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Drying out a meter?
9/28/2008 5:33:40 PMplanigan
I have a Watt meter on the panel of a Hickok 155 that I am restoring. When I turn the unit on in a little while the face of the meter is steamed up. After about five minutes or so it will clear up somewhat. My question is, can I place this in the oven at say 170 degrees for a half hour to dry it out?My oven can be set to 170 degrees lowest. What are the odds I'll damage it? The meter is an old bakelyte panel meter and is roughed but I'm not sure heat wise. Any other suggestions on how to dry it out would also be appreciated. PL
9/28/2008 5:37:26 PMLewis Linson
: I have a Watt meter on the panel of a Hickok 155 that I am restoring. When I turn the unit on in a little while the face of the meter is steamed up. After about five minutes or so it will clear up somewhat. My question is, can I place this in the oven at say 170 degrees for a half hour to dry it out?My oven can be set to 170 degrees lowest. What are the odds I'll damage it? The meter is an old bakelyte panel meter and is roughed but I'm not sure heat wise. Any other suggestions on how to dry it out would also be appreciated. PL

I would go a lower than 170 degrees, maybe about 120.
Lewis

9/28/2008 7:07:58 PMCharlie
:: I have a Watt meter on the panel of a Hickok 155 that I am restoring. When I turn the unit on in a little while the face of the meter is steamed up. After about five minutes or so it will clear up somewhat. My question is, can I place this in the oven at say 170 degrees for a half hour to dry it out?My oven can be set to 170 degrees lowest. What are the odds I'll damage it? The meter is an old bakelyte panel meter and is roughed but I'm not sure heat wise. Any other suggestions on how to dry it out would also be appreciated. PL
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:
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:I would go a lower than 170 degrees, maybe about 120.
:Lewis

A light bulb placed close by will dry things without hurting it.

9/29/2008 8:20:14 AMMeterMaid
Moisture in a meter can't be a good thing. You'll need to open it up so the excess moisture will escape - not a complete disassembly, just open it up a bit and leave it outside in direct sunshine on a clear & dry day. That should do the trick. Another thought - you could tape one of those "Do Not Eat" dessicant packs inside to meter to soak up residual moisture.
9/29/2008 9:50:02 AMLovely Rita
:Moisture in a meter can't be a good thing. You'll need to open it up so the excess moisture will escape - not a complete disassembly, just open it up a bit and leave it outside in direct sunshine on a clear & dry day. That should do the trick. Another thought - you could tape one of those "Do Not Eat" dessicant packs inside to meter to soak up residual moisture.
9/29/2008 7:28:14 PMplanigan
Thanks for all the replies. The dessicate packs (Don't Eat), even the small ones, will not fit in the meter case. The mechanism fills the entire space. Oven will only go down to 170 degrees which I also felt was too high. Here's what I did, oven at lowest setting (170), put meter mechinism in oven, door left cocked open (door has a position), watched as temperature stabilized at about 150 degrees with door cocked, left it in there for 45 min to hour, turned off oven, closed door and am waiting for it to cool down then I will remove and reinstall and find out if it worked. May need longer? Will see and report back. By the way I left it in the oven to cool down since I felt that if I removed it immediately the faster cool down in open air may cause some condensation to accumulate. PL

::Moisture in a meter can't be a good thing. You'll need to open it up so the excess moisture will escape - not a complete disassembly, just open it up a bit and leave it outside in direct sunshine on a clear & dry day. That should do the trick. Another thought - you could tape one of those "Do Not Eat" dessicant packs inside to meter to soak up residual moisture.

9/29/2008 11:36:50 PMplanigan
I took the meter out of the oven after it cooled down and replaced it in unit. Still notice some condensation so loosened rear plate,pulled back about 1/6" and stuck a 100 watt bulb in the socket (its a watt meter so its working under load) and the meter should self heat and I'll leave it that way for an hour or so then button it up again. Will post those results so anyone who runs into same problem will have some ideas that seem to work. PL


: Thanks for all the replies. The dessicate packs (Don't Eat), even the small ones, will not fit in the meter case. The mechanism fills the entire space. Oven will only go down to 170 degrees which I also felt was too high. Here's what I did, oven at lowest setting (170), put meter mechinism in oven, door left cocked open (door has a position), watched as temperature stabilized at about 150 degrees with door cocked, left it in there for 45 min to hour, turned off oven, closed door and am waiting for it to cool down then I will remove and reinstall and find out if it worked. May need longer? Will see and report back. By the way I left it in the oven to cool down since I felt that if I removed it immediately the faster cool down in open air may cause some condensation to accumulate. PL
:
:
:
:::Moisture in a meter can't be a good thing. You'll need to open it up so the excess moisture will escape - not a complete disassembly, just open it up a bit and leave it outside in direct sunshine on a clear & dry day. That should do the trick. Another thought - you could tape one of those "Do Not Eat" dessicant packs inside to meter to soak up residual moisture.

