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Posted: 11/9/2008 6:29:29 AM EDT
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(I posted this in GD, but did not get any results. So I will try it here, maybe where I should have put it to begin with. Anyway on to the subject.)
Should I get the biggest one that I can fit in my safe? Or just big enough for the square foot coverage. I just bought a Liberty Lincoln35 safe & have yet to put one of these in it. I have been thinking of putting it in the back of the safe (out of the way), opposed to putting it in the front of it like I did in my other safe. Where is the cheapest to get one from? This is the cheapest I've ever seen them, but maybe some of you know of somewhere else. If you know of a cheaper place, please post a link. http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/department.asp?dept=GUN%20CARE%20%26%20ACC.&dept2=RUST%20PREVENTATIVE Anybody know the difference between the two 18" Golden Rod's in my link? |
Or am I the only one that uses a GoldenRod in their safes?
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A golden rod is a heater and nothing more. You could hang a 25 watt light bulb inside and accomplish the same thing. I'm not advocating the light bulb method here. This accomplishes two things. first it expands the inside air and keeps outside air out. Second, by expanding the inside air the air can hold much more moisture thus keeping it away from other items. I don't have a safe but if I did I'd probably look into a desecant pack, The larger ones that can drain into a bag might be an option. Desecant can be heated to "reactivate" it. By heating your really just expelling the moisture to start over.
A better option would be a heat source and a desecant pack. Moisture moves from wet to dry because of atmospheric pressure. You put a wet gun in the safe (as an example, I know only a few here would do this) and the warmer thus dryer air absorbs the moisture from the wet gun. The moister air pushes to the desecant which absorbs it out of the air. Hope this helps I don't think it matters where the heat source is but at the bottom makes the most sense. Heat rises and would help circulate the air. |
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I'm running five Golden Rods in five different safes. All work great. They raise the temperature of the interior of the safe to keep it above dew point of external air - maybe that's what the above poster was trying to say about increased moisture content?
Do not believe you can "oversize" a Golden Rod. They are very low wattage (think my biggest one is maybe 14W in a 70+ cu. ft. safe? Not crawling in the back to look and confirm - been years since I installed it). Their advantage over light bulbs is the lower surface temperature - all you're looking to do is add some energy/heat to the interior of the safe to prevent the moisture content from condensing. As the previous poster recommended, adding dessicant packs won't hurt (but I've had no rust issues without using them and I live in a coastal town - one safe's been running a Golden Rod only for about 20 years). So, fit in the safe what size Golden Rod you can, while keeping to at least the minimum manufacturer's suggested size. I have never placed one in the front of my safe - too much of an issue with moving things over it while accessing the safe's contents - have placed them primarily for good airflow throughout the interior, and either to one side or in the back for minimum impact with moving the contents. I also ensure the entire cabinet is sealed, and seal the power cord I run into the safe, so if I have an incoming hurricane (recall I'm coastal) I can seal the doors (after removing necessary "supplies"  ) and I and my safes' contents are good to ride out the storm.
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Thanks for your reply jowga, that is what I was pretty much wanting to hear. That you cannot go too big on a Golden Rod, by over sizing it to the safe.
I have done some reading in the Archives & it looks like most everyone has installed theirs to the back also, for various different reasons. So I will install this one to the rear & liekly move the one in my other safe to the rear too. May even go with a bigger one for my first safe, since I only ave the 12" version in there currently. |
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From my personal experience, don't expect miracles from these things.
I have a hygrometer (humidity/moisture meter) in my safe with the Golden Rod & aluminum can of dessicant, and it still doesn't seem to vary the humidity by more than ~1-2 percent from ambient air in the room where the safe is located. My whole-house dehumidifier/humidifier keeps the room at ~45% humidity, and the safe is about the same, even if I haven't opened it for a week or more. Maybe if the room ambient humidity was higher, it might make more of a difference. I'm thinking they could be more marketing/feel-good measures, than actually being very functional. I'd like to hear if other Golden Rod / Dessicant users have measured their safe's humidity with/without these items. |
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Quoted:
From my personal experience, don't expect miracles from these things. I have a hygrometer (humidity/moisture meter) in my safe with the Golden Rod & aluminum can of dessicant, and it still doesn't seem to vary the humidity by more than ~1-2 percent from ambient air in the room where the safe is located. My whole-house dehumidifier/humidifier keeps the room at ~45% humidity, and the safe is about the same, even if I haven't opened it for a week or more. Maybe if the room ambient humidity was higher, it might make more of a difference. I'm thinking they could be more marketing/feel-good measures, than actually being very functional. I'd like to hear if other Golden Rod / Dessicant users have measured their safe's humidity with/without these items. they are only heaters, they cant change the humidity, all they do is prevent condensation. moisture condensates when air temp drops. the heater keeps it from dropping. |
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