storage in off season

[gizmo]

how should i store my boards?
leave the chips in the sockets?
buy a big static bag?

any help would be great
thanks scott

[LDA]

Gizmo,

Personally, I would store mine in an anti Static bag, in a dry place. Would not remove the chips as you have the potential to damage them if removing and re adding all the time. But this is just my preference.

PS I noticed on your signature that you are doing snowflakes. Are you building them yourself or are they purchased?

[gizmo]

Gizmo,

Personally, I would store mine in an anti Static bag, in a dry place. Would not remove the chips as you have the potential to damage them if removing and re adding all the time. But this is just my preference.

PS I noticed on your signature that you are doing snowflakes. Are you building them yourself or are they purchased?

i am building them myself out of 1/4 bar stock then attaching minis.(at least thats my plan)
I have 3 different designs built not Painted or lite yet.

Why do you ask?

edit oh thanks for the storage advise!

[Wayne J]

I piled all of my SSRs in a large rubbermaid box and put it in the shed.

[klanger]

I piled all of my SSRs in a large rubbermaid box and put it in the shed.


Ha Ha, thats what i did:D

[deplanche]

I figured I have 2 options for storage, the basement which is damp, but cool... or the attic which can get hot in the summer months, but not as damp. Which would be better?

[WWNF911]

I piled all of my SSRs in a large rubbermaid box and put it in the shed.

Hey wayne, being on the east coast, have you ever had any problems with moisture? (oxidization, or iron oxide migration (looks like white spots and grows over time))

[ErnieHorning]

Moisture can cause stuff to grow (like mold) or cause corrosion. Electronic equipment isn’t going to like that kind of environment.

High heat can cause plastic to deform (I’ve seen candy canes straighten out in a California storage shed). Placing everything in a tote seems to help. It would slow down the heat rise time. Electronic equipment shouldn’t have a problem. I’ve tested commercial grade IC’s, like the one’s we use, to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The parts tempera rally stop working at around 200, but start again when dropped below 200.

[Wayne J]

Hey wayne, being on the east coast, have you ever had any problems with moisture? (oxidization, or iron oxide migration (looks like white spots and grows over time))

Well, I'm not technically on the 'coast' I'm near Charlotte. The humidity gets a bit high, but my sheds are pretty dry, so its maily a heat issue, they get well over 100* during the summer months.

[jeffathompson]

I figure the toughest test will be in my yard. It has been -30 on some past Christmas's

[mrpackethead]

I'd never really put too much thought to this.. I just make sure everything is dry before it goes into 'fishing crates' and it gets unceremonosly stuck up in the rafters of the shed.. I've had no real problems!!

[Macrosill]

I put it all in rubbermaid type totes in the attic. No problems to date.

[Rivenheart]

Imho Mine were conformally coated right after testing to alleviate some of the problems with moisture in the off season, the coating wont protect from static damage so bagging them is a must

[kostyun]

Tub in the attic here

[Elmo2resc]

Tub in the attic here also

[jpb]

tubs and boxes in the roof space. What I wouldn't give for an attic.

Actually, my 595 boards and local SSRs are screwed to a sheet of MDF that is still attached to the wall of the garage. They have a nice smoked perspex cover over them so that the LEDs are visible while running. The transformers hooked over screw heads lower on the board. I packed the trannies (along with the lights etc.) away in Jan but never got around to moving the board, but in the next week or so I will be removing the 595 boards and installing my new Grinch.

Jon