i use cilica gel packets in my tool boxes to help slow the rusting process. I’ve heard that you can microwave it to restore it once it soaks up the maximum amount of moisture that it can.. Does anyone know id this is true? and if so, how long to nuke it for?
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–> measure once / scribble several lines / spend some time figuring out wich scribble / cut the wrong line / get mad
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Replies
It would say it on the packet if you could...
proud member of the FOR/FOS club...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
I just re-use it from pill jars and shoe boxes and stuff so all it says on my packets is "DO NOT EAT"
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--> measure once / scribble several lines / spend some time figuring out wich scribble / cut the wrong line / get mad
Edited 2/8/2005 5:12 am ET by skyecore
are they even big enough to do what you want....
proud member of the FOR/FOS club...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
A good camping supply store will have it in large perforated cans specifically designed to put it in an oven and dehydrate it...
>> Does anyone know if this is true?
Sure is. Look here for lots of hits on how to do it in a conventional oven.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22silica+gel%22+reuse
>> and if so, how long to nuke it for?
Add
microwave -flowers
to the search string to get microwave specific instructions.
It's even easier if you have the color coded kind. It turns pink when saturated with water, blue when dry.
woa! why diddnt i think to google it.. Duh.. Thanks alot______________________________________________
--> measure once / scribble several lines / spend some time figuring out wich scribble / cut the wrong line / get mad
i have local computer shop (that I work part time for) save all the packets -- they ship in with most anything electronic... i make my own drying jars containing about a cup or so of the beads. This place, really not that big or high volume, manages to round up about a gallon jar full for me every 3 months or so.
The few little packets I get in products get tossed into the jars with my biscuits to keep them from swelling up too thick to fit in the slot.
Crystal cat litter, usually sold in large, clear plastic jars is silica.
It's cheap. Yes all silica can be recharged (read: dryed) by heating, even can be sun dryed.
In my tool drawers and inside tool cabs I place an open box or tray with it just poured in the container. I don't really worry about drying it, though. I just dump it and pour out new.
Regards,
Don
Microwaving a silica gell dessicant works, but is touchier than using an oven. Touchier because once the water is desorbed, the gel can heat up a lot.
The gel desorbs in the 220F to 320F range. The hotter it is, the faster it desorbs. 24 hours at 220F, maybe an hour at 320F. If in cotton or paper, just go to 320F. If in Tyvek (limit = 250F), the best you can do is 240-245F depending on the stability of your oven.
An electric oven (including a toaster oven) is better than a gas oven. Gas oven contents are exposed to combustion products and are therefore wetter than an eletric oven.
When you get it good and dry, weigh it. Write the weight on the package (i.e. 200 grams). Then you can tell how much capacity if left, silica gel absorbs about 40% water by weight. So as that package approached 280 grams, it is time to recharge again. The indicator that is used in some non-food dessicants is Cobalt Chloride. The blue (dry) to pink (wet) color change occurs at 8%. So there is a lot of capacity left even after the color change.
If you get them all labeled with their dry weight, then microwaving becomes a lot more controlled. Give it 30 seconds repeatedly until you approach the dry weight.
Obviously, it is labor saving to have a bunch of them stored in an air-tight container (e.g. tupperware) for use in the tool box, cracker box, cookie bowl, etc. Then when lots of saturated ones have collected, regenerate them all at once.
I prefer to microwave or bake them before eating them.
Edited 2/8/2005 11:55 am ET by csnow
but it says not to...
you'll dehydrate...
proud member of the FOR/FOS club...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
"but it says not to..."
But they look so tasty! How could I resist?
Can I still sue?
Edited 2/8/2005 3:16 pm ET by csnow
why not...
big money has been pulled in over less...
proud member of the FOR/FOS club...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
"But they look so tasty!"--csnowEspecially when you consider that cat litter is made out of it, I bet you could sue the cat litter companys, they dont have a do not eat warning!______________________________________________
--> measure once / scribble several lines / spend some time figuring out wich scribble / cut the wrong line / get mad
Don't nuke them, place them in a warm (maybe 200-250F) oven for an hour or so. You can buy bulk silica gel in a plastic "butter bowl" (check a good HW store), and it has instructions for reusing.
Nuking isn't good because the gel doesn't absorb the microwaves well.
thanks for the info DanH______________________________________________
--> measure once / scribble several lines / spend some time figuring out wich scribble / cut the wrong line / get mad
They ship the big ones in ATMS there's instructions on recharging them in the oven. I have a couple of safes, tha I throw them in. Work pretty good.
Hmmm I think I found a new trade item.
Who Dares Wins.