Whats it called? silica gel?

[pquinn]

I usually get the disposable bags of ''stuff'' for those little dehumidifier boxes that i put under the bed and in cupboards here and there in Aldi,i think.But have run out of them for a while now.Just wondering what the stuff is called and if it can be bought in maybe a bucket as opposed to a truck load from a chemical company and put in to a sock or something to do the same job so as not to be faffing around waiting for it to turn up on the shelves.any ideas appreciated.

[Taslim]

I usually get the disposable bags of ''stuff'' for those little dehumidifier boxes that i put under the bed and in cupboards here and there in Aldi,i think.But have run out of them for a while now.Just wondering what the stuff is called and if it can be bought in maybe a bucket as opposed to a truck load from a chemical company and put in to a sock or something to do the same job so as not to be faffing around waiting for it to turn up on the shelves.any ideas appreciated.

Enter 'Desicant' on your search engine and select the size of bucket you require. You can get socks to put it in too but it also comes in bags. Ciica Gell is re useable. Bottom overn of Rayburn/warm vetilated place & it's fit to go again. some types even hav colur change when it needs a recharge.

[Tonka]

salt

[FidoDido]

generally calcium carbonate I think (may be calcium chloride). Silica is 1. more expensive, and 2. potentially toxic (actually I think its the colourant used, rather than the silica itself - the stuff that starts blue when dry, and goes orange when damp)

 

Not sure if you can buy it in bulk. Lime, which farmers put on fields to adjust pH is essentially calcium carbonate - you can probably buy that by the tonne!!

[cuthound]

You can buy sachets of silica gel on Amazon, either in a 500g back or 1g packs.

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Smithers-Oasis-Silica-Gel-500g/dp/B00800JZDU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1426082058&sr=8-3&keywords=silica+gel+500g

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silica-Gel-Pouches-Pack-Sachets/dp/B004XX2W5G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1426082058&sr=8-2&keywords=silica+gel+500g

[Grebe]

The last batch I bought came from B&Q about a year ago.

[leolady too]

Try the crystalline type cat litter. Take a look here

 

http://www.vetinfo.com/pros-cons-crystal-cat-litter.html

 

As far as I can see it's the same stuff as the silica gel you but much cheaper and available everywhere such as Tesco.

 

I've used and reused and checked that the heating (bottom over of an Aga in my case) actually works by weighing before and after. You'd be amazed the weight of water it absorbs and lets go of when heated above 100 for an hour or too.

[Arthur Brown]

If it's silica gel then it will be dried for reuse by a period of a couple of hours at just above 100C (without charring the bag!).

[Janet S]

Isn't heating the gel up just putting the water back into the air, or am I missing something?

 

Janet

[pquinn]

Try the crystalline type cat litter. Take a look here

 

http://www.vetinfo.com/pros-cons-crystal-cat-litter.html

 

As far as I can see it's the same stuff as the silica gel you but much cheaper and available everywhere such as Tesco.

 

I've used and reused and checked that the heating (bottom over of an Aga in my case) actually works by weighing before and after. You'd be amazed the weight of water it absorbs and lets go of when heated above 100 for an hour or too.

Might give this one a try,Leolady.The stuff in lidl or aldi aint all that cheap and those tiny little sachet ones [that you eat] seem to small.Also if you buy them in camper places or hardware stores they are a rip.I would prefer something that i could portion out a big dollop.Taslim ,i sent off a couple of emails to some companies about desiccant and will see what kinda prices they come back with.thanks for the replys folks and any thing else,keep it comin'.

[Peter X]

Isn't heating the gel up just putting the water back into the air, or am I missing something?

 

Janet

Yes, you're quite right. However to paraphrase Eric Morecambe, it's the same water vapour, but later on and not necessarily at the same place. Instead of being in the undesirable location it came from, it's now by the stove, from whence it might leave the boat via some vent or extractor.

Might give this one a try,Leolady.The stuff in lidl or aldi aint all that cheap and those tiny little sachet ones [that you eat] seem to small.Also if you buy them in camper places or hardware stores they are a rip.I would prefer something that i could portion out a big dollop.Taslim ,i sent off a couple of emails to some companies about desiccant and will see what kinda prices they come back with.thanks for the replys folks and any thing else,keep it comin'.

In case anyone reading this doesn't know, pquinn is joking. DO NOT try this at home, it would make you very ill.

[pquinn]

Yes, you're quite right. However to paraphrase Eric Morecambe, it's the same water vapour, but later on and not necessarily at the same place. Instead of being in the undesirable location it came from, it's now by the stove, from whence it might leave the boat via some vent or extractor.

In case anyone reading this doesn't know, pquinn is joking. DO NOT try this at home, it would make you very ill.

Ha!got me there Peter,i was pulling a Clarkson.

[Taslim]

Isn't heating the gel up just putting the water back into the air, or am I missing something?

 

Janet

No, you'r right but the overns on the Rayburn vent to the flue so the water goes up the chimbly.