Damp Ammo Boxes

[+Molinnis]

Calling all ammo box experts.

 

I have recently come across a couple of caches using ammo boxes which were damp inside.

 

Now I always presumed they were watertight. Is this not the case or is it to do with the air inside warming and cooling as discussed recently in another thread on tupperware boxes.

[+kbootb]

Or could it be that it has been raining so hard that just opening the box and leaving it open while signing the log has let the rain in?

 

[+rusty_tlc]

Being water tight means that they keep water in as well as out. Open an ammo can on a hot humid day, leave it to cool overnight. Condensation will form inside.

[+Pengy&Tigger]

We've come across some where they have been damp inside due to, say, a bit of plastic bag poking out of the top when the cache is closed. As the lid fits over, the bag is caught under the rubber seal, which means that the seal is breached.

 

T

[+Team Maddie UK]

I happen to know a fellow geocacher who has tested an ammo box for several months in his bathtub (no I don't know how he managed without it the tub that is! ) But from all accounts it remained dry inside so I imagine Rusty_tlc and/or Pengy&Tigger have the solution.

 

Martin

Edited August 30, 2004 by Mady

[+Molinnis]

Thanks for your replies. I think I would go along with rusty-tics synopsis.

 

Wondering whether a bag of silica gel left in boxes would be a solution if its the condensation thats causing the dampness.

[+Beds Clangers]

Hi all cachers,

 

Have worked for the MoD and can confirm the following:-

 

ALL MoD (USAF) AMMO BOXES ARE DESIGNED TO KEEP THE CONTENTS DRY!! ,not slightly damp, DRY. AMMUNITION MUST BE KEPT DRY.

 

The UK Gov, sorry, USA Gov, have spent vast amounts of money to ensure this.

 

If you place your cache in a an ammo box it will remain dry, provided the seals are intact, i.e. a plastic bag is not breaching them.

[+Team Maddie UK]

...

Edited August 31, 2004 by Mady

[+Papakas]

I visited an ammo box cache recently where the lid had be closed on part of a plastic bag breaching the seal. This provided a conduit for the heavy rain we've been getting lately. Fortunately I wasn't too long behind the previous finder (a couple of days). I little bit of care is required to make sure anything inside cache containers is not foulding the seal, ammo box or any other type of container alike!

[+Chris n Maria]

We have had a couple of ammo boxes let in water:

 

The first was caused by a laminated "you've found it" sheet being trapped in the seals. The second was caused by the top of the box being sunbmerged under six inches or so of water and the box had been bent slightly so the seals didnt work. Always check the boxes you buy/use are not damaged around the seals.

 

Chris

[+welch]

It could be the there is some problem where the cache isn't sealed, like a pin hole threw the side, damage to the rubber seal (folded or missing part), some object blocking the way (bags and such as already said).

The other, and IMO more likely, it is as rustytlc suggestions, condensation. Humid air, or perhaps vapor container items (I swear damp caches attract stuff animals ) and cooled off and water condensed.

 

Silica gel is a nice idea, but maybe not practical. First those packets don't absorb much, and second, they're no way to turn them on/off..... what I mean everytimesomeone comes along they open the cache and sit there for 20minutes reading the log book (well maybe not, but how long for the 'dry' to be replace with probably more humid outside air?), the whole time those packets are drawing in moisture (from the air outside IN. (and that assumes the cache seals, if it were damaged, or gladware it would do it non stop 24-7) The problem with all this is that, like I said they can't absorb that much moisture. Get a bunch of those packets, and suspend them in a cup/dish that open to 'normal' air (if your house is air conditioned, do it somewhere its not, like the garage?). What will probably happen is that the packets will a few days draw in more than they can handle and water will bead up on the sides or bottom. Interesting to watch, but not something you want happening in a cache.

[JackiePenn]

<snip> Silica gel is a nice idea, but maybe not practical. First those packets don't absorb much, <snip>

You can get rather large bags of silica gel, popular in electrical/electronic enclosures industry.... not just the very tiny bags you get in beef jerky or new box of running shoes, which I presume you are thinking about.

 

You can even get packs that indicate when they are used to capicity by a colour change.

 

Nice size for a ammo bag would be a couple of the 100g bags, which will adsorb 30-40% of their own weight.

 

Replacing/drying out the larger packet of Silica gel would form part of the cache owners 6/12 month maintenance regime.

 

Not suggesting this is a solution for a leaking container, but for condensation Silica would be more than suitable. Also a sock of dry long grain rice would work

Edited August 31, 2004 by stonefisk