Foggy binoculars

I recently took my daughter to the local raceway and brought along my binoculars. At some point in the evening, I put the binoculars in our soft sided cooler that had what was left of my beer and ice (in a baggie). The next day when I retrieved the binoculars, they were foggy as if they had been in the shower. I tried putting them on top of the A/C vent to help dry them off, it has helped some but they are still foggy. I'm now considering putting them in about a 100 degree oven for a short while, but want that to be the last resort.

Anyone know of any ideas of how to de-fog them?

Put them in some kind of sealed container with a dessicant to absorb moisture.

Were the binoculars a high-end model?

I wouldn't say high end, but not cheap either. Probably about 25.00, they are smaller and more portable than the monstrocities of the past.

Good Binoculars have an inert gas like nitrogen in them. They have lubricated o-rings made of some rubber like material where parts slide. I think that either your seals are worn out or if not a quality pair, not existent. Another possibility is that you were using them in the heat, and then put them in a humid cool environment. When they cooled, a vacuum was formed inside and it sucked the humid cool air past the seals.

If the seals are not there then placing them in a desiccant loaded container may draw the moisture out. If the seals are intact, then in theory, you could heat them, and then cool them in a dry air environment, like a Tupperware tub that was dried with desiccant and then put in the refrigerator. Then repeat until the moist air is exchanged with dry. That is my theory. I feel it is a sound theory, but don't know if in practice it would work. If you should try such a solution, don’t get carried away with the heating and cooling. Work in moderate temperatures that would not say melt plastic or crack glass.

What Mike said. I think there's a good chance that the lenses are some sort of plastic, so I don't think I'd put it in the oven.

AACJ said:

I wouldn't say high end, but not cheap either. Probably about 25.00, they are smaller and more portable than the monstrocities of the past.

Click to expand...

For that price, replace them. I doubt that you'll be able to make them 100% fog free again.

If they are fogged on the inside (which it obviously sounds like) I tend to think they are toast. I know $25.00 doesn't seem cheap, but in the world of optics, those are pretty much cheap binos, and this is for sure one product wherein you get what you pay for. I haven't had the courage to pony up the coin needed for true "high end" glasses, but I would dearly love a pair of Swarovski SLC or ELs. A very few lucky hunting guides I've known have been "tipped" for a successful hunt by their clients leaving them their pair of these or other similar glasses.

Yeah, but my kids gave them to me as a Fathers Day gift....

mulepackin said:

If they are fogged on the inside (which it obviously sounds like) I tend to think they are toast. I know $25.00 doesn't seem cheap, but in the world of optics, those are pretty much cheap binos, and this is for sure one product wherein you get what you pay for. I haven't had the courage to pony up the coin needed for true "high end" glasses, but I would dearly love a pair of Swarovski SLC or ELs. A very few lucky hunting guides I've known have been "tipped" for a successful hunt by their clients leaving them their pair of these or other similar glasses.

Click to expand...

Use a hairdryer take quite a few minutes and see if you can get rid of the fog.

Put em in a Ziploc baggie filled with rice.

AACJ said:

I recently took my daughter to the local raceway and brought along my binoculars. At some point in the evening, I put the binoculars in our soft sided cooler that had what was left of my beer and ice (in a baggie). The next day when I retrieved the binoculars, they were foggy as if they had been in the shower. I tried putting them on top of the A/C vent to help dry them off, it has helped some but they are still foggy. I'm now considering putting them in about a 100 degree oven for a short while, but want that to be the last resort.

Anyone know of any ideas of how to de-fog them?

Click to expand...

Yes. Put them in a food dehydrator. Cover the side of the dehydrator with a towel if they don't fit in the tray.

AACJ said:

I recently took my daughter to the local raceway and brought along my binoculars. At some point in the evening, I put the binoculars in our soft sided cooler that had what was left of my beer ...

Click to expand...

Does that mean that you have beer goggles?



... hopefully the problem has been solved by now.

Agree. $25 binos are not even mid-priced in the grand scheme of bino pricing.

_JP_ said:

For that price, replace them. I doubt that you'll be able to make them 100% fog free again.

Click to expand...

If you can buy another identical pair just switch them.

MotoMike said:

Good Binoculars have an inert gas like nitrogen in them..

Click to expand...

His 25 buck binocs are not environmentally sealed and have neither been purged nor nitrogen-filled.

Non-sealed binocs can be dried out by putting in a pillowcase, then keep them in a container or sack filled with uncooked rice for a few days. The rice will draw the moisture out. Sealed binoculars, watches etc are not easily dried out and usually need to be opened up and properly sealed (new gaskets/o-rings) after having dried out. if moisture is left behind, mold may sprout and lenses may get hazy.

The oven is not a good idea for several reasons.

Condensation occurs due to the temperature differential of air and the material with which the air is in contact. Think warm interior of car and cold outside air or warm wristwatch in cold weather

If someone had asked me what might be the oddest necropost in the Speakeasy might be, I bet it would take me at least a couple weeks' worth of guessing to get to "foggy binoculars."

Nearly eight years to the day!

TexLaw said:

If someone had asked me what might be the oddest necropost in the Speakeasy might be, I bet it would take me at least a couple weeks' worth of guessing to get to "foggy binoculars."

Nearly eight years to the day!

Click to expand...

Indeed! I think this thread should wold be better in "The Great Outdoors" so we can share the love!!

The rice trick works great with any device.