Heartfelt Beads + aluminum pan = mess

[LEOinFL]

First off...I enjoy the ease of use of the beads and will continue to use them. This is in no way directed toward Heartfelt or their products.
That being said.....I have been using the beads in my Vinotemp since around Christmas. I have half a pound in an old cigar box with out a lid. There is another pound in the very bottom of the wine cooler, spread out inside a square aluminum pan.
Everything was working good...i'd pour the condensation from the wine cooler into the beads on the bottom of the cooler.

Today, I go to my coller to grab a couple of sticks for work tonight....figure while I'm in there might as well empty any condesation from my makeshift catch. As I pull the aluminim pan out to get the bowl with the condesation, a few beads roll across the floor. As I pull the pan out further, a lot of beads roll out....pull the pan out to find holes have formed in the side of the pan in several places. Also, holes are starting to form in the bottom of the pan. The beads were placed in another container, and I will try to post pics tomorrow of the pan.
Figured I would give everyone a heads up.

LEOinFL

[worr lord]

Corrosion's a bitch =/

[Zoomschwortz]

That is a lot of corrosion in less than 3 months. Must be some sort of chemical reaction because water alone wouldn't do that.

I wonder what it will do to stainless?

[duhman]

Originally Posted by Zoomschwortz

That is a lot of corrosion in less than 3 months. Must be some sort of chemical reaction because water alone wouldn't do that.

I wonder what it will do to stainless?

Nothing will happen to most stainless. Especially the non-magnetic kinds.
I would probably use a plastic cheaperware container.

[shilala]

It'd be pretty easy to figure out what eats aluminum. David mentioned the beads were treated with a chemical in another thread. There are a gazillion different things that can be used to maintain a specific rh over a solution, but off the top of my head I can't think of one that eats aluminum. I know I just read an article about one salt solution that was disconsidered for conservation because they were afraid it'd be reactant with the metals in the exhibits.

I thought the little trays that were used to hold beads were aluminum? I never touched one, so I don't know. That's just what I assumed they were. Ya know, the flat ones with mesh in the lid?

Anyways, use plastic.
I use PVC with salt solutions cause the salt won't creep up pvc like it does on glass and everything else.
Okay, end of Mr. Wizard blather.

[compuag]

This is very interesting, especially since he is selling aluminum humidifiers on his site to use with his beads. I wonder if it's a combination of beads to water ratio that's throwing it off?

[shilala]

Originally Posted by compuag

This is very interesting, especially since he is selling aluminum humidifiers on his site to use with his beads. I wonder if it's a combination of beads to water ratio that's throwing it off?

See, I thought that was aluminum.

[duhman]

Thin aluminum won't stand up long to pure water. Thicker aluminum will form a protective oxide layer. This is the "frost" you see growing on aluminum that is left out in the weather.
I wouldn't use aluminum for humidifier beads when plastic is cheaper-easier.

[Harpo]

Originally Posted by LEOinFL

This is in no way directed toward Heartfelt or their products...

There is another pound in the very bottom of the wine cooler, spread out inside a square aluminum pan...

holes have formed in the side of the pan in several places. Also, holes are starting to form in the bottom of the pan.

Not to get all scientific or anything, but was your thought process on this something like: "Hey, putting untreated metal inside a sealed box full of humidity sounds like a great idea!"?

Just kidding. Plastic (or even better, glass) is definitely the way to go.