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jwmiller39
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07/04/2020 10:17PM  
Are there any tricks to drying the two reservoirs of a platypus gravityworks system after your trip/before you store it for extended periods of time? Before my last trip, I just purchased a platypus gravityworks water system with the two 4 liter reservoirs and I’ve had them hanging to dry for a couple days but can’t get them, specifically the clean bag, completely dry. I’m assuming you want to get them as dry as possible before storage. Does anyone have any tips they can share? I tried a hair dryer but that didn’t do much. My next idea is trying my air hose from my air compressor in the garage.
 
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07/05/2020 06:09AM  
I always soak mine in the bleach solution with the filter, but always try to dry them too. I've tried the hair dryer trick without any more luck than you. The best solution I've found is about a week of air drying . . . after drying them out as best I can. Helps to prop them open a little. If you find a good solution, let us know!
 
SammyN
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07/05/2020 07:20AM  
upside down, over a tall water bottle.

This opens them up, and allows them to air dry.
 
07/05/2020 09:58AM  
The OP may have the newer reservoirs which don't have the ziplock tops that open. If that's the case, I would blow a puff of air into them so they are fully expanded, then prop upright in the sun with the caps off for a couple days so the moisture can (slowly) evaporate out of the hole. You do want to make sure they are fully dry before you pack them away.
 
Northwoodsman
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07/05/2020 10:28AM  
I have a foldable plastic grid-like device made by Camelback for drying reservoirs. It slips inside and expands holding the reservoir open. The end that protrudes acts as a hanger as well. It's the blue one that you can find. I also saw where some people just insert a wire whisk to hold it open.
 
OCDave
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07/05/2020 03:36PM  
I get them as dry as possible over a few days but ultimately end up manually wiping the remaining vapor out with paper towels. I store them with paper towels folded like a wick and sticking about 1/3 of their length out of the top of the Platypus bladder.

I gave tried Camelback, MSR Dromedary and Osprey bladders. The Platypus is the only one I have ever gotten dry.
 
jwmiller39
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07/05/2020 04:57PM  
unshavenman: "The OP may have the newer reservoirs which don't have the ziplock tops that open. If that's the case, I would blow a puff of air into them so they are fully expanded, then prop upright in the sun with the caps off for a couple days so the moisture can (slowly) evaporate out of the hole. You do want to make sure they are fully dry before you pack them away."


You’re spot on. I have the newer ones. The “dirty” bag does have the ziplock on top, so that one is much easier to get dried out. However, the only opening for the “clean” bag is just the equivalent of a screw on top of a pop bottle. So that bag is much harder to keep inflated with air to dry out. I took my air hose from my big air compressor in my garage to it today and that seemed to get a lot of the moisture out. I will still have to hang dry it for a few days to get the remaining moisture out.
 
billconner
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07/05/2020 05:43PM  
Oddball thought. How about a little water and store in freezer?
 
07/05/2020 05:44PM  
jwmiller39: "
unshavenman: "The OP may have the newer reservoirs which don't have the ziplock tops that open. If that's the case, I would blow a puff of air into them so they are fully expanded, then prop upright in the sun with the caps off for a couple days so the moisture can (slowly) evaporate out of the hole. You do want to make sure they are fully dry before you pack them away."



You’re spot on. I have the newer ones. The “dirty” bag does have the ziplock on top, so that one is much easier to get dried out. However, the only opening for the “clean” bag is just the equivalent of a screw on top of a pop bottle. So that bag is much harder to keep inflated with air to dry out. I took my air hose from my big air compressor in my garage to it today and that seemed to get a lot of the moisture out. I will still have to hang dry it for a few days to get the remaining moisture out. "

On the plus side, the new system which eliminated the ziplock opening I look at as an improvement over the old design. Those ziplock seals could be almost impossible to close completely. I would think that I had the bag closed, then when I set up the platypus and went about other things the filtered water would just leak out of the top of the clean bag onto the ground. I remember on one trip I had to use the pliers on my leatherman to fully seal the clean bag's ziplock.
 
07/05/2020 05:57PM  
When the zips start to become hard to close up tight enough not to leak, applying some Vasoline will make them work better.
 
07/05/2020 06:03PM  
The closure system on CNOC bags is much better than the zip-top style. On both clean and dirty bags. One color slider for clean bag, one for dirty.
 
07/05/2020 06:24PM  
Jaywalker: "When the zips start to become hard to close up tight enough not to leak, applying some Vasoline will make them work better. "

This I shall try, thanks Jaywalker for the suggestion!
 
OldTripper
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07/05/2020 07:30PM  
billconner: "Oddball thought. How about a little water and store in freezer? "
Interesting idea. I may just rinse them out, shake out excess water and freeze them without the cap on them until the next use. Thanks for the idea!
 
07/05/2020 07:34PM  
Cannot speak for Platypus but I store my Camelback's with a length of paper towel long enough to hang out the filler. Been doing that for years, wicks all the moisture out to dry.

butthead
 
OldFingers57
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07/05/2020 07:49PM  
I bend a metal coat hanger and insert it into the bladder to keep it propped open and then use an aquarium air pump with the air hose run into it to get it to dry faster.
 
07/06/2020 07:51AM  
unshavenman: "
Jaywalker: "When the zips start to become hard to close up tight enough not to leak, applying some Vasoline will make them work better. "

This I shall try, thanks Jaywalker for the suggestion!"

And when I’ve had problems on trips, I’ve also used Carmex which I usually carry. Fixes it right up.
 
