Preferred desiccant for microphone storage?

[Icantthinkofaname]

Not a usual topic (I had to store a couple of my MK-012 capsules overnight with some), but what's your favourite desiccant for microphone storage or drying mics after cleaning? Do you prefer reusable ones, or have specific brands you find better, etc.?

 

[Delta Sigma]

I use these ones and I like them:
https://www.amazon.ca/Dry-Packs-Silica-Gel-Desiccant-40gm/dp/B006L882NM/
I don't see them available now, but I bought them in three packs which was much cheaper. The colour change indication is very useful. A friend had a noisy mic that I suspected was capsule moisture. I sealed it in a vacuum seal pouch (without vacuuming!) with one of these desiccants for a week; noise gone.

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

I use these ones and I like them:
https://www.amazon.ca/Dry-Packs-Silica-Gel-Desiccant-40gm/dp/B006L882NM/
I don't see them available now, but I bought them in three packs which was much cheaper. The colour change indication is very useful. A friend had a noisy mic that I suspected was capsule moisture. I sealed it in a vacuum seal pouch (without vacuuming!) with one of these desiccants for a week; noise gone.

I'm gonna see if I can find these at the hardware stores near me later. One of my biggest concerns with silica gel packets is flimsy some of the packaging is. Even some of the reusable ones I've seen don't exactly inspire confidence.

This is also probably a stupid question, but should I put mics in a plastic bag with them (this is what I did recently), or can I put them in a case with some silica gel?

 

[Delta Sigma]

I think the gurus recommend to store mics in a plastic bag with a desiccant. I just store them in Pelican style cases with the desiccants.

 

[Marik]

Keep in mind, any desiccant pack gets saturated when exposed to open air for about 5-10 minutes depending on humidity. That’s why it is a good idea to always keep it in sealed ziplocked bag, opening for a minimal amount of time just to put the mic in. If the pack is saturated it becomes totally useless. To replenish you will need to put it overnight into oven turned on to some 200C.

Hope it helps.

Best, M

 

[cyrano]

It takes tens of seconds in a microwave, depending on how much salt.

If you really want dry, the Action supermarkets here in the EU, sell large bags for use in humid cars for a few euro's. And they have a primitive moisture indicator on the pouch.

 

[EricN]

I have always bought the ones that change color in bulk from various shipping and packing suppliers. Theory being the are kind of useless if you don’t know they are no longer effective. Replacement based on time is useless because you don’t know how long the have been sitting on a shelf.

 

[Pariah Zero]

To replenish you will need to put it overnight into oven turned on to some 200C.

I think you have your unit wrong - 200 ℃ permanently damages silica desiccant's ability to absorb moisture.

Laying it out on a cookie sheet at 120 ℃ for 1-2 hours will dry it out completely; even less temperature is needed if you're willing to wait longer. At least here in the Salt Lake Valley, the humidity is generally so low I can dry out ~100 ml of desiccant (that's absorbed moisture from my painting air compressor systems) in as little as 20 minutes using a toaster oven.

I've bought gallons of the "Dry & Dry" brand of color-changing desiccant beads from Amazon, and they seem to work pretty well. I'm not sure I'd want to use the "loose" desiccant for microphones, though - I think the built-in "dust filter" of the packets are probably the way to go. They have color indicating packets as well.

 

[Marik]

I think you have your unit wrong - 200 ℃ permanently damages silica desiccant's ability to absorb moisture.

Sorry, 200F