Which is to say, not very far on this at all but I think I have a good idea on how have my cake and eat it too for desiccant for my spools.
I am finding I can’t get the humidity below about 50% in my AMS and the silica I am using needs constant refreshing.
Well it seems there is stuff called activated alumina that is pretty good and honestly about the same costs as silica beads, but I need to be able to put it in the oven to refresh it. Which doesn’t work well with my 3d printed desiccant holders.
Insert, cheap tea strainers.
It seems I can get ones that are 4cm in width by 6cm in height that are made out of stainless steel that I can actually put straight in the oven.
So, I am working on getting the parts and items but was wondering if anyone else has done this or have any suggestions before I start grabbing stuff?
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I bought one of these Micro-Dehumidifier modules earlier this year I’ve been meaning to use in a dry-box I need to finish (got busy, forgot about it). Allegedly solid results without the need for desiccant and there’s an AMS mounting solution. They’re pricey but might be something to look at.
Man I always forget the comma in Europe and when you warned me about pricey I almost had a heart attack from what I thought that cost for a second there.
That’s actually pretty cool. Probably not unreasonable for what it says it passes for flow rate too but I think I was looking for a bit lazier a hack. I am not always to be trusted cutting things open and wiring electrics.
I used to use those mesh strainers for hops when I was still brewing beer. I would use them for desiccant drying too, but I don’t think my oven maintains low temperatures well enough to not melt the beads.
I got a food dehydrator instead which I think would work with your 3D printed desiccant holders if you make them out of the right materials.
Yeah I have a spool dehydrator but it doesn’t battle the constant humidity and trying to swap the 2 that it can hold to the 4 in the ams is a pain if I am trying to dry desiccant too.
The whole point is the alumina isn’t gonna melt or have any issues with the lower heat than it fully wants to dehydrate again. It technically should be refreshed in a kiln.
I’m not sure, but you should be careful while handling this stuff. It seems like it’s hazardous - the dust it produces in particular. You’re not supposed to handle it without gloves. I also can’t find any info about drying it out safely if the dust it produces isn’t supposed to be breathed in.
Maybe you’ve done this research already, and I’m overthinking this, but whatever you wind up doing, just be safe.
https://www.vanairsystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/activated-alumina-msds-sheet.pdf
Why does your silica need constant refreshing? Has it always been that way? Perhaps you have a moist reel or two in there that need a good cook off in a filament dryer. I would look for more root cause for the humidity issue rather than hope another desicant will be a Gosend. Silica is pretty good stuff, I think you may end up dissapointed with this strategy.
Probably got a wet filament but they are all new and I have tried to give them a quick run through the dehydrator I have which is part of the goal of getting a better desiccant.
Also it’s like 80% humidity where it prints so at 45% it’s not a small amount reduced.
Also, silica is fine but there are other desiccants. Holding onto the past cause it’s good enough never explores if there is something better.
I don’t know anything, but I do have an oven.
Can you use a cookie sheet? Spread the desiccant out on it, then store it in a glass jar after cooling? Use an old cookie sheet, and maybe never cook food on it again.
Oh I could, it’s actually not exactly toxic. Its just aluminum, in fact it’s used as a water purifier mostly. It’s kinda absorbent to everything but holds 30% it’s weight in moisture.
I just figured I’m being clever and if I’m buying 1 thing I can maybe buy 2 and save me some heartache later.
Also cause the tea strainer is like $3 and feels like a fun way to keep them together.