How do I revive my old desiccant tablets?

When the CCD of a camera is cooled, any moisture in the CCD chamber will condense on the CCD as moisture droplets or frost. To avoid this, the CCD chambers are sealed and then air dried and this will last years with normal use. Some Atik camera models feature desiccant tablets that can be changed when they become exhausted, though the method varies slightly between cameras.

Our 4-Series cameras along with a selection of other models feature a desiccant port on the outside of the CCD which allows you to easily access the desiccant tablets. It should be easy to determine visually whether or not this applies to your camera. The CCD chambers of the Atik One models are filled with high purity Argon which negates the need for desiccant tablets. Some of our other models feature internal desiccant ports which can be accessed by opening the camera. If you are not entirely confident about how to do this without causing any damage, we recommend you contact our team through the technical support form here, for advice before trying.

Where applicable, we provide a round plastic tool which can be placed around the screwdriver to avoid burring the slot. When you remove the cap, an o-ring and one or more desiccant tablets will be found inside. First, leave the camera with the cap and desiccant removed somewhere dry for a couple of days. To then regenerate the desiccant tablets, place them on a baking tray in an oven at 200 degrees for 60-90 minutes. Warning! The tablets will get very hot. After they are cool enough to handle, replace in the camera and replace the o-ring and the cap. Wait 24 hours before cooling the camera once again.