Loading Room humidity , how much is too much for you ?

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Dale Alan

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It has been very humid here for about 3 weeks in a row now , and my inside humidity has been hovering about 80% . Big old farmhouse with large rooms w/ vaulted ceilings ,homeowner size de-humidifiers do not make a dent so I live with it . So it makes me curious if you have a threshold in regards to opening up a jug of powder and start loading . My main concern right now is loading for a possible storage time of five years or more . I usually do bulk loading in the winter when its about 35-45 percent humidity in here so I have never worried about . Tips and tricks are appreciated , maybe a climate controlled loading booth ?
 
Humidity in Louisiana is real... in fact it will contribute to a heat index of 109 around my area today. I have whole house A/C, but I put an extra window unit in the room I reload/store components in to keep it around 45-50% humidity, even bought a cheap humidity monitor from spaceman Bezos...
 
Whole house AC keeps us about 50% max and I am good with that. Before adding whole house I used a window unit which also kept it low. How much is too much? I like it below a 60% maximum. While open and exposed powder is hygroscopic it's not as if it's a giant sponge. If you plan to shoot the ammo within a reasonable time frame I wouldn't overly worry about it. Load some and see how they shoot.

Ron
 
I keep a floor unit dehumidifier in the basement, try to remember to dump it (and thanks for the reminder...) at the unit it gets down to 50-60% in this weather (heat indexes above 100 today also), but I pretty much follow South Prairie Jim's guidelines. I'm just loading Trap loads now, and they get shot within a week.
 
I typically keep a dehumidifier running in the summer set to 45%. On days where I know is going to be worse outside, I may drop it to 35% just to keep it constantly running to be safe. Humidity in the actual powder isn’t as much of a concern as reloading equipment rusting is for me, can’t stand even surface rust specks on any of my equipment or dies.
 
I keep my loading room at 35%. Much below 20%, powder starts clinging bad from static electricity, and powder throws get a bit iffy. Above 50%, the powder can start absorbing moisture...so between those two ranges. A medium consumer dehumidifier will work if you can isolate a room. I use the one in the link below in a 800sq foot basement room,and it has no problem keeping it at 35%, even now during our monsoon season...but I am dumping a gallon a day out. If you're not in a basement, it's pretty easy to plumb a drain in so you don't have to empty it. Also below is a link to a hygrometer, if you don't already have one.



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JNZFRC8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XTPTG1J/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
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Thanks everyone , my reloading room/rooms is essentially one good sized room 16' x 32' with 9' ceiling . I call it two rooms because there is a arch way 7' high by 10' wide dividing the two . Maybe i could isolate one with a insulated tarp ? It has to be temporary because in a couple months I will be running the woodstove in that room . I have tried dehumidifiers in the past without much change in humidity . I also have a cold damp basement with stone foundation and dirt floor . This place was built in 1884 , guessing it was a lot drier back then . My driveway is declared wetlands now with the water table at about my basement floor depth . Or I can quit obsessing and load like I have in the past.
 
I run a dehumidifier ( and AC/heat) in my shop area where I keep my tools and reloading supplies. I have it set at 45% RH. Without it my tools rust and humidity levels avg 60%+. Dropping it down to < 50% makes it more comfortable to be in and you don't need to run the temp as cold to feel comfortable. My 1st one did not last 2 yrs, but was replaced under warranty. In the mean time I need one to keep things in check before the replacement showed up. My new one will pull 3 x as much as my old one. I put in in the main house and it was pulling out 2 gal in 8 hrs. Once thing I now do is run a good filter on them. The screens they call filters are useless. The only thing they catch is large objects. Keep the coils clean and the units work better and last longer.
 
Thanks everyone , my reloading room/rooms is essentially one good sized room 16' x 32' with 9' ceiling . I call it two rooms because there is a arch way 7' high by 10' wide dividing the two . Maybe i could isolate one with a insulated tarp ? It has to be temporary because in a couple months I will be running the woodstove in that room . I have tried dehumidifiers in the past without much change in humidity . I also have a cold damp basement with stone foundation and dirt floor . This place was built in 1884 , guessing it was a lot drier back then . My driveway is declared wetlands now with the water table at about my basement floor depth . Or I can quit obsessing and load like I have in the past.

I'd put a dehumidifier like the one in the link above in each side of that big room. Then turn off the one in the woodstove side when you fire that up. Or don't, just set them at whatever, 45 - 35, whatever you like, then forget them.
 
That’s something I have never given any thought to. I load in the living room and the wife keeps the house 72*-74* year round so it has never been a concern.

Maybe you could try something like this. https://www.zipwall.com/?gclid=CjwK...tmhXuPCo9fVdTwnWSS9IRA3qNYYHmDXhoCkM8QAvD_BwE to temporarily separate an area to load in. Lowes or Home Depot sell the plastic sheeting and stick on zipper part to make your own as well. Once setup you should be able to control the humidity better in that area, I’d expect.
 
Lol; my question is the other direction. I load in Kansas in an unfinished basement room that is never below 30% or above 37% humidity no matter the season. Temps in the room from 65F high in winter to 76F high in summer. We're talking museum quality preservation control. I worry more about wood cracking in my stocks.
 
Lol; my question is the other direction. I load in Kansas in an unfinished basement room that is never below 30% or above 37% humidity no matter the season. Temps in the room from 65F high in winter to 76F high in summer. We're talking museum quality preservation control. I worry more about wood cracking in my stocks.

You're not going to have any issues. You got to get a lot lower to crack stocks, and it's got to be low for a while. Though it's a good excuse to take the rifles out now and then and put a coat of tung oil on them.
 
I think a lot of people's concerns over humidity when it comes to reloading are a little overblown. If anything, I'd probably be more worried about rust on my tools.

Here in central Nebraska, we're sitting pretty at 60% humidity with a heat index of 107... My stuff will continue to sit in the garage and wait for it to get cool enough in there for me to go use it again!
 
I reload on the back porch which gets very humid, but all my reloading supplies are in my room which has A/C. I only bring them out when I'm reloading.
Your post gets me thinking about just how fast primers and powder can be affected . I load in sessions of 2-3 hours tops when it comes to having exposed primers and powder . The room is cooled with AC but humidity still remains at 80 percent on these days . When not in use my primers/powder are stored in airtight containers with dessicant bags .
 
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I reload in the garage, but keep powder and primers stored in the house. Sometimes, I will inadvertently leave a pack of primers out in the garage, where it’s hot and humid. I’ve never had problems with such primers even if they were left out for a few months.
 
My neck of the woods is typically 50-60%. It rarely is less, and sometimes is quite a bit higher. I have to be careful about rust, but have never noticed any issues with powder and primers. I try not to reload in my non-climate-controlled garage when the temperature exceeds 80 degrees or so, just for personal comfort, and try to reserve casting for the wintertime!
 
I like it ! Fresh air while loading would be nice . What is your humidity usually ?
somewhere between nice and sucky:D.....I honestly have never checked, Im curious now tho. Interwebs says 80ish and I dont have a hygrometer to check for myself.
 
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