Desiccant Box

thingiverse

# Desiccant Box This desiccant box is intended to be used with the [Dry Box Filament Dispenser][1]. However, it can be used for other purposes as well. It is composed of two printed parts: - Container 170x170x32 mm (with printed 4 threads for M6 with 1.0 mm pitch screws) - Lid 166x166x2 mm (sunken in the container) 4 screws of M6x20 with 1.0 mm pitch are needed to secure the lid. I used Nylon screws to make it Microwave friendly, just in case I will recycle the Silica Gel Beads in a Microwave while still in the box with the lid secured with the screws. However, if this is not your case, then you may use other materials for the screws. The box has vents on the top and bottom faces. The intention is to place this desiccant box turned over with its lid facing the bottom. This way the heads of the 4 screws of this desiccant box serve as feet elevating the box in order not to block the bottom vents. If placed as suggested, the top part has a 40 mm diameter central pocket for an optional faceless Temperature and Humidity wireless sensor for remote reading, such as the [Xiaomi Smart Temperature and Humidity WiFi sensor][2]. ## Printing Configuration - Material: Transparent PETG (1.75mm) by eSUN. - Slicer: CuraEngine Given the large number of holes, I suggest to select printing configuration that is suitable for maintaining a good adhesion to the printing surface. For me a printing speed of about 40 mm/s for the first layer worked well. To save printing time I have set the quality as follows: - Layer Height: 0.2 [mm] - Infill Density: 20 [%] **Important Note:** Do not forget to set the object placement for printing the lid in the right direction (rotate the lid in 180 degrees around the Y-Axis), so that the flat surface of the lid is facing the printing surface. ## Desiccant Quantity and Supply This desiccant box can hold about 350 gr of Silica Gel Beads of about 2-4 mm in diameter. I purchased [desiccant by "Dry & Dry" from Amazon][3] at about $35. It has a 1 Gallon (7.5 LBS = 3.4 kg) volume of desiccant, which can used with about 10 desiccant boxes with this design. It is an indicating Silica Gel that turns Blue to Pink when 50-60% absorbed with moisture. According to the desiccant vendor: "*The Silica Gel Beads can be reactivated by placing them in the Oven for 0.5-2 hours at 200-250F, or Microwave for about 10 minutes at DEFROST. Don't use over 250F in the Oven. Depending on beads' condition, they may take shorter than the recommended time. Please check the beads' color periodically.*" Previously, I used 6 commercial desiccant small boxes in one filament dispenser. Each costs about $1.5 to $3 and are available, for instance, on [Amazon][4] and on [AliExpress][5]. Each small box size is 25x55x55 mm and contains a net weight of about 45 gr (1.59 oz) of the similar Silica Gel as mentioned above. The total net weight of Silica Gel in the 6 small boxes is about 270 gr. I find the single larger box that I share here to be more convenient and more economical for my own uses. However, I suggest that you do your own economics. --- [1]: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3571952 [2]: https://xiaomi-mi.com/sockets-and-sensors/xiaomi-mi-temperature-humidity-sensor/ [3]: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013L2Z2MY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 [4]: https://www.amazon.com/EXMAX-Indicating-Functional-Dehumidifier-Microscopes/dp/B00YS3AIEI/ref=sr_1_46?keywords=desiccant&qid=1582105067&sr=8-46 [5]: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32828419585.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.264d4c4dcTV9ev