Author Topic: Chemicals in a cabinet outside (Read 3913 times)

devilwoman · « **on:** August 30, 2006, 08:28:05 pm »

Just got a nice cabinet to go out on the deck for my birthday. I want to put all my chemicals and filters out there but not sure if I should with the cold weather we will be getting in winter. Can dichlor and the other powder chemicals be out in a cabinet, will it hurt their effectiveness...any thoughts??

Hot Tub Forum · « **on:** August 30, 2006, 08:28:05 pm »

ZzTop · « **Reply #1 on:** August 30, 2006, 08:37:10 pm »

Humidity can sometimes be a problem with chemicals and they will cake or harden. I have had to keep our chemicals indoors to prevent this.
Regards Zz

Garyjr · « **Reply #2 on:** August 30, 2006, 08:52:34 pm »

I have left my powder pool chem in a weatherproof box outdoors for the past 2 years and have never had any problems.

Jr

Bama · « **Reply #3 on:** August 30, 2006, 08:56:38 pm »

Quote

I have left my powder pool chem in a weatherproof box outdoors for the past 2 years and have never had any problems.

Jr

Where do you live? I'm in the southeast with lots of humidity...wonder how the chemicals will hold up outside in my neck of the woods?
Bama

OKC · « **Reply #4 on:** September 05, 2006, 05:33:36 pm »

I live in Oklahoma and we have kept our chemicals outside, summer and winter. Never had a problem.

Garyjr · « **Reply #5 on:** September 05, 2006, 10:07:05 pm »

Bama,

I live in Missouri (humidity capital of the world) and have never had any problems. We bought one a large Sun Cast unit from Sears. So far, we have seen no problems by doing this. Besides, it is quite handy to have everything right by where you use it.

Jr

Tatooed_Lady · « **Reply #6 on:** September 06, 2006, 08:24:43 pm »

I'm thinking that as long as the chemicals are kept in airtight containers, the humidity shouldn't be a factor. I'd worry more about the extreme heat/cold affecting the shelf life.

Garyjr · « **Reply #7 on:** September 06, 2006, 09:33:51 pm »

Tatooed_Lady,

We pretty much buy (in the spring) what we think we will use during the season, so our chemicals are only being stored in there for around 6 months at a time.

Jr

nicker · « **Reply #8 on:** September 06, 2006, 09:35:16 pm »

I wouldn't do it. As nice and convienient it would be. To much moisture outside and the chems will harden.

I am very suprise so many are getting away with it.

One thing can you do is put a small amount in a container and test it.

Should be stored in a cool DRY place.

windsurfdog · « **Reply #9 on:** September 07, 2006, 12:07:36 pm »

Quote

I wouldn't do it. �As nice and convienient it would be. �To much moisture outside and the chems will harden.

I am very suprise so many are getting away with it.

One thing can you do is put a small amount in a container and test it.

Should be stored in a cool DRY place.

I keep mine, except for dichlor, in a splash resistant container on an screened covered porch which occasionally gets wind-blown rain. �I keep my 5 lb. cannister of dichlor ON TOP of the container so that it is in easy reach. �Close the lid properly on the dichlor cannister and, VOILA, it is sealed against moisture. �Been doing this for 2 years and absolutely no hardening/caking problems you describe. �The other chems (soda ash, dry acid, etc.) are in the plastic containers in which they were bought with lids properly installed...no problems at all with humidity. �Since I live in Florida, I have no problems with extended freezing temps so I can't comment on the effects of freezing temps on the chems. �The ONLY thing I keep inside conditioned space is my Taylor Test Kit which is highly recommended because of temp. mostly.

Rayman · « **Reply #10 on:** September 07, 2006, 12:39:45 pm »

Does anyone in a cold climate keep their's outside? I would rather keep them outside but I keep them in the kitchen.

Rayman

Garyjr · « **Reply #11 on:** September 07, 2006, 01:26:26 pm »

Rayman,

It freezes in Missouri and I have never had any problems. In fact, I just came from my pool dealer and stocked up on another bucket of PH Increaser, Alkaline Increaser and Litho Shock, all of which will spend the entire winter outdoors. Did the same thing last fall (because they knock the prices nearly in 1/2 around here to move their inventory.) Have never seen adverse effects from storing all our dry chems outdoors.

JM2C,
Jr

Brookenstein · « **Reply #12 on:** September 07, 2006, 02:22:22 pm »

I'm in SoCal and have had mine outside... only problem I've ran into is my Stain and Scale remover has changed color. I'm guessing it got too hot (few weeks near 110). Haven't used it since, not sure if its any good anymore. My powder chemicals are just fine.

wmccall · « **Reply #13 on:** September 07, 2006, 03:33:43 pm »

Quote

Does anyone in a cold climate keep their's outside? �I would rather keep them outside but I keep them in the kitchen.

Rayman

I keep everything outside, with the exception of the test kit and its bottles, which I move inside during the winter.

lskarp · « **Reply #14 on:** September 07, 2006, 05:19:19 pm »

I keep a .5lb bottle of diclor outside and I refill it from my 5 lb bottle that I keep in the garage. I am in Florida and I actually forgot to bring it in during Ernesto (kind of a dud, but lots of rain).. No water intrusion at all in the bottle. I keep the MPS in the garage as I only use it once a week to shock.

Lots of heat/humidity, but no problems yet keeping diclor outside.

Hot Tub Forum · « **Reply #14 on:** September 07, 2006, 05:19:19 pm »

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