[gazar]

Apologies for the thread resurrection.
 
I keep my UM Miracles in a Westone case and always stick a sachet of silica in with them. My CIEM's recently developed a crack on the body.
 
Is it possible that the silica is drying out the Acrylic and making it brittle ??

 

[JeremyLaurenson]

I dont know the answer on the drying effect - I would suspect no - but I have had a pair that cracked (diff manufacturer) in the past, and its a very good idea to contact them now. If they can repair cracks, its better to do it now vs wait. Stresses that caused that crack will just make it bigger. Mine eventually literally split apart.
 
Email one of the folks over there with a picutre and the question about silica. I'd be interested to know.

 

[gazar]

They are over at UM China being re-shelled as we speak. General consensus seems to be that Silica will not dry out Acrylic, but I remain sceptical.
 

 

[scolaiw]

Last time I checked, silica is not a powerful enough "desiccant" to physically rip out the individual hydrogen and oxygen atoms in acrylic and form water just to be absorbed. 

 

 

[gazar]

Quote:

Last time I checked, silica is not a powerful enough "desiccant" to physically rip out the individual hydrogen and oxygen atoms in acrylic and form water just to be absorbed. 

 

I like a bit of science. same of most of us do. If you want to get all atomic about it. this is it. (C5O2H8)n.
 Lots of C, little bit of O and tons of H. Basically a water based hydrocarbon. ??
 
Warning: I may have just made that up !

 

[scolaiw]

Quote:

I like a bit of science. same of most of us do. If you want to get all atomic about it. this is it. (C5O2H8)n.
Lots of C, little bit of O and tons of H. Basically a water based hydrocarbon. ??
 
Warning: I may have just made that up !

You are correct, it is a hydrocarbon; but that does not mean it is able to harbour water molecules (actually it can, apparently it "has a maximum water absorption ratio of 0.3–0.4% by weight" according to wikipedia) but that's not a lot and it is by no means brittle when it is "dry". The Hs and Os that make it up are no longer viable as water unless you react the acrylic with certain solvents that break it up as part of condensation reactions (thus making water). Silica cannot do this. The effect silica has on your ciems is akin to the effect you would have from sticking your ciems in a big bag of rice! 

 

[scolaiw]

Oh also, good news! I just got my JH13s back from a reshell. I sent it back with the metal "hockey puck" case that had come with them. 

Mine was one of the original cases that did NOT have foam padding inside the "hockey puck" but they came back from the reshell WITH foam padding stuck in there. So if you have one of the padding-less cases and need to reshell, I suggest you send it back in the case and you will get complimentary padding. 

 

[JeremyLaurenson]

Can you post a pic of the padding? Maybe those of us early folks can ask them to ship us off some.

 

[scolaiw]

It's just a circular disc about 3-4 mm thick and is black and furry (feels like the velvety black pouch the ciems ship with). One on the top and one on the bottom.

 

[carfentanil]

It looks like JH also sells a circular silica pack that fits inside this case - under their 'accessories' tab.