23 Jul
2007
23 Jul
'07
8:24 a.m.
On Monday 23 July 2007 00:23, James A. Markevitch wrote:
Bringing this somewhat back on topic ... one of the
worst factors in the
equation is the average operating temperature. The lifetime falls
exponentially with the temperature. If you can get your chips 10 degrees
cooler, you will greatly extend their life; make sure boxes have good fans
and that the fans are working well. I don't know what fudge factors and
design life were used for commercial chips from the '70s, but no matter
what the target was, keep it cool!
I remember some years back a place I was working with had a GRI machine that
started getting really flaky. Turned out that the problem was a slipping
belt (!) in the outside portion of the a/c system that was supposed to
maintain the temperature in the room.
In terms of more current stuff, it's amazing how crappy the fans are in a lot
of stuff. How they just quit working. I've had to deal with a few issues in
that regard recently...
--
Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and
ablest -- form of life in this section of space, ?a critter that can
be killed but can't be tamed. ?--Robert A. Heinlein, "The Puppet Masters"
-
Information is more dangerous than cannon to a society ruled by lies. --James
M Dakin