Gun safe question

[Bigguy1951]

What dehumidification system do you recommend for a gun safe in a desert environment? Typically we have single digit to mid teen humidity from late February-mid June. Mid-June to late September is our moisture period with humidity ranging from 40-80%, but usually less than 70%. Then humidity drops off quickly and hangs in the 20-40% range till late February. I have no idea which system to use and would really appreciate some input.

 

[hogpatrol]

Goldenrod

 

[MrBottleneck]

With your short duration of humidity you might get by just fine with dessicant cans. Just remember to reheat/recharge (dry them out when needed).
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1435722362/hydrosorbent-silica-gel-desiccant-dehumidifier-box
The Golden Rods are nice also (other brands a touch cheaper).
With single digit humidty just be darn sure to unplug the rods unless you want some nicely dried out stocks.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/11...humidifier-rod-with-detachable-plug-110v-gold

One thing for sure is to purchase a internal Humidty guage.
I have in one in my large Heritage and its fantastic to know whats going on inside the safe.
You can pick up one up at WalMart for next to nothing. Some have a magnet on the back and some dont (just use velcro).
https://www.walmart.com/ip/AcuRite-Digital-Humidity-and-Temperature-Monitor/16888914

 

[powderbrake]

Goldenrod

I agree

 

[dickn52]

I use those boot dryers. One is made for gun safes. It's been operating for over 2 years now without a hiccup.

 

[DRNewcomb]

The electric "dehumidifier" sticks are really just warmers. If you take the same air and warm it, the relative humidity drops. This avoids condensation. If the safe is waterproof a can or bag of silica gel should work fine if you refresh it in the oven from time to time. I agree about having a humidity gage of some sort. They have some that just change color with changing humidity.

 

[22DASHER]

I have had the same goldenrod for 14 years and couldn't be happier. Best $20 I have ever spent.

 

[dickn52]

The electric "dehumidifier" sticks are really just warmers. If you take the same air and warm it, the relative humidity drops. This avoids condensation. If the safe is waterproof a can or bag of silica gel should work fine if you refresh it in the oven from time to time. I agree about having a humidity gage of some sort. They have some that just change color with changing humidity.

A friend of mine who manufactures a 'golden rod' said that the cilica gel will only attract moisture that wouldn't normally be there. Kinda like a sponge. If the safe is NOT airtight it will attract moisture into the safe. He seems to know his business since he is a major supplier to a safe company. Heat does indeed absorb moisture. PEETS safe dryer works fine for my safe in the garage in Florida.

 

[Bigguy1951]

Thanks for all the excellent input. I believe a see a humidity gage in my future along with a goldenrod or comparable heating element.

 

[jonbearman]

With that kind of super low humidity I would oil them up to protect the metal and forget about anything fancy.

 

[jepp2]

I have no idea which system to use and would really appreciate some input.

You don't say where your safe will be located. Can make a difference. Mine is in the basement where temperature change is very slow and humidity is relatively constant. I've used the same Goldenrod for 30 years and been very happy with it.

If your safe is located in an unheated space that can change temperature quickly (garage, shed, etc.) you might need more. I live in about the same climate that you do, and probably don't even need the Goldenrod anymore. In WV where the humidity was much higher it was more important.

 

[Bigguy1951]

I'm thinking that the combo of humidity meter and goldenrod will allow me to monitor it well enough that I can adapt the system as I go. The safe will be in a "secure" area, but it will be subject to temperature change.

 

[carlsbad]

none required.

 

[DRNewcomb]

A friend of mine who manufactures a 'golden rod' said that the cilica gel will only attract moisture that wouldn't normally be there. Kinda like a sponge. If the safe is NOT airtight it will attract moisture into the safe. He seems to know his business since he is a major supplier to a safe company. Heat does indeed absorb moisture. PEETS safe dryer works fine for my safe in the garage in Florida.

You will notice that I did say, "If the safe is waterproof". Your friend's explanation sounds like mumbo-jumbo to me. An absorbent like silica gel gloms onto stray water molecules in the air. The molecules random-walk their way around the inside of the safe (box) exhibiting Brownian motion. When they contact the silica gel, they stick. The humidity inside the box is slowly lowered as the water molecules get "eaten" by the silica gel. If the box is open or not water/air tight, water molecules will random-walk their way into the box from outside and the silica gel will be rather quickly filled with as much water as it can absorb.
Heat does not absorb any moisture. If it does, please tell me where it puts the moisture? Where does it go? What heat actually does is to make the air more able to carry moisture and less likely to condense droplets, which would be a real problem. It speeds up the Brownian motion of the water molecules in the air and makes it less likely that moisture from outside will find its way inside because the molecules moving around the inside of the box are moving faster than those outside.
There's an old physics-based computer game called "Maxwell's daemon". Have you ever played it?

 

[dickn52]

You will notice that I did say, "If the safe is waterproof". Your friend's explanation sounds like mumbo-jumbo to me. An absorbent like silica gel gloms onto stray water molecules in the air. The molecules random-walk their way around the inside of the safe (box) exhibiting Brownian motion. When they contact the silica gel, they stick. The humidity inside the box is slowly lowered as the water molecules get "eaten" by the silica gel. If the box is open or not water/air tight, water molecules will random-walk their way into the box from outside and the silica gel will be rather quickly filled with as much water as it can absorb.
Heat does not absorb any moisture. If it does, please tell me where it puts the moisture? Where does it go? What heat actually does is to make the air more able to carry moisture and less likely to condense droplets, which would be a real problem. It speeds up the Brownian motion of the water molecules in the air and makes it less likely that moisture from outside will find its way inside because the molecules moving around the inside of the box are moving faster than those outside.
There's an old physics-based computer game called "Maxwell's daemon". Have you ever played it?

And he sounds like mumbo-jumbo? No to the computer game by the way. Good old Brown, couldn't figure it out so they named it after him.