Dry Cabinet

[thedigitalmoments]

Hmm is a dry cabinet actually necessary? I store my camera equipments in a air tight container with silica gel. Is it enough?

I do not advise doing that.
I used to store a 80-400mm lens 10 years back in a Box With Silica Gel, Fungus grew on the lens soon enough (about 6 months later, lens is seldom used).

The ultimate choice is yours.
Spend $50- $200 (on average) for a proper dry cab, or risk spending more money to repair damaged equipment.

Regards,
TDM

 

[Ah_keong]

I have a Sony a6000 and about 6 lenses probably not expanding my setup in the foreseeable future. How does one know if the gel needs to be replaced? Do they run out of material?

You may want to replace the gel once every 2 months and "suntan" the lens with (front and rear) caps off.

Be careful of flammable stuff behind the lens rear that it might focus into a spot of concentration.

 

[Matrock5]

Cool did it had any fungus or issues? How long u stored it for?

I used to store it in a dry box (used to store rice) and use blue silica gel....

before getting a Dry Cabinet.

 

[Ah_keong]

Cool did it had any fungus or issues? How long u stored it for?

Nope, I used it once every one-two weeks for street and "suntan" the lens like once every two months over two years before I got a dry Cabinet.

If you want, we can meet to show you the lens which I am still using today.

 

[virtualape]

Thanks for ur advice but mostly i see the DHC digi cabi is over 200

this goes for $59. 30 liter. https://www.lazada.sg/products/i-ca...o42.searchlist.list.1.3c246c86q2JsVm&search=1

with 1 year local warranty. prices at camera shops tend to be higher.

this can fit 2 bodies and easily 3 more lens + some small accessories. to ensure the analog hygro is accurate, buy another hygrometer from daiso.

let the cabi run for a few days and stabilise. And adjust the knob till the rh is stable between 45-55rh. the daiso hygro should be about the same as the cabi's hygro if both are accurate.

its better to get a cabi than to send the lens/body for cleaning when there is a mold attack.

 

[Ah_keong]

for analog (not so accurate) meters, I would recommend setting 40~50 RH

 

[harky]

my Digi Cabi actually last quite long like 10yr? (the old old analog one)
as the box quite new, so i actually went to their office to ask if i can change the 'part' only.

end up i change a new one. 60L one

 

[Ah_keong]

my Digi Cabi actually last quite long like 10yr? (the old old analog one)
as the box quite new, so i actually went to their office to ask if i can change the 'part' only.

end up i change a new one. 60L one

is it because your previous model no longer in production or is it that they don't sell the 'part'?

 

[Nakedtoes]

Get dry cabinet lar.. Dun be a cheapskate... Last time I trade lenses one.. I seen before lenses less then 1 year old got fungus grow until jialat jialat.. I shake head.. Owner too cat to buy dry cabinet render the lenses need to go for cleaning etc.. Spent extra 80btob120 on the to clean

 

[harky]

he say no longer in production.
he told me to change..

i was thinking very waste as the box so new LOL. tot can recycle ma.

is it because your previous model no longer in production or is it that they don't sell the 'part'?

 

[Ah_keong]

he say no longer in production.
he told me to change..

i was thinking very waste as the box so new LOL. tot can recycle ma.

True also....

Think I will upsize the cabinet if mine cannot get spare parts....

 

[keenklee]

True also....

Think I will upsize the cabinet if mine cannot get spare parts....

I had one that failed but was repaired.
I added another with bigger capacity for contingency.
I also have a dehumidifier running for contingency as well.

I think my dehumidifying equipment, roughly 5-10% of the cost of the equipment stored.

 

[keenklee]

Get dry cabinet lar.. Dun be a cheapskate... Last time I trade lenses one.. I seen before lenses less then 1 year old got fungus grow until jialat jialat.. I shake head.. Owner too cat to buy dry cabinet render the lenses need to go for cleaning etc.. Spent extra 80btob120 on the to clean

Maybe that's why they want to sell off.