9/30/2008 8:37:36 AMWatchMaker
: I took the meter out of the oven after it cooled down and replaced it in unit. Still notice some condensation so loosened rear plate,pulled back about 1/6" and stuck a 100 watt bulb in the socket (its a watt meter so its working under load) and the meter should self heat and I'll leave it that way for an hour or so then button it up again. Will post those results so anyone who runs into same problem will have some ideas that seem to work. PL

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As previously suggested... unless you open her up you're spinning your wheels....... in a tightly-sealed environment, heating won't magically make the moisture disappear without an outlet for egress of the vapor.... it will only vaporise what's in there and it'll recondense when cool. And... all your heating & cooling is doing nothing good for the movement.... in doing so you are only redistributing the moisture into EVERY nook & cranny. Eventually rust and oxidation is going to crap out the meter if you aren't careful.

10/1/2008 12:24:28 AMplanigan
:: I took the meter out of the oven after it cooled down and replaced it in unit. Still notice some condensation so loosened rear plate,pulled back about 1/6" and stuck a 100 watt bulb in the socket (its a watt meter so its working under load) and the meter should self heat and I'll leave it that way for an hour or so then button it up again. Will post those results so anyone who runs into same problem will have some ideas that seem to work. PL
:


WatchMaker, I'm sorry if I didn't state that the mechineism was removed from case and put in oven. As I said I then placed it back in unit but did not close it up and ran it with 100 watt light bulb in two sessions totaling an hour and a half. Buttoned it up today and so far it is not fogging up. Will check again tomorrow for fogging. PL
:----------
:
:As previously suggested... unless you open her up you're spinning your wheels....... in a tightly-sealed environment, heating won't magically make the moisture disappear without an outlet for egress of the vapor.... it will only vaporise what's in there and it'll recondense when cool. And... all your heating & cooling is doing nothing good for the movement.... in doing so you are only redistributing the moisture into EVERY nook & cranny. Eventually rust and oxidation is going to crap out the meter if you aren't careful.

10/1/2008 9:11:46 AMWatchMaker
WatchMaker, I'm sorry if I didn't state that the mechineism was removed from case and put in oven. As I said I then placed it back in unit but did not close it up and ran it with 100 watt light bulb in two sessions totaling an hour and a half. Buttoned it up today and so far it is not fogging up. Will check again tomorrow for fogging. PL
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Yeah - it wasn't clear whether you had taken it out of the case. If there is room inside, perhaps you could slip a small piece of this inside the case..... http://www.action-electronics.com/bullfrog.htm

10/2/2008 12:47:23 AMplanigan
:WatchMaker, I'm sorry if I didn't state that the mechineism was removed from case and put in oven. As I said I then placed it back in unit but did not close it up and ran it with 100 watt light bulb in two sessions totaling an hour and a half. Buttoned it up today and so far it is not fogging up. Will check again tomorrow for fogging. PL
:-------------
:
:Yeah - it wasn't clear whether you had taken it out of the case. If there is room inside, perhaps you could slip a small piece of this inside the case..... http://www.action-electronics.com/bullfrog.htm


Watchmaker, that seems like a good product and I may try it. The funny thing is the other day I was thinking about my grandmother putting a shoot glass of oil in the wind-up clock (complete with pendulem) on the kitchen table. She believed it keep it oiled. I'm not too sure but you don't disagree with grandma. PL

10/2/2008 8:18:18 AMScotch Drinker
Watchmaker, that seems like a good product and I may try it. The funny thing is the other day I was thinking about my grandmother putting a shoot glass of oil in the wind-up clock (complete with pendulem) on the kitchen table. She believed it keep it oiled. I'm not too sure but you don't disagree with grandma. PL

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What was in grandma's shot glass before she came up with this little trick? Sounds like granny liked to get a little 'oiled' herself.... (only kidding - lol)

10/2/2008 9:18:22 AMGranny's Hiding Place
:Watchmaker, that seems like a good product and I may try it. The funny thing is the other day I was thinking about my grandmother putting a shoot glass of oil in the wind-up clock (complete with pendulem) on the kitchen table. She believed it keep it oiled. I'm not too sure but you don't disagree with grandma. PL
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:..................................................
:
:What was in grandma's shot glass before she came up with this little trick? Sounds like granny liked to get a little 'oiled' herself.... (only kidding - lol)

She told the kids it was oil but actually where she kept her jigger of 'grandmas little helper' handy at all times

10/2/2008 5:27:21 PMplanigan
::Watchmaker, that seems like a good product and I may try it. The funny thing is the other day I was thinking about my grandmother putting a shoot glass of oil in the wind-up clock (complete with pendulem) on the kitchen table. She believed it keep it oiled. I'm not too sure but you don't disagree with grandma. PL
::
::..................................................
::
::What was in grandma's shot glass before she came up with this little trick? Sounds like granny liked to get a little 'oiled' herself.... (only kidding - lol)
:
:She told the kids it was oil but actually where she kept her jigger of 'grandmas little helper' handy at all times


Actually, guys, grandma use to save the shot of rum for the Christmas fruit cake. She would leave a shot glass full of rum in center and close tin, cake would not dry out and people actually ate it! PL



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