Being located in the Philippines (or in the tropics) can be hazardous for your equipment because of the high humidity.  Any glass surface of your equipment attracts this silent destroyer called MOLDS.  Given the right conditions (usually humidity of over 50%, dark environment), molds will grow on the glass of lenses, viewfinders, mirrors and image sensors.  Detected early on, they can be wiped clean.  But once they have encroached themselves, they will eat the glass coatings causing permanent damage.  This means that you will have to replace the damaged glass and this is going to cost a lot!

To prevent the growth of molds in your equipment, you will need to invest in a Dry Box.  Dry Box is a container that keeps a low humidity inside to deter the growth of molds.  Most of them use a heater-type system to lower humidity and some have UV lights included as added measure.

You can purchase Dry Boxes from your local camera or DIY stores.  The cost varies depending on the size of the box/cabinet and features (vacuum sealed, electric-driven, etc).  They usually range from US$30 to US$1,000.

I’ll be sharing with you how to make a Dry Box for US$15.50

You will need the following:

1.   Air-tight container(6 liter/1.6 gallon capacity depending on your needs).  This can be bought at your local home store or DIY store.  Cost approximately US$10.00

drybox_airtightbox

2.   Hygrometer.  This device measures humidity.  This can be bought at car accessory stores, DIY shop or pharmacy.  Cost approximately US$4.00.  To calibrate your hygometer, go to How to Calibrate a Hygrometer.

drybox_hygrometer

3.   Dehumidifier (calcium chloride) or silica gel.  These items absorb moisture in the air.  These can be bought at the DIY shop or pharmacy.  Cost approximately US$1.50

drybox_dehumidifier

drybox_silicagel

4.  As an alternative, there are air-tight containers with hygrometers embedded in them.  This can be bought at the camera stores or DIY shops.  They cost around US$24.00.

drybox_containerhygro

I use the dehumidifiers because they absorb moisture faster compared to silica gels.  Downside is that they convert to liquid form once they absorb the moisture.  This means that they have to be replaced approximately every 3-4 months.  That’s fine with me cause they don’t cost that much.  I try to keep humidity between 30% to 40%.  You can lower it by adding more dehumidifier/silica gel but this not advisable.

Silica gels are rechargeable and you can remove the moisture from them by heating it.

Remember, both dehumidifiers and silica gels are toxic so be careful when handling them.  Read the instructions on the package carefully.

I don’t keep my dry box inside the cabinet where its dark and humidity is high.  Try to place them outside the cabinet, maybe in a shelf where there is available light.

I always keep my equipment in the dry box at all times when I’m not using it.

Always remember, it is way cheaper to invest in a US$15.50 dry box than to replace a damaged lens element costing hundreds of US dollars.

Related topics… How to calibate a hygrometer