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Controller storage


Kyle Whitaker

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Has anyone stored their controllers in the attic? I've never stored them up there with the rest of my display items because,of the heat. Anyone know if high heat will harm the boards?

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Store? mine are on the back patio hooked up to a laptop so I can play with them!

Also high heat shouldnt hurt them unless you have poor soldering on the boards. Even if thats the case the issue will show up regardless. Put them away or send them to me Ill keep them busy for the off seasons.

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The heat that destroys electronic components is almost always generated internally, by the current that passes through the devices. The big heat sinks on the triacs are to draw this heat to the outside. When operating, the temperatures inside the triacs are in the hundreds of degrees.

It is impossible to reach these temperatures inside an attic, as the wood would burst into flames first.

On the other hand, if you actually operate the controllers while they're stored inside the attic, this can reduce the ability of the heat sinks to draw the internally generated heat out of the devices.

It is also possible to raise the temperature of a component to damaging levels with a soldering iron, but this usually requires leaving the solder melted for minutes.

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BrownOut wrote:

I have tried storing my lights in the crawl space- Mice and chipmunks love to chew my wires. Yummy

leave them plugged in no more rodents
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I wouldn't think it would not hurt the controllers in the least. Here in Ohio, I have had plastic/ PVC type materials come out of the attic a little twisted or colored from the heat. So if the controllers are not in metal enclosures, make sure they are properly closed so there is no warping of hinges, doors, lids and the like.

Steve

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GoofyGuy wrote:

BrownOut wrote:
I have tried storing my lights in the crawl space- Mice and chipmunks love to chew my wires. Yummy

leave them plugged in no more rodents


And if they are incandescents, chances are good there may be no more house either!:P
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I don't know about your attic, but mine gets hot enough to possibly warp some things. That far north, you are probably ok though :P

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I have stored most of my controllers in the garage attic for two off-seasons now. No problems at all when I hook them up again. I say go for it!

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I built a 2x4 shelf around the inside of my garage. It is not as hot as the attic. And not as damp as the basement.

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I have stored mine in the attic for about 4 years in a row, with no problems. I live down here in Texas, aand it does get hot up there.

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Max-Paul wrote:

Has anyone bothered to look up the storage temperature of electrolytic caps.? I could see this attic storage drying them out earlier.


Read this:

http://www.westfloridacomponents.com/CapUsage.html

And yes, HIGH HEAT can destroy electrolytic capacitors if left in that environment for too long. Heat from an attic environment IS NOT conducive to electronics, especially in high heat areas like Florida. I left some computer boards I stored in the attic by accident, picked up and stored the wrong tote up there. When I finally found the tote after being in the attic for a almost a year, not one of those boards worked correctly, they did work, but were erratic or would stop working after they got heated up a little.

I wouldn't recommend storing them in the attic. I don't even store my lights (both LED and incandescent up there), that excess heat is actually hard on the filament of an incandescent, not sure about the LEDs, but wouldn't think they'd hold up too well in that type of environment either. ANd I've seen blowmolds actually get deformed from being in an attic, but again, that's here in Florida. I can't say about colder regions, just know what happens in my neck o' the wood to things left in a hot attic for too long.

Personally I don't store my controllers either, they are kept in a cool, dry place if I'm not using them, most often they are in use daily. But since we're in the process of a move to a larger home, they are currently stored in the garage lying on a wooden slatted park bench.
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I've reached the point, after four seasons of collecting the accursed things, that I've got over 30 of 'em now. Looks like I'll be storing them anywhere and everywhere I can find 2 sq ft of space. I even noticed a half-filled cupboard underneath the kitchen counter that could hold two, and a shelf in my closet that would work for four or five if only I'd get rid of the sweaters that don't fit me any more...

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Guest Don Gillespie

High heat, attic, garage, come on people I have mine in a contolled enviroment, warm in the winter, cool in the summer, it used to be called the mother-in-law room but now its the Don's controller and assembly room ever one should have one of these :P

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Don Gillespie wrote:

High heat, attic, garage, come on people I have mine in a contolled enviroment, warm in the winter, cool in the summer, it used to be called the mother-in-law room but now its the Don's controller and assembly room ever one should have one of these :P

If I could just get the married kids to move out..........
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  • 2 weeks later...

What happened to the Mother-In-Law ???????:shock:



Don Gillespie wrote:

High heat, attic, garage, come on people I have mine in a contolled enviroment, warm in the winter, cool in the summer, it used to be called the mother-in-law room but now its the Don's controller and assembly room ever one should have one of these :P
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Like any other electronic component, it's best to keep them in a cool, dry environment.
I don't really have room to keep them in the house, so mine are kept in the garage. Not exactly cool, but it's dry and not in the 100 degree heat that the attic gets.

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