Storing a computer in a humid garden house

gilbutre

Hi,

After buying a new computer I want to put my old one (the tower) in my garden house which is very cold and humid.

I plan to wrap it in bin bag. Is that enough? Can't humidity still damage the motherboard and drives inside?

Collabora

gilbutre wrote: »

Hi,

After buying a new computer I want to put my old one (the tower) in my garden house which is very cold and humid.

I plan to wrap it in bin bag. Is that enough? Can't humidity still damage the motherboard and drives inside?

Yes and humidity can still damage the components and wrapping in a plastic bin bag will make it sweat.

you will be better getting a box like this http://www.boxshop.uk.com/acatalog/Desktop_Computer_Box.html

googler

Won't a cardboard box be more porous, and let more moisture in?

I'd suggest boxing the unit up with some silica gel sachets inside, and sealing the box in multiple bag layers, perhaps using something thicker than bin bags - rubble sacks come to mind. Cover all openings and folds in the bag with wide parcel tape.

Collabora

googler wrote: »

Won't a cardboard box be more porous, and let more moisture in?

I'd suggest boxing the unit up with some silica gel sachets inside, and sealing the box in multiple bag layers, perhaps using something thicker than bin bags - rubble sacks come to mind. Cover all openings and folds in the bag with wide parcel tape.

no because plastic sweats, a proper PC box along with polystyrene packing ( the bullet stuff you can get) if you package the box in bags ( rubble sacks) use cloth duck tape rather than parcel tape

itGuyUK80

gilbutre wrote: »

Hi,

After buying a new computer I want to put my old one (the tower) in my garden house which is very cold and humid.

If it is old, why keep it?

I'm going through an pain barrier to let of old components and units, but have to face reality...

[Deleted User]

itGuyUK80 wrote: »

If it is old, why keep it?

An old PC can be reused as a home server, 2nd router, 2nd PC to run money making apps, firewall, media centre, etc. There are dozens of Linux distributions dedicated to give a new life to an old PC.

itGuyUK80

ciaccino wrote: »

An old PC can be reused as a home server, 2nd router, 2nd PC to run money making apps, firewall, media centre, etc. There are dozens of Linux distributions dedicated to give a new life to an old PC.

I agree, but the OP was to store it away...

Hermione_Granger

Collabora wrote: »

no because plastic sweats

Plastic does not sweat.
An object or substance can only sweat if it contains water or other liquid that be exuded. As this isn't the case with plastics, they can't sweat.

Wrapping an object in plastic can cause that object to sweat, but again, only if it already contains moisture.
By running the computer in question for a while to let it warm up will make sure that there is no free moisture available inside the case, after which wrapping it in plastic will be perfectly safe to do provided that there is no problem with lack of airflow causing overheating, which if the OP is only going to store the unit won't be a concern.

Collabora

Hermione_Granger wrote: »

Plastic does not sweat.
An object or substance can only sweat if it contains water or other liquid that be exuded. As this isn't the case with plastics, they can't sweat.

Wrapping an object in plastic can cause that object to sweat, but again, only if it already contains moisture.
By running the computer in question for a while to let it warm up will make sure that there is no free moisture available inside the case, after which wrapping it in plastic will be perfectly safe to do provided that there is no problem with lack of airflow causing overheating, which if the OP is only going to store the unit won't be a concern.

moisture or not anything wrapping in plastic will sweat, especially bin bags, why do you think a lot of plastic bags etc. have punched holes in them, so allows anything wrapped in them to breath and not sweat.

Hermione_Granger

Collabora wrote: »

moisture or not anything wrapping in plastic will sweat, especially bin bags.

But that is not what you stated earlier was it?
You clearly said that "plastic sweats" and as plastic does not contain freely available water, it cannot sweat.


And your post above is also incorrect. Anything wrapped in plastic will not sweat. Only something containing moisture can sweat so if the moisture is removed before wrapping the object in plastic, it cannot sweat.
"moisture or not". If there is no moisture, where can the sweat possibly come from?


You might know a lot about web hosting, but it's clear that you know nothing about basic chemistry.

Collabora

Hermione_Granger wrote: »

But that is not what you stated earlier was it?
You clearly said that "plastic sweats" and as plastic does not contain freely available water, it cannot sweat.


And your post above is also incorrect. Anything wrapped in plastic will not sweat. Only something containing moisture can sweat so if the moisture is removed before wrapping the object in plastic, it cannot sweat.
"moisture or not". If there is no moisture, where can the sweat possibly come from?


You might know a lot about web hosting, but it's clear that you know nothing about basic chemistry.

it will sweat and also condensation will form, it will be packed in a shed which will be a cold and DAMP (MOIST) environment. This is the reason computers come and are packing in cardboard (corrugated) boxes with polystyrene filling. as a webhost i also know computers and how to pack them