07/06/2020 10:28AM  
+1 on aquarium air pump

I've posted this before. First I do the normal bleach water cleanse. Then I run an old fish tank bubbler pump hose through the filter and also the clean/dirty bags for 48 hours to dry them out completely. It really works well to get the last of the condensation out of the bags and to dry out the filter before storage. I do this after every trip.
 
07/06/2020 01:51PM  
butthead: "Cannot speak for Platypus but I store my Camelback's with a length of paper towel long enough to hang out the filler. Been doing that for years, wicks all the moisture out to dry.
butthead"


Came here to say this but BH beat me to it. Blow in a puff of air to fill it up a bit, then take a length of rolled paper towel and feed it halfway in. Put in a sunny space for a few days.
 
07/06/2020 03:24PM  
I stick freshly cleaned and rinsed water bladders etc. on the side of the fridge, with several pushpin-shaped magnets inserted to hold in place. Not flat refrigerator magnets, something tall enuf to hold the sides apart to facilitate drying. It requires nimble fingers or a needle-nose pliers to position the magnets inside at a few locations, but then I can just let it hang for a few days until completely dry. I do the same with Ziploc bags to be re-used on the next trip.
 
07/06/2020 03:48PM  
mirth: "Came here to say this but BH beat me to it. Blow in a puff of air to fill it up a bit, then take a length of rolled paper towel and feed it halfway in. Put in a sunny space for a few days."


Yup, I use about 3 sheets per side rolled onto a 18 inch dowel and insert the towel all the way. Pull the dowel out and repeat for the other section. The idea is to leave some towel exposed and the cap off, this make a wick. I store them this way till next use.
For cleaning I like to use denture cleaning effervescent tablets, Efferdent.

butthead
 
07/06/2020 04:17PM  
I was just trying to figure this enigma out as well this week. Thanks guys!
 
07/07/2020 03:12PM  
butthead: "
mirth: "Came here to say this but BH beat me to it. Blow in a puff of air to fill it up a bit, then take a length of rolled paper towel and feed it halfway in. Put in a sunny space for a few days."



Yup, I use about 3 sheets per side rolled onto a 18 inch dowel and insert the towel all the way. Pull the dowel out and repeat for the other section. The idea is to leave some towel exposed and the cap off, this make a wick. I store them this way till next use.
For cleaning I like to use denture cleaning effervescent tablets, Efferdent.


butthead"


Great idea i will try that next time.

+1 on the Efferdent tabs for cleaning.

In the past I have used one of the pants hangers you get from the store with the clamps on the ends to hang the Platypus upside down in the garage. Leave it there a few days until everything is dry.
 
nebelwerfer41
member (6)member
  
07/10/2020 12:49PM  
OldTripper: "
billconner: "Oddball thought. How about a little water and store in freezer? "
Interesting idea. I may just rinse them out, shake out excess water and freeze them without the cap on them until the next use. Thanks for the idea!"


I tried this a few times, but being in the freezer for a couple months left a funky taste in the reservoir. Imagine putting the entire contents of your freezer into your mouth and sucking on that for hydration. I even double-bagged my reservoir in heavy-duty freezer bags and got the same taste. Unless you have everything in your freezer hermetically sealed, I wouldn't recommend it.
 
07/12/2020 09:50AM  
IndyCanoe: "Great idea i will try that next time.
+1 on the Efferdent tabs for cleaning. "



Took a bit but found this photo describing my storage of water bladders.
Thanks!

butthead
 
gotwins
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07/13/2020 09:22PM  
OldFingers57: "I bend a metal coat hanger and insert it into the bladder to keep it propped open and then use an aquarium air pump with the air hose run into it to get it to dry faster. "


+1 on the bent coat hanger trick. Been using that for 20 years now starting with my camelback bladder. Still have the original bladder and it’s in perfect condition!
 
Minnesotian
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07/15/2020 08:34AM  
gotwins: "
OldFingers57: "I bend a metal coat hanger and insert it into the bladder to keep it propped open and then use an aquarium air pump with the air hose run into it to get it to dry faster. "



+1 on the bent coat hanger trick. Been using that for 20 years now starting with my camelback bladder. Still have the original bladder and it’s in perfect condition!"


Yep, same here. Bend/squish one side of a metal coat hanger or take a plastic one and snip one side, then slide the bladder onto the opening. Let it hang until dry. This is after doing a bleach rinse of course.
 
dzander7
senior member (69)senior membersenior member
  
07/22/2020 06:20PM  


I cut the bottom of a plastic peanut butter jar and use it to hold open the dirty bag. A coat hanger for the clean bag. You have to move the coat hanger around a few times during the process.
 
Jasonf
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07/23/2020 06:19AM  
I used to let them hang with something propping them open, now I set my air compressor regulator to 20psi and lay the bag on the bench with a air nozzle blowing into the bag. Dry in 20 minutes.
 
Blackdogyak
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10/14/2021 07:05PM  
Those Ziploc seals are horrible. And they get horribler ,?? as it gets colder.
 
Blackdogyak
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10/14/2021 07:09PM  
I LOVE the detailed solutions that you all come up with to OCD, but real, problems like this. I'm sure there are a lot of people that throw their fear on the garage shelf without a thought about cleaning.
 
10/14/2021 10:41PM  
After using paper towel to get the puddles out, I use the glove attachment on a boot drier.
 
10/14/2021 10:41PM  
After using paper towel to get the puddles out, I use the glove attachment on a boot drier.
 
burrow1
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10/15/2021 08:42AM  
Please be careful with using your home air compressor for drying your filter bags as most air compressors emit oil unless you have an expensive in-line filter to remove oils and water
 
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