Thread: What are your thoughts on desiccant packs?

When I receive some electronic gizmo I usually take the desiccant packs and toss them in one of my SR storage boxes. I amuse myself by thinking they are doing some good. But I wonder if this is the case -- are they useful? I can't imagine they last forever...once they absorb a certain amount of moisture they must be rendered less effective and should be replaced. How often to replace? Could they be trapping moisture? How do you control humidity of your SR storage?

I use both desicant and VCI paper or pucks depending on where they are stored.

I bought a bag of about 50 from Amazon. They're larger than the packs that we find in stuff we buy.

I have a few in the jewellery box drawers that my rotation is kept in to soak up any dampness in my pivots etc that may not have been dried properly.
It has always been my impression that they last pretty much indefinitely unless they are actually soaking up some damp in which case it becomes obvious that they're finished because most change colour.

They can be dried and recharged with a couple of minutes in the microwave but be careful getting them out because they get very hot.

I got this bag the other day. Not sure where I plan to put it as I have plenty of little ones. But it's so big I just couldn't "Not Keep It"!