de-humid system for outdoor safe

[thomis]

As my family grows, we outgrow our house. I have no alternative but to move my safe to the shed. The shed has concrete slab floor, block walls and there is a power source. So I'm looking for a dehumidifier system that is reliable and won't break my bank.
Recommendations welcome. Many thanks,
Thomis

 

[drsfmd]

unless that shed is relatively airtight, you'd be wasting money buying a dehumidifier.

 

[Snag]

How big of a shed? Block walls as in cinder blocks? What's average humidity in your neck of the woods, what's the shed at?

I ask because I have a 9x12 shed that I threw down some linoleum, sheet rocked the walls and ceiling, and installed an air conditioner. Besides the obvious benefit of climate controlling the shed the AC unit will drop the humidity a lot.

If your humidity is real high to start with, and the shed is pretty big, and uninsulated, I worry that any of the little cheaper dehumidifiers will be overworked and not really make any difference.

 

[rcmodel]

Only a few suggestions.

1. Raise the safe up off of the concrete with wood blocks or something.
Direct contact with the cool floor with transfer to the safe otherwise, and cause condensation inside.

2. Day/night temperature swings is what will cause condensation and moisture problems inside the safe.
If you can warm the inside of the safe to a higher average temp then outside air, it will not be sucking and blowing humid air in and out twice a day with the daily temp swings.
And there will be no humidity inside it.

3. Using a Golden rod, or maybe two in the safe will do that.
http://www.cabelas.com/gun-safes-golden-rod-dehumidifier-1.shtml

4. Use a R.I.G. & RIG-RAG wipe-down to protect the firearms from rust at all times.
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=31842/Product/RIG-reg-UNIVERSAL-GUN-GREASE
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=31843/Product/RIG-RAG-UNIVERSAL-GREASE-APPLICATOR

I believe those four things, used in combination, will let you sleep at night without worrying about rusty guns.

rc

 

[thomis]

drsfmd: "unless that shed is relatively airtight, you'd be wasting money buying a dehumidifier." what do you mean i.e. elaborate please.

The shed is about 14 x 16. Cinder block walls. The roof is insulated, and there is attic space. I wouldn't call it airtight b/c there is a small pet door for may cat so it can get in there and kill all the mice.

RC: I'm afraid if I raise the safe up off the slab I won't be able to anchor it to the slab? I have some steel plates about 3/4" thick I could use, and still possibly be able to use the anchor bolts but 3/4" may not be high enough to raise it? What do you think? I'm sure 2 x 4's may achieve what you are suggesting but not sure how effective anchor bolts would be with a 1.5" gap from safe to slab caused by 2 x 4.

I live in central NC and we get our fair share of humidity but I keep my reloading bench and all asscoiated materials in the shed and in 7 years, I haven't seen any problems. The only thing I keep inside the house is the powder.

I have the Rig Rag and a Goldenrod on order.

 

[rcmodel]

Even a chunk of 3/4" exterior plywood under it would provide some insulation off the concrete floor.

I see your point about prying up the safe if there is a gap under it.
But I feel it still needs a moisture barrier / insulating gap between the warmer safe & the cooler floor to prevent condensation.

rc

 

[98f150]

Eva-dry dehumidifiers

I have my double door safe in my garage and I have two of the passive type dehumidifiers they don't need to be plugged in to a power source. I also bought a plug in type and I keep it running all the time and when the tank get half way full I dump it out. I have two humidity digital gauges one on the out side and one inside. The inside humidity level in the safe is about 42% out side it over 70% This is a link to the plug in unit I have in my safe
http://www.amazon.com/Eva-dry-Edv-2...ie=UTF8&qid=1342532051&sr=8-3&keywords=evadry

 

[One_Jackal]

I have had the best luck heating and cooling shed with the AC/heat units you see in older motels. They are affordable and will handle the imperfect world in a shed efficiently.