many guns kept in airtight conditions. Consequently on a 24/7 basis this is actually drawing more moisture into the safe. Just doesn't sound right to me.

Now, I have placed pistols inside ziploc bags with a silica packet. The bag is reasonably air-tight in the everyday sense of that term. Silica does not become corrosive, and I am comfortable with that. If we had humidity here I might consider a goldenrod but thankfully it's quite dry here inland north.

[bigbearbear]

I've seen those Golden Rod things that generate a low level heat in the safe to prevent condensation, perhaps those might work better?

[RobertMW]

Use an electric dehumidifier.

[Lead Waster]

I've seen those Golden Rod things that generate a low level heat in the safe to prevent condensation, perhaps those might work better?

Pathetically, I have one of those, still in a package. AND my safe has an outlet in it, but it's in a place without a grounded outlet so I haven't used it (no outlet near the safe that has a ground wire, just an ancient two prong outlet).

Glad I found it now. Normally, I take my .22 on every range trip, but I left it home the last couple of times ... just in time to soak up the salty water.

Sigh..

But it's amazing how much water was in the container that still hadn't leaked out. That means a lot of moisture in the air.

[Lead Waster]

Yeah, my in-laws' heirloom silver was destroyed in exactly the same way. That stuff is bad news. I use desiccant beads instead.

http://www.amazon.com/Eva-dry-E-500-...50T1NT2REGXCM1

Thanks for the tip on that. Seems similar (absorbing material), but I'll look into it.

[Bansh88]

I toss a dessicant packet in my safe once in a while when one comes in a shoebox or package.
SoCal is quite dry as is my safe and it's location.

[sd_shooter]

I've seen those Golden Rod things that generate a low level heat in the safe to prevent condensation, perhaps those might work better?

I have those in all my safes, no rust Or water...or salt...

[bigbearbear]

Pathetically, I have one of those, still in a package. AND my safe has an outlet in it, but it's in a place without a grounded outlet so I haven't used it (no outlet near the safe that has a ground wire, just an ancient two prong outlet).

Might be worth considering an upgrade to the electrical outlet. Those chemical moisture absorbing stuff is useful but only if you use them in air tight environment. Otherwise, they'll just pull moisture from atmosphere, which I think is why you got a container full of liquid. That thing is essentially pulling moisture INTO your safe for you.

[Lead Waster]

Might be worth considering an upgrade to the electrical outlet. Those chemical moisture absorbing stuff is useful but only if you use them in air tight environment. Otherwise, they'll just pull moisture from atmosphere, which I think is why you got a container full of liquid. That thing is essentially pulling moisture INTO your safe for you.

Good point, I will be switching to the golden rod. I can swap the 2 prong to a GFCI. The outlet box in the safe has a cord that is 3 prong, which is why I couldn't connect it to the 2 prong outlet. It's an easy, if annoying fix to get a GFCI outlet there.

[sd_shooter]

The two prong outlet will probably work, I don't think the plug on the golden rod is a three prong.

[MudCamper]

http://www.amazon.com/Eva-dry-E-500-...50T1NT2REGXCM1

Yeah, I second this. I use 2 of these Eva-Dry units per safe, and regularly recharge them. They are pretty convenient.

Thanks for the tip on that. Seems similar (absorbing material), but I'll look into it.

Silica gel, once saturated, simply won't absorb any more. It isn't damp, nor can it leak - unless you count vapor at temperatures above 300 degrees. That's what's nice about the Eva-Dry units over normal silica gel packs. You just plug them in overnight and they heat up and dehumidify and are ready to reuse. Much easier than using the oven for simple silica gel packs.

[krwada]

Get yourself a golden rod.

Calcium Chloride is definitely NOT the way to go ... believe me.

If you really want to use a chemical desiccant; then do the following.

1. Get some Epsom salt ... (a bunch)
2. Place the salt on a metal tray in the oven
3. Turn on the oven to about 280 degrees F
4. Let the stuff roast for about 4-5 hours.
5. Remove, and let cool down.

Now, you have several pounds of cheap desiccant.

Epsom salt, (Magnesium Sulfate), forms a hepta-hydrate when it is exposed to water vapor. Plain old Epsom salt is really the hepta-hydrated form of the salt. When you roast it in the oven, that will 'cook-off' the water in the salt and will give you the plain dehydrated magnesium sulfate.

Hydrated magnesium sulfate will not turn into an aqueous solution like Calcium Chloride will. It just turns color.

... or you can get a golden rod, elevate the temperature of your safe a little ... and be done with it.

The golden rod is what I did. It is too much hassle recharging desiccant pouches every once in awhile ... I am too lazy for such things.

[Victor Cachat]

I left some sitting on a pair of leather gloves.
The plastic bags it was in must have leaked and the gloves looked like a mad scientist's mutant bat.