Humidty effect on computers

Question

I just bought a new Dell XPS 410 desktop and am planning on putting it in my basement.    Is there any concern about humidity damaging the computer???  I live in the Midwest and run a dehumidifier in my basement during the Summer....

Uncle Ripper · Answer

Moisture and computers are like vinager and oil, they don't mix. My advice is to keep it as dry as possible and ck to see if condensation/sweat builds up inside/outside the computer. I can assure you if this happens the computer will not last very long. May want to have an external fan placed where it continuiously blows on the computer.

Message Edited by Uncle Ripper on 04-10-2007 04:58 PM

winnieB · Answer

umm, last time I checked, condensation builds up on surfaces where warm moist air hits a colder surface. I think you will be okay since your computer is definetly not a refrigerator.

XPS 410
Pentium C2D E6700 2.66
2 GB @ 667mzh (2 dimms)
Dual 80GB Raptors @ 10,000 RPM in RAID 0 (silenced)
320GB hdd
160GB hdd
NVIDIA 7900GS Zalman VF-900cu
ATI TV Wonder 650 HD
Diamond 24-bit 7.1 surround, w/ dolby digital live
2407 & 2001 monitors
logitech G7 mouse, G15 keyboard

----------------------------------"GAME ON"-------------------------------

hrroi · Answer

I've got three systems in my not-so-dry basement (with de-humidifier). With an appropriately-sized & correctly functioning dehumidifier, you won't have a problem - unless you are talking about _standing_ water, or some obscene level of atmospheric moisture.

RE: "hot machine" Once powered down, electronic devices become cool. In a cool, damp basement, anything metal has a good chance of being cooler than the ambient air temperature - making condensation possible. There might be a very limited effect - but still not a desirable situation for electronics.

RE: "as dry as possible" - you can be too dry - which is exactly what happens in New England (and elsewhere) in the winter when the atmospheric moisture is locked up in the frozen ground. Then you have to be careful about static discharge. In winter I strictly avoid opening the system case unless there is a dire emergency - and then I use a real static protection.

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Humidty effect on computers

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