Temperature and Humidity controlled powder storage

[Tod Hendricks]

How would one turn this cabinet or similar into safe powder storage so the temperature and humidity didn’t fluctuate as much as ambient in an unheated garage throughout the year? Any ideas?

 

[ShtrRdy]

If the interior of your house is temp and humidity controlled you might consider piping air from inside the house through that cabinet.

 

[Fast14riot]

Simply, I would spray glue 2" foam insulation to the outside and put a low wattage incandescent light inside, plus humidity packs in each 8lb keg. Treat it like a humidor.

 

[big5ifty]

You just need to prevent airflow through the unit. If it's only the doors that open, then all the contact surfaces between the door and the frame need to be airtight, not vacuum proof, just no gaps.

Condensation forms inside when the warmer 'wet' air comes in from outside, then cools losing the water, warmer air comes back in, endless cycle. Just prevent air from circulating through.

I don't think you need to do anything more for powder storage, it's not like you dump the powder out onto the shelves. The powder is in containers, the containers are airtight if the lids are closed properly.

Temperature is important, powder does strange things when it gets too hot for too long. Some powders are unaffected for years, some start decomposing and let you know by smell, others deteriorate and you don't know till you get misfires and hang-fires.

You'll have to decide if your ambient is high enough to need cooling of the cabinet. You don't need special treatment unless your room temperatures is constantly and unbearably high.

 

[DaveTooley]

Normal temperature swings will not affect the powder. Military ammo specs are -40 to 160 F and it never goes bad. In sealed containers humidity changes will have no affect. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Walt Krafft]

I would not put any form of ignition in your powder magazine. No lights or heaters. No electricity of any kind other than maybe a flashlight.

 

[fx77]

Good for humidity
Need insulation for temp control

Amazon.com

 

[Big Mc]

How would one turn this cabinet or similar into safe powder storage so the temperature and humidity didn’t fluctuate as much as ambient in an unheated garage throughout the year? Any ideas?

View attachment 1705340

Don,t keep ANYTHINE in a garage. Tommy Mc. Powder or primers a VERY bad idea. !!!!!!!

 

[10XSHOOTER]

get an old refridgerator. cut off the electrical cord and store powder and primers in it.
Insulated and air tight door seals

 

[Jdne5b]

Mini split the garage

 

[Tod Hendricks]

Thanks for the reply’s, I should’ve been more descriptive, I’d like to minimize how much powder I have at home.

I have a storage building that I don’t heat, where I’m thinking about storing unopened jugs for up to a year or more. I’m in NW Washington State, (not Seattle!) we don’t get real cold or real hot, I’m pretty close to the water so the humidity doesn’t swing much either.

I’m leaning towards just using a wooden cabinet with some insulation and decently sealed.

 

[memilanuk]

in NW Washington State, (not Seattle!)

Close enough!

 

[Fuj]

get an old refridgerator. cut off the electrical cord and store powder and primers in it.
Insulated and air tight door seals

It's what I do.....I have several large bags of deliquescent desiccant placed
inside also. It's in the basement, so temperatures do not change much. The
desiccant bags can be put in a warm oven overnight to dry them out. I do
mine once a year.

 

[lotech]

You can turn "powder and primer storage" into a sub-hobby, but it's likely not necessary unless storage conditions are quite extreme. For decades, I've kept some in the house and some in the garage with no ill effects. I don't leave anything on the floor. I live in Texas.

 

[charlie b]

I do the same here in southern NM. Garage, no insulation. Temps from below freezing to 120F. Mostly low humidity but can get up to 60% at times (yes, still low for many of you).

Plastic jugs with good sealing lids have gone a long ways to mitigating effects of humidity swings. I don't keep a batch of powder for more than a year or two. Most of it is used within a year.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

You can turn "powder and primer storage" into a sub-hobby, but it's likely not necessary unless storage conditions are quite extreme. For decades, I've kept some in the house and some in the garage with no ill effects. I don't leave anything on the floor. I live in Texas.

Yes, but closer to the floor is cooler than closer to the attic.

 

[lotech]

Yes, but closer to the floor is cooler than closer bro the attic.

I said on the floor, not close to the floor, which is fine. I guess I didn't state that clearly enough.

 

[memilanuk]

On a more serious note than my earlier post I have mine in (several of) the big plastic totes from whatever box store floats your boat, on the lower shelf of one of those 'industrial' shelving units (again, big box store). I stick a Govee wireless temp/humidity sensor in there so I can periodically check the conditions in the tote. For me, it pretty much goes between just under 40% to just over 50% over the course of a year - not enough for me to get too worked up about controlling it further. Granted, it is in a detached shop that while somewhat temperature controlled (window-shaker A/C in the summer, 240V radiant heaters in the winter) isn't exactly on the same level as say a residence for 'climate controlled'.

I suppose a concerned individual could apply some weatherstripping to the sealing surface of the tote lids to further inhibit atmospheric exchange, without raising too many concerns about creating a 'bomb' like everyone screams about when people suggest using an old fridge.

 

[Tod Hendricks]

Close enough!

On a more serious note than my earlier post I have mine in (several of) the big plastic totes from whatever box store floats your boat, on the lower shelf of one of those 'industrial' shelving units (again, big box store). I stick a Govee wireless temp/humidity sensor in there so I can periodically check the conditions in the tote. For me, it pretty much goes between just under 40% to just over 50% over the course of a year - not enough for me to get too worked up about controlling it further. Granted, it is in a detached shop that while somewhat temperature controlled (window-shaker A/C in the summer, 240V radiant heaters in the winter) isn't exactly on the same level as say a residence for 'climate controlled'.

I suppose a concerned individual could apply some weatherstripping to the sealing surface of the tote lids to further inhibit atmospheric exchange, without raising too many concerns about creating a 'bomb' like everyone screams about when people suggest using an old fridge.

A sane person can’t get far enough away from that place!


I’m sure I’m overthinking this, thought I’d throw it out there and see if anyone had a simple ingenious dehumidifier/heater contraption that was fire safe. I’m thinking I’ll get a wooden cabinet and spray some foam inside or 1/2” insulation, close the door and let it age.

 

[lotech]

On a more serious note than my earlier post I have mine in (several of) the big plastic totes from whatever box store floats your boat, on the lower shelf of one of those 'industrial' shelving units (again, big box store). I stick a Govee wireless temp/humidity sensor in there so I can periodically check the conditions in the tote. For me, it pretty much goes between just under 40% to just over 50% over the course of a year - not enough for me to get too worked up about controlling it further. Granted, it is in a detached shop that while somewhat temperature controlled (window-shaker A/C in the summer, 240V radiant heaters in the winter) isn't exactly on the same level as say a residence for 'climate controlled'.

I suppose a concerned individual could apply some weatherstripping to the sealing surface of the tote lids to further inhibit atmospheric exchange, without raising too many concerns about creating a 'bomb' like everyone screams about when people suggest using an old fridge.

Getting close to ritualistic storage, but it won't hurt anything.