Storing Electronics in Cold Weather

D

derekwwww

Audioholic
I was wondering if it is ok if I store some of my unused audio equipment in cold storage or will this shorten the life span of them or possibly wreck them altogether? I have home audio amps/receivers, speakers, car audio amps, car audio receivers, speakers, some computer stuff.. things like that. Any help would be appreciated...
Thanks
 
J

jamie2112

Banned
The Cold weather can play havoc on solder joints and can cause rust and cracking of circut boards from condensation.I myself would try to store your stuff in a climate controlled environment.
 
strube

strube

Audioholic Field Marshall
I was wondering if it is ok if I store some of my unused audio equipment in cold storage or will this shorten the life span of them or possibly wreck them altogether? I have home audio amps/receivers, speakers, car audio amps, car audio receivers, speakers, some computer stuff.. things like that. Any help would be appreciated...
Thanks
In general, it should be fine, but you need to be careful. What you need to worry about is condensation when you take them out of storage, or if you come or leave your storage area and give condensate the opportunity to form.

I would recommend sealing them up tight using heavy duty garbage bags and duct tape. If you do this, they will protected from condensation.

You also don't want to move them from a very warm location to a very cold location. They need to be allowed to acclimate to a different temperature very slowly.

Also, if you remove them from storage, you need to let them acclimate to the warmer temperature again for a few hours before you un-seal them.

You do risk popping solder as Jamie said, but if you are careful with the quick temperature changes, your risk of this is significantly reduced.

How "cold" is your cold storage?
 
D

DJ in TX

Audioholic
I was wondering if it is ok if I store some of my unused audio equipment in cold storage...Any help would be appreciated...
Thanks
Here's what you do...

Quickly make your way to the City of Bruma in the Jerall mountains. Once you get there, look for a guy by the name of Ongar...he's a fence. He can help you quietly get rid of that gear, and you can make some fast cash, no questions asked.

Shhh...it's a secret! So you never met me and we never had this talk.

Shadow hide you.

:D
 
KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
Do the comments above refer to speakers? I would think they might be a little more sensitive to cold, but I don't know.
I would definitely make sure the speakers are fully back up to normal temp before playing them. I suspect the surrounds can get pretty stiff at low temps.
 
B

bac522

Audiophyte
Just put the stuff in seal plastic bags with some silica gel packets and you're good to go. Search google for where to buy these from.
 
D

Duff man

Audioholic Intern
Do the comments above refer to speakers? I would think they might be a little more sensitive to cold, but I don't know.
I would definitely make sure the speakers are fully back up to normal temp before playing them. I suspect the surrounds can get pretty stiff at low temps.
It routinely gets to -40 where I live and I don't know of anyone who has ever had a problem with speakers in their cars. And that includes people who park in heated parkades and go from +20C to -40C in the blink of an eye with the stereo cranked.

My neighbor's kid starts his car that has been outside all night at -35 and cranks the stereo to full blast immediately.
 
KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
Temperature extremes are a design criterion for auto speakers. I'm not sure if the materials are always the same for home audio.
 
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