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Old 11-07-2010, 06:28 AM
markerbeacon markerbeacon is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 42
Default Getting more out of your Humidipak system...

I purchased a Humidipak System when I took home my new 414ce Fall Ltd 2009 a year ago this month (an incredible instrument that I grow more fond of daily). The visit I had with the store owner about the importance of proper humidity levels with higher-end instruments left my very paranoid. I live in an older home where humidity is almost impossible to regulate to safely leave the guitar out of the case. After a couple of months of use in the dead of Winter, the Humidipaks were hard as a brick. Depleted. The humidity level in the case was starting to fall. I could see using Humidipaks was going to cost a little to keep things in line humidity wise, only getting 2 months out of them. So, being the cheap guy I am, and that it was about 2 hours on the road to buy new Humidipaks, I finished out the harsh Iowa winter with a couple wet sponges inside a soap case with holes drilled in it, monitoring of course, with a calibrated hygrometer. But, I never did completely dispose of the old Humidipaks. Come summer, I noticed them laying on the table right where I had removed them from my guitar case several months previous. When I picked them up to carry them to the waste basket I noticed they had swollen since the last time I had held them and they were very squishy, like they were filled with very runny jelly or something. At first I thought this must be the next level of degradation. But after closer examination and a little more thought I realized that “Hey, this is Summer in Iowa. The humidity is high!” It dawned on me that these once moisture depleted Humidipaks had been absorbing moisture from the humid air surrounding them. Then I started to wonder if these things might be reusable.

Experiment time! I borrowed some desiccant packs from work. These particular packs say "HUMISORB" on them. They are 2 unit packs, Type II. These desiccant packs are made to be reactivated by placing in an oven at 245-260 degrees F for 16-20 hrs. So, after reactivating the desiccant packs, about 5 of them, I placed them in a Ziploc freezer baggie with one of the swollen Humidipaks and my hygrometer. Sure enough, after 2 weeks in the baggie, the humidity reading inside the baggie had dropped to twenty-something percent and the Humidipak was once again hard as a brick. Ok, next step is to see if I can add moisture to the Humidipak the same way. So I stuck the Humidipak back in the freezer baggie, only this time instead of desiccant packs, I added a couple of smaller, hole-laden, Ziploc baggies. with wet sponges placed inside them. It took a month, and I had to service the sponges a couple of times, but the Humidipak is now swollen and squishy again. Good to go for Winter in Iowa.

I have since ordered another set of Humidipaks to have on hand as needed, knowing that I can have them ready to go in what ever state the situation demands, arid or humid. Just store them in a Ziploc baggie until needed. Same with the desiccant bags. Reactivate them, place them in a baggie until needed.

I know some of you have had problems with Humidipaks. But I have found them to be very durable, as I have handled them quite a bit during these experiments. No leaks so far. And changing them out regularly will give me ample opportunity to examine them closely for damage.

Your mileage may very, after all I am going against manufactures instructions of 'Throwing them away'. However, they are advertised as 2-way protection, so.... why not use that to your advantage?

-Mark
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So I said to my instructor at my first lesson, "I want to play like Angus Young, even if it takes the whole half hour".

2009 Taylor 414CE-LTD-R Fall limited
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