storing open wire

admin

sorry if its been covered before, but I would like to hear some ideas about how to store open rolls of wire to prevent moisture contamination. I had to unwind and throw out the whole first layer of a roll of NR233 the other day because of rust, and that will send me broke pretty quick if it happens too much!the plastic bags I've tried seem to seal dampness in rather than out.
Reply:If moisture is the problem, whether it's from frequent temp. change creating condensation or just a damp location, try putting them in paper bags & then submerge them into a container filled with dry rice. The rice will absorb any moisture in the enclosure. My son forgot to remove his car remote with his keys before doing laundry once, after doing with the remote (what I just said,) his remote worked again. I'm sure there other ideas out there, but I know that works if no other alternative is available."SOUTHPAW" A wise person learns from another persons mistakes;A smart person learns from their own mistakes;But, a stupid person.............never learns.
Reply:man , i still hav'nt takn my roll off my mig either. i keep lookin over at the machine covrd up over there in th humid shop thinkn' gotta get that spool off and baggied with the silca gel dessicant bagys that come with your shoes when u buy'm.someone told me that i think in the thread " flux core wire life "        thermal arc 252i  -  millermatic 350P -   miller XMT, cp300ts, 30a 22a feeders, buttload of other millers, handfull of lincolns, couple of esabs  -   Hypertherm 1250 G3
Reply:Originally Posted by woi2ldbaggied with the silca gel dessicant bagys that come with your shoes when u buy'm.
Reply:i'm gonna use rice , cant find thos little desicant baggies we put away to keep my wifes little doggie from eating them.does it matter what kind of rice..whadya mean "dry rice" . like just outta the bag white rice?        thermal arc 252i  -  millermatic 350P -   miller XMT, cp300ts, 30a 22a feeders, buttload of other millers, handfull of lincolns, couple of esabs  -   Hypertherm 1250 G3
Reply:I've got all my spare rolls in ammo cans with dessicant bags (not touching the rolls BTW) I haven't noticed any problems yet. Seemed like the best method...ammo cans are airtight & don't get pinholes in them like zip-lock bags. Cheap insurance for costly wire.You can get dessicant at Harbor Freight for $5 for 2-3 pounds (probably less than rice anymore)Last edited by mudbugone; 02-12-2010 at 05:02 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by woi2ldwhadya mean "dry rice" . like just outta the bag white rice?
Reply:thanks guys, I will give the rice a go.
Reply:I always remove the wire, and bring it in the house and never had any problems. Had my wife clean the closet in the laundry room so I could keep them dry. She complained because I have 7- 44lb spools, but when I told her what it would cost to replace,she gladly made space.
Reply:From Lee Valley tools I buy sheets of foam impregnated corrosion inhibitor 1/4 " that off gases, just open the access panels and cut a peice off and throw it in and forget about it for a few years, I also use it in my toolbox as "I am one of those reformed snap-on addicts", just that added bit of protection for anything that has abit of wear that might start rust, you can also get these storage bags that do the same.
Reply:Zip lock baggie and dessicant,I currently have 5- 2 lb rolls in their own sandwich zip lock baggies with  little dessicants in each bag.Maxus Pro-125 MigChicago Electric 90 amp DC flux-coreLincoln Electric AC 225 tombstoneO/A torchM/O mini-torch10 acres of flatland15 acres of holler
Reply:Originally Posted by papabearThe dessicant has a point of expiration, as does rice.
Reply:Another vote for ammo cans and rocket boxes for just about everything, including ammo.
Reply:used an old (unplugged) fridge.  has a good seal works well. doesn't get really humid where I live but a small dessicant would finish off any moisture problems.moisture usually isn't a huge deal until you start leaving wire for months.
Reply:Weather-tight (gasket sealed) kind of b-i-g toolbox (not a roll-around) with VCI foam in it.  Yeah, it's kind of heavy.  And there is a difference between what is needed for solid MIG wire as opposed to a flux-core wire.  For code-critical work, there are atmospheric exposure limits for cored wires just like there are for low-hydrogen stick electrodes.  And NR-233 is in the class of wires that are or can be used for code-critical work.  btw, FEMA 353 says 24 hours 'general' exposure limit, but Appendix D extends that to 4 weeks (for this wire?) for 1/16 inch wire diameter NR233.  For code-critical work, pay attention to the dang codes and specs and regs!!!  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:If you only keep a few rolls on hand then dessicate and ammo cans or rubber made totes works really well.   If you have several open spools, or just more stuff you want to store that way,  Then grab a fairly air tight cabinet and put a Golden Rod in it.
Reply:Did not know that you could re-use desiccant by heating it in the microwave, now thats good info.Thanks steve45 SQUARE WAVE 175 TIG   DUAL MIG 151
Reply:Not all desiccants are designed to change color when reactivated. The ones in a tyvek type bag you can reactivate by reheating in a microwave, but you need to heat and then let them rest before reheating.  In a metal container, you can reheat them in an oven; the general rule is a few hours at 300 degrees.  I started using desiccant packages designed for tool boxes and gun safes (available at McMaster Carr and Cabela's, among many other places).  The 3 cubic foot ones are great for storing wire and rods in my truck in a pvc pipe tube, and they cost 6 to 8 dollars.Last edited by benner81; 04-25-2010 at 09:36 PM.
Reply:Just a thought as I read this thread:Argon is inert. What if you put a partially used roll of wire in a plastic bag (small garbage bag?) Pumped some Argon in there, then used a vacuum cleaner to suck all the remaining gas out, and then twist-tied the bag shut?  Could that effectively remove a good deal of the O2, and most of the moisture, leaving mostly Argon in the sealed bag?Not something I'd try, but the thought crossed my mind.-az-