De-humidifying cabinet

[UDAYAN]

Got my De-humidifying cabinet from kalabhai last week. The user manual advises that the RH should be maintained between 38 to 40%. I am finding it difficult to keep the RH stable at 38-40%. Forum members using the Digi-cabi from Kalabhai are requested to enlighten regarding the operation and maintenance of the dry cabinet.

[Apacheebest]

Hi Udayan,

(a) What is the size of the Cabinet and its price?? any discounts??

(b) It says in their website that it has 1 year warranty on the Cabinet, how much warranty did you get?

(c) Does it mean that the thermostat control is not setting at a perticular temp or range (38-40)?
or any other issues??

i am eager to know these issues as i am on the verge of buying one 60L cabinet very shortly.

Awaiting your inputs.

Anil George

[VikramF]

Which version of the dry-cabinet did you get?

If it's the AD (Analogue-Digital) one, then there should be a knob inside/outside that allows you to set the level you want. However it's a trial and error job and you need to empty the box and get it to around 40% (which will show on the digital display). Let it remain stable for about 3 hrs before you put anything inside - it will rise again at that point, but should get back to the initial level again.

If it's the Digital one, then just set to desired level and once it's reached that level, put your stuff in.

[amit_hazari]

What was the price you paid?
Is there any smaller option in the market if I want to store only 4-5 lenses in it?

[UDAYAN]

Vikram. Thanks for the input. Its the AD model. I have failed so far to stabilize it at 38-40% RH using the regulating knob inside. The adjustment is painstaking...will keep on trying.

Amit, Anil.  Its a 40L model. My cousin got it from me. Havent got the bill yet. I guess its something around 7K.

[Madan]

What's the approx internal dimensions of the 40 L cabinet ?

I need to decide on the size keeping in mind a future upgrade to 600mm lens.
The guys at Kalabhai said they'd mail me the specs but never did inspite of reminders.

Thanks for your help.

[lightwave]

Vikram. Thanks for the input. Its the AD model. I have failed so far to stabilize it at 38-40% RH using the regulating knob inside. The adjustment is painstaking...will keep on trying.

Amit, Anil.  Its a 40L model. My cousin got it from me. Havent got the bill yet. I guess its something around 7K.

Don't expect to stabilise it so fast. Takes a couple of days ... maybe more. Set knob in night and check in morning. If RH to high or too low, turn knob slightly in appropriate direction. I got it fixed in a week's time. Now never have to calibrate it though I keep good lookout on it.
Personally I feel 38-40 is overkill. The suggested RH is between 45-55%. Just double check on this.

[VikramF]

Personally I feel 38-40 is overkill. The suggested RH is between 45-55%. Just double check on this.

LOL - that may well be.
It's just that even this evening after a light shower in Bangalore - the RH according to the dials I have on my balcony show 44% .... so perhaps keeping it at 40% is just to satisfy one that the dry-cabinet was bought for a reason.

PS: Be careful of too low a RH as it dries out lens lubrication.

[Brendon]

Damn ! Mumbai has no rain since a slight drizzle in the morning and even then its like 70% RH now.

During the day its easily goes to 85% without any rain.

[thelightening]

If it's the AD (Analogue-Digital) one, then there should be a knob inside/outside that allows you to set the level you want. However it's a trial and error job and you need to empty the box and get it to around 40% (which will show on the digital display). Let it remain stable for about 3 hrs before you put anything inside - it will rise again at that point, but should get back to the initial level again.

If it's the Digital one, then just set to desired level and once it's reached that level, put your stuff in.

Well said Vikram on AD and DHC models !!

DHC, the fully automatic one is double the price of AD models I heard, and Kalabhai dont have them in stock.  So its all AD models roaming around I believe.

I have bought two more RH meters to play with this and used to keep inside outside... for experimenting.

So Udayan, u need to work as Vikram said to keep things in point.

[Anirban Brahma]

i used to use the 40l from kalabhai before i upgraded to 140l Alite... both works amazingly well...

[Stuge]

thye had office in Delhi too ? but they don't seem to have that at the moment :O

[Soam]

I maintained 39-42 for all this 2.5 years in my 60L and never had problems with any of my equipments.   

Personally I feel 38-40 is overkill. The suggested RH is between 45-55%. Just double check on this.

[thelightening]

As per discussion with Jayesh today, DHC100 (fully automatic), will cost 29k in Bangalore with vat paid bill.

AD 40 - Rs.11500 and AD 60 - Rs.16000 approximately.


I still believe, I-cabi is worth its price. But dont want to get again in to another debate. 

FOI- Videolinks will be importing Alite Cabis soon even. So holding my hands to see the fully digital model.

[VikramF]

The Alite version is available in Mumbai and Cal afaik (I know Anirban bought one big enough to put a horse in) - those are completely digital and comparable in price to the i-Cabi (so digital version instead of analogue-digital).

The Digi-Cabi's are pretty pricey in India compared to Singapore prices - if someone hops over for a short visit, they can bring one back at about the cost of the iCabi (so digital version instead of analogue-digital). I think we end up paying for shipping and duty and hence the huge jump in prices.

