15 Aug
2012
15 Aug
'12
6:45 a.m.
On Wednesday (08/15/2012 at 01:56AM -0400), Dave McGuire wrote:
I concur with Dave's assessment. I have been "fortunate" to have received
and restored equipment that has been kept in garages and barns here in MN
and the worst damage has been done by bugs and mice. The second worst
by humidity. The liquids emitted by the critters corrode contacts,
PCB traces, rot plastics and generally ruin any piece of equipment.
You'll have to ensure that none of these move into the gear.
I also find that high humidity corrodes contacts and metal surfaces.
You'll find what should be nice clean shiney contacts in connectors all
turned green or grey and pitted. I've seen this happen even to gear
that's been in people's damp basements.
My guidance, don't make these machines live where you wouldn't want
to live.
Chris
--
Chris Elmquist
If any of you
have a PDP or other big-iron systems in the garage, how do
you deal with temperature extremes (hot in summer, cold in winter)? Do you
simply not operate the computer when it's too hot or cold? Do you think
it's a risk to even store the system in the garage?
My location is Portland, Oregon, so it doesn't really get super cold in the
winter. I think the coldest I've measured in the garage is 50F. But
summer can get pretty warm. It's scheduled to get 85F today, and we had
100F a week or two ago. Of course the garage doesn't get as hot as outside
temps, but it can get up there.
I realize heat can be a big enemy of computers/electronics. Also, since
the RL02 drives are mechanical and precision devices, they might not take
well to temperature shifts.
Thoughts?
I would definitely *not* do it. Many people here have restored
garage-kept PDP-11s...point being that, after a few years of that, they
require restoration.