wisedry [ 5 LBS ] Silica Gel Beads Reusable Color Indicating Rechargeable Desiccant Bulk with 10 Pcs Organza Drawstring Bags

I use this desiccant to help keep my 3D printing filament dry. I had some similar desiccant that came in some small sealed plastic boxes and it worked well, but after several rejuvenation process in the microwave, I melted the original boxes and many of the beads had shattered. It seems that these are able to be dried out, but over time the start to break down. This doesn’t bother me, because I consider dessicant to be consumable product. If I can reuse it a few times, it’s great, but ultimately I don’t plan on it lasting forever. This huge bottle comes with a lot of bags, but I haven’t used them yet since I make my own holders on my printer. I made a bunch of containers out of clear material and fill them up with a funnel. I left one of the little boxes outside of a sealed container, and within two days, the orange beads had turned green because I live in a high-humidity area. I opened the container and poured the beads into a coffee cup and stuck it in my microwave. It would probably be better to use an oven with constant heat instead of a microwave to make the beads last longer, but I was going for fast. I did three cycles of 30 seconds on high, stirring the beads between each cycle. After one minute 30 seconds, the green beads had turned orange again and they were slightly sticky from the moisture that had been expelled from them. I let them cool down and get dry again, then poured them back into my container. None of the beads had broken, but I’m sure that if I microwave them a couple more times, they will start to fracture. They might last longer if if use an oven. This is a huge amount of reusable (at least a few times) desiccant. It keeps my filament nice and dry. I have a humid sensor in one of my storage boxes, and it indicates 10% relative humidity which is as low as it can display, so it’s likely lower than that.

So far this has kept my filament down to 10% humidity and seems to work well.

I needed better desiccant that I could reuse and didn’t off-gas the toxic fumes I hear about. Its primary use is in a Bambu Lab AMS unit. I was able to print and fill containers with the desiccant and it is still going strong several months later. The color changes when it’s ready to be recharged. To recharge it, the media needs to be heated. Following directions it’s quick and easy. A word of caution. Don’t use ovens or anything that will see food cooked in it. It should only be heated in and oven that won’t be used for heating food.

These silica gel beads work great at absorbing moisture. We put a few satchels in each of our moving boxes and it kept everything dry on a cross country move through snowy weather! The only downside is that they take quite a long time to dry out (we put the beads on baking sheets and fried them out in our oven on the dehydrating setting), it’s kind of hard to tell when they are full try since they don’t all dry out evenly, and the little bags it comes with shed everywhere. Next time we use them we will try to find different pouches to put them in.

Important stuff first: PROS: - They appear to work as promised - Good quantity for the price - Can last a long time if properly cared for CONS: - Beads are hard to control and if you don't have a good container for pouring into pouches they are going to go everywhere. - Orange beads will turn green well before the beads are "full". I don't have the timing down, but looks like the are still good for a few weeks after the orange beads change color. - You have to recharge them (or more accurately, dehydrate them). Frequency will depend on amount of moisture in your environment. RECCOMMENDATION: Instructions state to put the beads in a glass over or microwave safe dish to recharge. This is a pain because it means pouring all of the beads out of the pouches on to the dish, then pouring them back into the pouches when done. Did I mention these suckers bounce!! Instead, experiment with pouches that can withstand the microwave. This way you can simply place all the pouches in the dish and microwave then. In my case it took 8 minutes on a 1200 watt oven. I use these pouches: B0BDQQ7SFG as well as the ones that come with the beads. BACK STORY I have a number of hobbies which include photography, drones, scuba and target shooting. I do not get to do these all the time due to cost and expense. As a result much of my equipment ends up stored in drawers and storage bins. I started noticing some plastic items getting sticky and rubber cracking. After much research I learned that it is highly recommended place silica bags in places where items will be stored to reduce moisute in the air which can/will lead to premature deterioration. After reading tons of reviews I decided to give these a try as they appeared to provide the best results for the cost. I have been using them for about two months now and have noticed a difference. I don't have equipment to test, but I tested them in a drawer with t-shirts that would always get a funk to them after time because I don't use them often. Since placing the silica bags in the drawer I have not gotten the funky smell. I was so pleased I purchased another jug and am placing silica pouches in all my drawers.

These silica beads work well. I've recharged them a couple times and they keep working. I use them to keep filament dry

Very helpful during a move such as blankets and bedding.

I use it for keeping 3D printer filament dryer and keeping my safe dry. Works perfectly!

Utilisé pour garder mes bobine de filaments 3D au sec ce desiccant est parfaitement fonctionnel. Je confirme qu'il change bien de couleur une fois humide même si toutes les perles ne sont pas colorées c'est assez visible. Je n'ai pas eu de problème pour les déshydrater à nouveau.

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Excellent stuff. Put it into the desiccant boxes in the AMS and within an hour the internal humidity dropped from 26% down to 6%.

Perle di gel di silice molto efficaci e durature. L’indicatore di colore è pratico per capire quando rigenerarle. Ottimo il set con sacchetti in organza, perfetto per armadi, cassette o dispositivi elettronici.

These colour change to indicate refreshment needed. Good stuff.