Moisture Satchels

Does anyone use moisture absorbing satchels inside there video housing? I use one inside my stills camera & also my video housing but there is alot of room inside the video housing compared to the stills camera & was wondering if i need moisture satchels inside the video housing?

Cheers Pete.

I have never needed to use them. They are used by shooters who use acyrlic housings from Equinox, Ikelight, GoPro and similarly constructed housings primarily because these housings tend to have condensation built up in them when going from warm climates into colder waters. Housings from Gates, Amphibico and L &M do not have these type issues as they are all metal. This doesn't mean that you can bring them into an air conditioned environment and then immediately jump in the water with them however.

Steve

Thanks Steve

I've always used them.

I figure that:

a. Helps avoid fogging if temperature changes a lot, e.g. First entry, A thermocline

b. Good to keep electronics dry for long term healthiness

c. It can't hurt.

But don't buy the expensive ones that the photo shops sell.

Here in Singapore there is one of those $2 Daiso shops. They sell big packets for $2 each. Inside, it is the same stuff.

Regards

Peter

Thanks Pete, i buy a packet of 5 for about $7 here in aus. So the price isn't too bad but i just wasn't sure wether i actually needed to use them.

You have raised a good point about keeping the electronics dry though so i will continue to use them for that very reason.

Thanks for bringing that up.

Cheers Pete.

A lot of medicine tables ship with silica packs. Check your local pharmacy. They may have some for free.

I have never needed them, but I have always used metal housings.

Don't forget that these things get saturated over time and then become useless. Some types will change colour to show you when they are spent. Some types can be gently cooked to regenerate them. I use a lot of big silica sachets in a fridge as a dry cabinet for my cameras etc.. A while ago I refreshed a load of the silica sachets in a friend's oven. I think I cooked them for about an hour or two on the lowest setting the cooker would allow and it did work, but they then didn't last as long as the brand new sachets. I would say it's not worth regenerating the small ones that would fit inside housings.

Thanks for the replies. I like the idea that Pete bought up about the electronics being protected from miosture so i will continue to use them. I generally change them after a couple of days of heavy use.

I have never had a fogging & have used them every time so i will continue to do so.

Cheers Pete.

The ultimate frontier is the Silica cat litter

I use it since three years. I prepare in advance small bags with some lint and staples. It's exactly the same as the expensive packs.

I had an aluminium housign but I like the idea that electronics stay dry as much as possible.

5$ and you are set for two years!

I use it since three years. I prepare in advance small bags with some lint and staples. It's exactly the same as the expensive packs.

 

5$ and you are set for two years!

You could save even more by recycling used kitty litter...

Question: where do you get the material for the bags?

Regards

Peter

You could save even more by recycling used kitty litter...

Hi Peter,

It's not a joke. The Silica cat litter it's really 100% pure silica gel. Exactly the same you have in the electronic packaging.

Question: where do you get the material for the bags?

I use some lint I have in my house. I mean the classical lint used for medical purposes. You can find easily in every pharmacy or discount.

I fold it three or four times, I apply some staples and that's it.

Actually you can use whatever mesh tissue you like.

Bye

I use some lint I have in my house. I mean the classical lint used for medical purposes. You can find easily in every pharmacy or discount.

 

 

I fold it three or four times, I apply some staples and that's it.

Actually you can use whatever mesh tissue you like.

 

Bye

Just for the record, that would be "gauze" or "kerlex" and not lint. Lint is what you find in the bottom of your pocket or in the lint trap of your clothes dryer. The photo made it clear what you meant though.

Well,

the hint and Idea is great, while i find the sachets made of gauze not a good idea as the will produce lint,

and lint has nothing to do inside any UW camera housing.

I would make/have made the refillable sachets made of some kind of lint-free lens cleaning cloth or microfibre cloth,

to avoid that the lint and fibres go there where they don't belong, like optics or seals!

Anyway, as i am from Italy too, where did you found this silicia gel cat litter in Italy?

Chris

Just for the record, that would be "gauze" or "kerlex" and not lint. Lint is what you find in the bottom of your pocket or in the lint trap of your clothes dryer. The photo made it clear what you meant though.

Sorry, English is not my language... and I also double checked the term on the dictionary

I would make/have made the refillable sachets made of some kind of lint-free lens cleaning cloth or microfibre cloth,

to avoid that the lint and fibres go there where they don't belong, like optics or seals!

Guys, medicine made a lot of progress since ancient Egyptian

Modern medical gauze, mostly sintetic, doesn't leave lint because lint is not safe for wounds.

Anyway whatever micro mesh tissue you find, it's good. A piece of woman tights it's perfect.

Anyway, as i am from Italy too, where did you found this silicia gel cat litter in Italy?

Hi Chris, any pet shop has it, it's very common. 5 Euro x 2Kg.

Bye

M43user,

so i guess that my knowledge about gauze is influenced by childhood memories of sticking white "hairs" of

some of my wounds of a wild outdoor child, but not so bad as shown on your egyptian picture...

I like the idea of womans nylons/pantyhose/tights, a cheap and simple solution.

Congratulations for your videos on Vimeo,simply beautiful!

When you like cave diving and want to dive Sardinian caves, have a look on my friends and neighbours page: http://www.protecsardinia.com/

They are the gurus of cave diving and always discovering and exploring new caves in Sardinia.

As soon i am back in Sardinia - in 6 weeks :-) - i will try to find this silicia cat litter and give it a try, but before i will look here in Costa Rica also as

the very high air humidity and temperatures are poison for all electronic gear and especially optics.

This kind of cheap silicia would be a BIG help for keeping my gear dry.

Thanks for posting this idea/solution!

Chris

When you like cave diving and want to dive Sardinian caves, have a look on my friends and neighbours page: http://www.protecsardinia.com/

They are the gurus of cave diving and always discovering and exploring new caves in Sardinia.

Hi Chris, thank you for the info on Sardinia caves. Ale Fenu and Andrea Marassich told me they are gorgeous!

the very high air humidity and temperatures are poison for all electronic gear and especially optics.

This kind of cheap silicia would be a BIG help for keeping my gear dry.

Give it a try with woman's tight. Just use double or triple envelop to avoid that some silica dust will get out.

Bye

Davide

Sorry, English is not my language... and I also double checked the term on the dictionary

Yes, I assumed that to be the case, so that's why I offered what I hoped to be constructive advice. Not trying to beat up on you, just trying to be educational. Its still a good tip, thanks.