 

[Matrock5]

No problem I trust your advice really cool method

Nope, I used it once every one-two weeks for street and "suntan" the lens like once every two months over two years before I got a dry Cabinet.

If you want, we can meet to show you the lens which I am still using today.

 

[Matrock5]

Thanks!!!!!

this goes for $59. 30 liter. https://www.lazada.sg/products/i-ca...o42.searchlist.list.1.3c246c86q2JsVm&search=1

with 1 year local warranty. prices at camera shops tend to be higher.

this can fit 2 bodies and easily 3 more lens + some small accessories. to ensure the analog hygro is accurate, buy another hygrometer from daiso.

let the cabi run for a few days and stabilise. And adjust the knob till the rh is stable between 45-55rh. the daiso hygro should be about the same as the cabi's hygro if both are accurate.

its better to get a cabi than to send the lens/body for cleaning when there is a mold attack.

 

[reanimator]

I have a Sony a6000 and about 6 lenses probably not expanding my setup in the foreseeable future. How does one know if the gel needs to be replaced? Do they run out of material?

You may want to replace the gel once every 2 months and "suntan" the lens with (front and rear) caps off.

Be careful of flammable stuff behind the lens rear that it might focus into a spot of concentration.

In short, you use silicone gels to adsorb moisture. You can actually reuse the gels, by heating them in the oven, etc (basically drying the moisture out from the silicone gel). Else, replace them with a new one.

Using silicone gel gets a little tricky, because you would need to find the sweet spot for the correct number of silicone gels to maintain the ideal humidity level (other factors such as the size, etc affects too).

I would suggest to use a good temperature and humidity meter thermometer . You should also regularly check your airtight container to ensure that the relative humidity (RH) is between 35% to 45%. Or just get a good dry cabinet to save the hassle.

Any Higher = Optimal growth condition for Fungus and Molds
Any Lower = Over drying your gear's machine oil and rubber parts

 

[andyhtc]

this goes for $59. 30 liter. https://www.lazada.sg/products/i-ca...o42.searchlist.list.1.3c246c86q2JsVm&search=1

with 1 year local warranty. prices at camera shops tend to be higher.

this can fit 2 bodies and easily 3 more lens + some small accessories. to ensure the analog hygro is accurate, buy another hygrometer from daiso.

let the cabi run for a few days and stabilise. And adjust the knob till the rh is stable between 45-55rh. the daiso hygro should be about the same as the cabi's hygro if both are accurate.

its better to get a cabi than to send the lens/body for cleaning when there is a mold attack.

I bought this model from Lazada recently too. The quality is quite decent and it works. I keep my camera and lens in it at around 40% humidity.

 

[Apparatus]

Re

Dry cabinets come in 3 different types

1) Using electric heating
2) Using desiccant dehumidifiers/desiccant packets only
3) Using a vacuum

For 2) & 3) your dry cabinet needs to be airtight(moisture proof)

Alternatively,

4) Air conditioning - provided you have a room with aircon running 24x7
5) Dehumidifying the whole room - similar here with a room running the dehumidifier 24x7

The important things are

1) What humidity level range you want to control?
2) Any calibrated hygrometer attached to the dry cabinet? How do you calibrate this hygrometer yourself? Get a hygrometer (accuracy can be adjusted type) with accuracy of +/-1%RH, as master, and calibration kits and perform a 2-piont calibration at 32% & 58% RH for at least 36 hours. Boveda has calibration kits @32% RH and 75%RH. You can get its @58%RH Humidity Control Pack for calibration instead which comes with an accuracy of +/-1%RH whilst the calibration kit @32%RH 's accuracy is +/-0.5%RH

For desiccant consider

Silica Gel vs Molecular Sieve (Aluminosilicate Zeolite). This will depends on what humidity range you want to control. See below

http://www.flowdry.com/news/2015/10...r-sieve-adsorbent-which-desiccant-is-best.htm

Blue-color desiccant is TOXIC!!

Take note that blue-color desiccant is toxic. Read below

https://www.agmcontainer.com/blog/desiccant/indicating-silica-gel/