DHC 100 is the 100 ltr one isn't it Arun? - so about 2.5 times the capacity of the 40ltr one - so about 290 Rs per ltr of storage. So not THAT much more expensive when compared to the 40ltr iCabi's 234 Rs per litre price - especially when you factor in full-digital vs analogue-digital?

No debate - just trying not to compare apples with oranges 

[thelightening]

Vikram, yes I was planning to move to a fully digital version of cabinet. But its all seems to be costly.  Yeh !! the difference of AD (analog-Digital) and Digital version is hardly 4000Rs for each model, I believe. But the availability of digital model in digicabi and icabi is the issue

Alite again got stunning build quality over the other two and cheaper in digital versions too..but as per my finding, its 23W,  when the other two is 4W

So the power consumption is too much for Alite;

23 (watts) * 24 (hrs) * 30 (days)=  16.5 KW  = Rs. 577.5 /Month for electricity consumption
4 (watts) * 24 (hrs) * 30 (days)= 2.8 KW   = Rs.98/Month for electricity consumption

(As per Bangalore tariff, IKW = 30-35Rs)

Please correct me if my calculations are not right.

[yusuf]

(As per Bangalore tariff, IKW = 30-35Rs)

Just wondering, is it really needed in Bangalore? Personally I use Silica gel from years and it's excellent in maintaining humidity around 40%. Places like Mumbai, Calcutta or Singapore is a different story though. 

[VikramF]

Vikram, yes I was planning to move to a fully digital version of cabinet. But its all seems to be costly.  Yeh !! the difference of AD (analog-Digital) and Digital version is hardly 4000Rs for each model, I believe. But the availability of digital model in digicabi and icabi is the issue

Alite again got stunning build quality over the other two and cheaper in digital versions too..but as per my finding, its 23W,  when the other two is 4W

So the power consumption is too much for Alite;

23 (watts) * 24 (hrs) * 30 (days)=  16.5 KW  = Rs. 577.5 /Month for electricity consumption
4 (watts) * 24 (hrs) * 30 (days)= 2.8 KW   = Rs.98/Month for electricity consumption

(As per Bangalore tariff, IKW = 30-35Rs)

Please correct me if my calculations are not right.

Apples-Oranges Arun.

1. The unit isn't consuming 4W or 24W or even 100W 24hrs per day .... it switches on and off (think of an A/C - the smaller 1 T AC takes longer to cool a room, but is on for longer). So your equation is completely wrong. One is faster (and cuts off earlier). The other slower (and takes 4-6 hrs to stabilise).

2. You're also comparing 60lt with 40lt. So while the power consumption is higher in the Alite (60Lt - 1.5 times the size), there's also the fact that the iCabi takes much, much longer to come back down to the set humidity (enough time for a fungus spore to settle?)

3. Add to that the fact that the dehumidifier units do pack up - they will be replaced within warranty, but the Alite one comes with 2  units and one works as a backup while the other has gone for replacement.

I'm not saying Anish is selling BAD stuff. He's just reselling. The product specs are different to cater for different needs.
If I opened my cabinet frequently and lived in a high humidity place, I'd want a higher power rating dry-cabinet. Mumbai, Calcutta for example where it's in the 90s.
If I opened it very rarely and the RH wasn't so high, I'd be satisfied with a lower power rated dry-cabinet. Bangalore for example - it's barely 50% (after last evening's rains).

[thelightening]

Cool !! Vikram, I got your point now.

Glad to understand that the Alite got two dehumidifying unit behind and it will work like our air-conditioners ( switch-off when the desired RH level meets). So its ok to get a 90L Alite digital cabi I believe.

I am not comparing models in lts sense. Alite will use 24W on its 60Ltr cabi and 26 ltrs in its 90Ltr cabi.  Icabi and Digicabi use 4w across all its models till 80W (which I know ) . So was comparing 60Ltrs of both models.

Wow, So I can think of an Alite digital cabinet 90lrs or 60ltrs as per the price tag. Just I need a digital, cant do this rotating exercise.

Just wondering, is it really needed in Bangalore? Personally I use Silica gel from years and it's excellent in maintaining humidity around 40%. Places like Mumbai, Calcutta or Singapore is a different story though.

Yusuf, please PM Mr.Akash Kahairate (Skyfish), settled in Bangalore in a good apartment, but got his costly lenses affected with fungus, even after using silica gel.

So its a matter of affordability, if affordable, get one, else need to find alternative solutions for sure. We cant afford fungus for sure.

[yusuf]

Just wondering, is it really needed in Bangalore? Personally I use Silica gel from years and it's excellent in maintaining humidity around 40%. Places like Mumbai, Calcutta or Singapore is a different story though.

Yusuf, please PM Mr.Akash Kahairate (Skyfish), settled in Bangalore in a good apartment, but got his costly lenses affected with fungus, even after using silica gel.

So its a matter of affordability, if affordable, get one, else need to find alternative solutions for sure. We cant afford fungus for sure.

May be an isolated incident, I've been using silica gel with some expensive lenses over 15 years without even a single incident so don't need to PM anyone, but sure, enjoy your affordability 

Dry cabs are good but remember, one can't travel with those dry cabs, so one need to know how to take care of lenses without them...just my 2 cents.