use cat litter to absorb humidity from instruments - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: malagas_on_fire
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2019, 10:41:17 am
content: I'm currently have weather with some humidity and the cheapo instruments such usb testers are very prone to fail if not kept with silica bags on the pouches.Can i use socks and cat litter inside, locked with cable tie, to absorb humidity as an alternative to the silica bags? I'm out of silica bag

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2019, 10:57:43 am
content: Don't know about the cat products, but used silica beads can be slowly re-dried in an oven, then reused many times.

author: kosine
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2019, 11:34:43 am
content: The material normally used is sodium poly-acrylate. You can also obtain it as water-gel crystals used by gardeners, and these tend to work better than the granules used in litter (and also certain baby products). I think this is because the litter granules are designed to retain the water, whereas the gardening stuff is designed to release it as well. So the formula seems to be different between the two. (I did some tests on this a couple of years ago...)Sodium poly-acrylate is far more absorbent than silica and can also be dried out and reused. So, yes, you can put some in a sock and use them as suggested.However, you really need to keep everything in an air-tight container. Otherwise it will just equilibriate to ambient humidity, and you may as well just leave the instruments out in the open.Best way to redry the stuff is to put it on a baking tray at the bottom of an oven on low for an hour or two. It doesn't melt but can ignite above 200C. Don't try microwaving it.

author: dcbrown73
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2019, 11:51:45 am
content: I've used dry uncooked rice in a sandwich bag to absorb moisture from an electronic device before.People commonly use rice in salt shakers to prevent the salt from clumping from humility.

author: kosine
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2019, 12:08:56 pm
content: Yeah, I tried the rice trick during my research. Doesn't actually work very well.Thing is, rice grows in paddy fields, where it's very wet. And if it readily picked up moisture, we wouldn't have to boil it...My conclusion was that "rice" works depending on where you put it. Try it in a warm dry environment, and yes "rice" will appear to work. Try it in a cold & damp environment, it won't.The sodium poly-acrylate, however, just works. You can literally dry stuff out in 24 hours - in a fridge at 5C.

author: DTJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2019, 12:16:55 pm
content: Quote from: kosine on August 15, 2019, 11:34:43 amThat sounds like a challenge....What happened?

author: kosine
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2019, 01:31:21 pm
content: Popcorn effect.If it's bone dry, then not too exciting; But if it's damp, the water boils and the granules explode.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2019, 02:09:32 pm
content: Quote from: RoGeorge on August 15, 2019, 10:57:43 amAt my old work, we used silica gel in quite large amounts, so we re-used it by drying it under the element of our small lunchroom stove.Weirdly, when heated, it smelt like someone was cooking delicious bread!

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2019, 02:11:40 pm
content: Hopefully you guys did not reflow your boards in that lunchroom stove

author: malagas_on_fire
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2019, 10:51:01 pm
content: I do have airflow on my workplace and its humidity is lower than outside and keep evering in pouches. Usually take out instruments to dry out in workspace. . To dry instruments in winter i use a fan heater at a certain distance to provide temperatures at maximum 30ºC for some minutes. Don't wanna burn instruments or set home on fire. there is also cat litter which is based on silica. It's just because it happens to have a cat and its very cheap. even if is not reusable the socks can be refiled ... at least this is the plan .... but also going to search for garden stuff.

author: Rick Law
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2019, 03:06:39 am
content: Quote from: malagas_on_fire on August 15, 2019, 10:41:17 amCat litter will not work well - not in a sock. The dust/clay that will come out from the fabric of the sock will not be healthy for you equipment. Besides, most brands of cat litters are "designed" to work will a pool of liquid instead of molecules in the air.The "cat litter" mess is not an uncommon problem. Bus depots, air plane hangers, power stations, some factories, all would have minor oil spills (near equipment) to clean up now and then. Real cheapos may just pour some cat litter over the small oil spill, but many would purchase special sorbent pads manufactured for the purpose of absorbing/cleaning. For oil cleanup, of course hydrophobic sorbent pads would have advantage (over just plain sorbents), but the reason of staying away from cat litter as absorbent would be the same for them as it is for you - the mess that was "used" litter left on the floor or got into your equipment.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2019, 04:07:26 am
content: Quote from: Bud on August 15, 2019, 02:11:40 pmThe "bread baking" smell made us so ravenous, we would have eaten the boards!

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2019, 04:13:09 am
content: Quote from: Rick Law on August 16, 2019, 03:06:39 amI assume he meant the silica cat litter and not the clay cat litter.

author: jh15
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2019, 04:32:41 am
content: my cat uses a human toilet no litter needed.in the training period i used less than a bag of flushable kitty litter. never found out what that was. make sure you get the right litter.ps never use rice to dry electronics. myth, and i bet apple promotes rice to be sure tour phone is totally destroyed.jessie of iphone rehab has a video of rice mess.

author: malagas_on_fire
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2019, 12:11:47 pm
content: Quote from: David Hess on August 16, 2019, 04:13:09 amYes it is silica cat litter pellets or balls, which is the best approach for the silica bags substitute found and it is in few km from home. Rice is good for cooking and rice for humidity works on salt or sugar.. which stills sits on cook subjectEdit:Looks someone did a try on some silica variants , including the one for the cat:https://www.instructables.com/id/Inexpensive-Dessicant/

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2019, 07:25:49 pm
content: Just based on price and availability, the silica cat litter may be the best option. Even if it does not perform as well, the low cost means much more of it can be used.

author: malagas_on_fire
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2019, 09:04:21 pm
content: Thanks for all answers. time will tell the results specially in the winter. for the cat it works well

author: Daixiwen
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2019, 07:58:19 am
content: Buy the lavender perfumed one, to give your instruments a nice smell

author: ogden
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2019, 09:04:42 am
content: Use dehumidifier.https://www.amazon.com/s?k=dehumidifier. (Over)size it according to your room volume and climate.

author: malagas_on_fire
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2019, 09:22:51 pm
content: Quote from: ogden on August 19, 2019, 09:04:42 amThe worst case scenario usually is 75% humidity , but using ventilation / heating it goes down to 60% . If the weather gets worse than that would become the plan C.