Discussion
I'm in the process of repairing a car light unit that had water in it. The unit is now dry and to prevent it misting up in future I have some 5g silica gel packets to go inside.
However the only access to the inside of the light unit is two 10mm holes, the packets are too big to fit through, and I'd prefer not to enlarge the holes. Is there any reason why I can't just open a sachet or two and pour the granules in?
However the only access to the inside of the light unit is two 10mm holes, the packets are too big to fit through, and I'd prefer not to enlarge the holes. Is there any reason why I can't just open a sachet or two and pour the granules in?
egomeister said:
I don't think thats a long term solution - what happens when the sachets get waterlogged and won't take on any more moisture?
Agreed, it's not along term solution, it's the best I can do as the casing has proved impossible to open and I plan to change cars sometime this year.Something I just thought of is that there are circuit boards inside - if silica gel conducts electricity things could go horribly wrong. Maybe I'll make a hole bigger or get 2g bags...
Difficult if you can't get inside it, but you probably want something like this: https://pcnautic.com/en/product/gore-tex-guy
JimM169 said:
Assuming it's powder/crystals rather than an actual gel, could you repackage into something more malleable that would fit through the hole. A pair of the wife's old tights might work?
Not really I think.egomeister said:
Difficult if you can't get inside it, but you probably want something like this: https://pcnautic.com/en/product/gore-tex-guy
That's phase 2 - sealing the unit. When the humidity inside is as low as I can get it (it's currently in the airing cupboard with a dehumidifier set to 30%) I plan to cover the holes with a couple of pieces of gaffer tape. I don't want any risk of any extra moisture getting in. I'm not sure that pressure change in a large light unit warrants goretex... what does the panel think?egomeister said:
The point of the goretex is that it lets the unit breathe, allowing any future moisture out but not back in. It's fairly common on light units now
That's what I don't understand about the concept. It's either waterproof or it isn't. If it can let water vapour one way it will let it the other way. It's not osmosis. I thought goretex was to equalise air pressure...dhutch said:
Bead of PU all around the seems?
Oh yes. The unit arrived, albeit s/h from eBay, in visually very good condition but knowing the vulnerability to water ingress I went over every seam and connection point with Sikaflex as well. But three months later, lots of water droplets inside. After trying to get it apart to dry it properly, I couldn't shift it at all. It now has a bead of Loctite 595 all round just in case my attempts to open it had created any gaps. Beyond a point one can only do so much...!Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff