Anybody keep a receiver in a garage in a winter climate?

[PHANofPHUNK]

With my new house I have no way of operating a outdoor sound system with out keeping the receiver in the garage. I live in Wisconsin and it's 15' outside.

Is this a death sentence?

 

[Adam]

Are you talking about your Denon AVR-1602? If so, I wasn't able to find an operating environment listed for it (but I could have missed it).

My Pioneer has an operating environment listed down to 41°F (5°C). I'm guessing that is based on the processor(s), as those often have lower operating limits around 32°F (0°C).

I do not believe that trying to use it in that temperature will damage it - it just might not work properly until/unless the internal temperatures increase. Once you power it up, the internal components will begin to heat up.

 

[Swerd]

With my new house I have no way of operating a outdoor sound system with out keeping the receiver in the garage. I live in Wisconsin and it's 15' outside.

Is this a death sentence?

It probably is not good for the receiver. Most garages are unheated and uninsulated, so condensed moisture can get inside the receiver. Home electronics, unlike car audio systems, are designed to operate in warmer and drier air.

I suppose it may be better to keep it outside in the cold than to bring it in and out repeatedly. If it's cold enough, and 15° might be just that, the solid state electronics might not operate right until they warm up.

For that matter cold temperatures aren't good for speakers. The rubber surrounds and spiders might stiffen. Have you ever noticed how a car's sound system sounds shallow or tinny on a cold morning?

 

[PHANofPHUNK]

Are you talking about your Denon AVR-1602? If so, I wasn't able to find an operating environment listed for it (but I could have missed it).

My Pioneer has an operating environment listed down to 41°F (5°C). I'm guessing that is based on the processor(s), as those often have lower operating limits around 32°F (0°C).

I do not believe that trying to use it in that temperature will damage it - it just might not work properly until/unless the internal temperatures increase. Once you power it up, the internal components will begin to heat up.

No I have a POS Onkyo 503 or something like that. I should change that, 1602 is in the basement rec room now. I figure if it dies I'll just craigslist a cheap-o. I think all operating temps are around the same, and none of them are anywhere near 15 degrees.

 

[Whitey80]

use a Denon AVR2105 in my garage. Denver, CO. Been out there a couple of years, in a cabinet near the garage door and works fine still. Temperatures get below zero from time to time, garage is unheated and poorly insulated, leave the door open when snowblowing for long periods.

Gets over 100 pretty often too, and no problems then either

 

[Swerd]

use a Denon AVR2105 in my garage. Denver, CO. Been out there a couple of years, in a cabinet near the garage door and works fine still. Temperatures get below zero from time to time, garage is unheated and poorly insulated, leave the door open when snowblowing for long periods.

Gets over 100 pretty often too, and no problems then either

Compared to most places at low altitudes, Denver is a pretty dry place. It's the moisture in the air condensing inside the electronics kept outside that causes them to go bad.

 

[PHANofPHUNK]

Compared to most places at low altitudes, Denver is a pretty dry place. It's the moisture in the air condensing inside the electronics kept outside that causes them to go bad.

I have a friend who has a house on St. John, and he says electronics only last a few years due to all the salt in the air.

 

[agarwalro]

Low temperature is actually good for some electronics like ICs and transistors while it is bad for others like, solder joints and caps. Moisture (condensation) on the other hand, is universally bad for electronics.

The good thing about low temperature air is that relative humidity is also low. So, your receiver will be fine unless you bring your cold receiver into the heated and relatively high humidity home environment. Now the cold electronics will collect condensation (just like cold prescription glasses fog up when you enter the home). If you use it immediately, something may shot. On the other hand, taking a receiver from the home to the 20 degree garage, may cause something to crack/break due to thermal shock.

So, leaving it in the garage will be fine.

 

[KEW]

Mainly rewording what has already been said, but it is temperature swings that are the biggest problem. You might buy one of these. They keep track of the max and min temps so you can see what a day, week, month, year in your garage sees. It probably doesn't see the 15° temps, but a lot depends on where the receiver would be in the garage, how often the door is opened, and how long the door stays open.

ACU Rite Indoor Monitor Combination Thermometer Temperature Humidity Gauge New | eBay

But I think the most practical approach is to simply go ahead, but do not use any electronics you really care about.

 

[PHANofPHUNK]

I often wonder, in 20 degree weather, if it heats up enough to condensate.

 

[Rickster71]

I've had one in my insulated / non heated garage for twenty years without problems.
However, I doubt it ever gets below 38 out there.

 

[Adam]

I often wonder, in 20 degree weather, if it heats up enough to condensate.

Hi. Heating up doesn't increase the chance of condensation - cooling down does. Heating up above the freezing point increases the chance of having liquid water on the electronics, though.

So, if there isn't ice or water on the components before you turn it on, it won't develop because the components heat up. Rule of thumb - if your receiver is covered in frost, there's a risk if you turn it on.

Liquid water is more of a risk because it accelerates corrosion. If liquid water turns to ice in the receiver, that can be an issue depending on where it occurs. For example, liquid water inside of a plastic component that turns to ice will expand and produce stresses inside of the part, possibly cracking and breaking connections. On the other end of things, liquid water inside of a component that heats up can turn to steam and "popcorn" a part, busting it apart.

So, yeah, there's a risk. However, given that it's a POS (your description ), I wouldn't give it a second thought. Just hook it up and enjoy it.

 

[kcjones]

My garage, man lair, is a pretty harsh environment and my last POS receiver (vintage 90s Techniques) lasted 3 years. Just replaced it with a Craig's list special for $30. Not bad for an Onkyo SR600

I live near the water in Florida
I create enough saw dust in my lair that I unplug the receiver and TV when not in use. More worried about fire than frying antique electronics.
Humidity + dust kills boards. Personally, I wouldn't worry about the cold that much as long as the climate is dry. Just to be safe, unplug it when you turn it off.

 

[Send Margaritas]

5.1 in my garage. A Yamaha receiver been there for years. I'm in the Chicago area, so weather is similar to Wisconsin. It would take a very cold day to freeze there. No issues, but the need to cover it with a towel when I'm using a saw or a router.

 

[300exoh]

I kept and older 90's pioneer receiver in my garage for years when I lived in ohio with no problems at all. Temps can swing drastically in ohio and my garage was uninsulated and had no heat. Temps ranged from below 0*F in winter to 100*F+ in summer heat inside the garage. It would sound thin in cold weather but it never stopped working or showed any signs of failing...never noticed any condensation either. In fact since I moved south 1.5 years ago my son has been using that very receiver in his bedroom and it's still kicking.

 

[gmichael]

I have a 25 year old Pioneer in my unheated garage. It has worked fine for 6 years so far.
I also have a 10 year old Sony in my unheated basement for those same 6 years. No issues there either.
My CD player did die though.