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How to dry silica gel (feddit.org)

submitted 1 day ago by BennyInc@feddit.org to c/3dprinting@lemmy.world

8 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I have a questions I haven't found answered anywhere, but maybe someone here can help out.

First, some background:

I have bought this silica gel with indicator a while ago and have used it in my AMS and also for storing my filament in ziplock bags.

I now want to dry some of the silica gel, and have looked at the various options there are. I want to rule out the use of my kitchen appliances, as I am not fully convinced of the silica with indicator being really fully non-hazardous. I also recently bought a Creality Space Pi dryer, which I would like to use for drying my silica as well. Of course I would need to print a container for that, and since I only have PLA and PETG available at the moment, I wouldn't be able to drive the dryer too hot.

Online you can find many different opinions about the ideal drying temperature for silica gel, ranging from 60°C to 145°C.

Efficient energy usage is no big concern for me with this, as my PV modules produce a lot of excess power during the current season.

Question:

What temperature should I dry the silica gel at, and does a longer drying time at lower temperature equal the same results as a quicker drying at higher temperature?

Or does higher temperature actually remove more humidity overall, which a lower temperature can maybe not achieve regardless of time?

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[–] cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)

I dry my silica gel in a convection toaster oven at 125°C. I put a temperature probe in the bottom of the tray. The temperature will hold around 100°C while it's drying and jumps up fairly quickly when it's done. It usually takes around 90 minutes.

Don't put indicating silica gel in anything you will use for food, it's toxic. Some types are less toxic than others, but none are completely safe. I picked up a used toaster oven and baking tray from a thrift store and marked them "not for food".