gun safe dehumidifier

[Harley999]

I purchased a Winchester 23 cubic feet safe and am looking for a dehumidifier like the NRAstore Eva-Dry Dehumidifier. I am looking for advice on these types of devices as the safe is not near a wall socket, so this portable dehimidifier seems like a good compromise. Thanks

[Guest]

The Eva-dry looks to be desiccant with a built in heater that can be used to reactivate the desiccant after it has adsorbed what it can. It should work.

If you can find someone with access to desiccant bags as used in the military or aerospace industry maybe you could get some from them. They are usually treated as a disposable but can easily be reactivated. For a safe your size you would need somewhere between 32-64 units. Don't need to keep it bone dry, just somewhere in the 20-50% RH range. Too dry can actually be a problem for guns with wood, if you have any of those left!

[mcracco]

I was using a desiccant dryer in my safe originally but it is a hassle to remember it needs to be 'recharged' then actually do it. So instead I installed a GoldenRod Dehumidifier. It's been almost 30 years and the heater is still working and I have never had an issue with rust or moisture in the safe.

[gunguru]

I have two big desiccant dryer can and a Remington pluggable desiccant dryer, and it's Ok, but as my safe area is not very damp, I don't really have a problem with humidity

[392heminut]

I've had a Goldenrod in my gun safe fore 15 years and never had a problem with rust. We use evaporative coolers during the summer here in the desert and that can cause rust problems pretty quick.

[remoandiris]

Cheaper Than Dirt has no rust bags in various sizes. If you're going to shoot a gun only every few weeks (or longer), the bags might be a better option. The manufacturer (bottom url) can make the bags in various sizes. One of the pages lists various uses.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/BAG-196

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/BAG-198

http://norustbags.net/index.html

[Guest]

^^^^^ The VCI (Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor) products work great to prevent rust in a safe or tackle box. Google VCI chips, wraps, or bags and you will get a lot of hits.

[gregdavidl]

A 10 or 15 watt lightbulb will do the same thing as goldenrod. I had a gunsafe in my garage (in Houston, TX) with a 15 watt lightbulb in it and I never had trouble with rust. It was always explained to me to avoid big changes in temperature.

[kcannaday2011]

I use the large eva dry that you plug in to a wall socket when it changes to a pink color. Been using it for about a year now and works really well!

[Jonathan Taliani]

A big +1 for the Golden Rod. I started with desiccant bags and canisters, but it is much nicer to be able to just plug the Golden Rod in and forget about it. I'm going on around 2.5 years on mine.

[BayouSlide]

I use two of the plug-ins—a Stack On and a Remington—in my safe so that I don't have to run an electric cord into an inconvenient area for a Golden Rod or similar. In my safe they fit nicely, one on either side, at the edge of the shelf with the cutaways for barrels and don't intrude into the space needed for guns.

Work great, even here in muggy Louisiana. FWIW, though similar, the Stack On version seems to last a little longer.

I just check 'em every few weeks or so, at least once a month, and plug in a necessary.

Curtis

Edited to add: I use dessicant cans in ammo cans and find it a hassle to put 'em in the oven. The plug-ins are much more convenient, IMO.

Edited July 14, 2012 by BayouSlide

[hab25]

I have had great success with the large Eva dry I am in south Florida and the safe is in the garage. I use two about one week separation between drying so that when one is pink I can refresh it and still have one working