Secador Electronic Drying Module Replacement Desiccant

The Auto Drying Module option on the Secador cabinets assures a continuous circulation through the desiccant keeping the atmosphere inside the cabinet at a low humidity level. While the desiccant is designed for long life, it will eventually need to be replaced.

How do I tell if my desiccant needs replacing?

The unexpired desiccant is usually a light pink in color. This indicates that the desiccant is active and working. One may see this darken especially if exposed to a high humidity level, or if the door is opened frequently, but this should return to a lighter pinkish in a day or two (if the samples in the Secador cabinet contain high moisture levels, this may take longer). If the desiccant is purplish in color, then this is usually an indicator that the desiccant is beginning to reach the end of its life. It should still function; however, it may take longer to get the cabinet down to lower humidity levels. If the color of the desiccant is black, then the material has expired and will no longer absorb moisture. There is no good way to predict how soon this will occur.

We would suggest replacing the desiccant when the material is showing a solid purple color and not wait until it is expired and no longer functioning.

Replacing the desiccant in the Auto Drying Module

Changing the desiccant in most of the Auto Drying Modules is straightforward. The unit should be unplugged at the outlet as well as at the module. It is easiest to remove the unit by unscrewing the two screws at the top and bottom of the unit. At this point the auto drying module can be removed. There is a small gray plug found along the side of the module, which holds the desiccant. Removing this will allow the removal of the desiccant and fresh material can be put into the module. The charge is a 10oz size. Place the gray plug back into place, reattach the unit to the door and plug the electronics back in place. Please allow 24 hours for the unit to get to a proper operating condition.

On some of the older Secador units, the Auto Drying Module did not come with a plug for the easy exchange of the desiccant. In this case, the desiccant can not be exchanged and the module will have to be replaced.