speaker and electronics storage

[Davidg]

Hi everyone, What's the word on storing woofers, horn drivers, and assorted electronics is it ok for them to be in a freezing enviroment as long as it is totally dry and no moisture or should things be stored someplace warmer? Thanks in advance!

[Audio_by_Goodwill]

Originally posted by Davidg:
Hi everyone, What's the word on storing woofers, horn drivers, and assorted electronics is it ok for them to be in a freezing enviroment as long as it is totally dry and no moisture or should things be stored someplace warmer? Thanks in advance!

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I'm just guessing here, but I would think that the cold wouldn't be that big of a deal. Humidity would be low because of the cold.... that would be a plus. My concern would be temps that fluctuate. In that case you might get condensation on your drivers when the temperature warms up. That condensation could become a corrosion problem. One more thing..... if your talking about an out building, like a barn, or shed, make sure the drivers are protected against mice, squirels, raccoons, etc. You don't want them nesting with your drivers!

[bowtie427ss]

Lot's of views but no opinions? Somebody has to have some thoughts on this

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Guilty as charged!

So, here's my amatuer two cents worth. Exposure to extreme cold has been blamed for loosening tangerines in compression drivers.

I could find it relatively easy to believe claims of seperated magnet/pole assemblies from temperature extremes too, tho i don't think i've ever heard claims of this.

Having some experience with metals, and some familiarity with the vastly different rates at which different metals expand and contract, i don't think temperature extremes are really "good" for any components.

Consider also that the rate of temperature change is probably key here, the slower the change the more uniform the expansion and contraction will be between dissimilar materials.

Now with all this said, i have on many occasions taken gear from the back of a truck/trailer in subzero conditions, set it up and powered it up and completed a sound check in roughly two hours time. Then at the end of the night go from a hot shutdown back into the same subzero truck/trailer just to repeat the process again the following night. Never had a problem that i'd contribute directly to temperature extremes or going from one to the other.

I also have a cabin and recreational property up in the hills not too far from home. It's an unheated(when i'm not there) structure and i've seen the thermometer inside there down as low as -12F in the dead of winter. I have a small stereo there that runs on a marine battery charged with a solar panel with some old radio shack nova7 speakers. It doesn't really sound "right" at very low temperatures, but this indeed will be their 8th winter up there and everything still seems to work properly once it's up to a reasonable temperature.

Now damage from handling, shock, and vibration is fuel for an entirely different thread.

Just my .02 y'all understand.................

[Ronald Lee]

I hesitate to post anything because I no direct experience. But, I have had electronic equipment instruction sheets mention that there is no lower limit on the storage of the equipment, but you should let electonic e****pment come up to room temps before powering them up. I have no idea on loudspeakers though.

[bfish]

Many moons ago, back when the government gave people like me security clearances and paid over $200 each for hammers (SURELY they've changed since then...), I was an electronics performance inspector for a major DOD contractor. Our products ranged from radar, fuzing, and sensory sub-assemblies to auto-blackout eye protection for nuke pilots. My department performed every type of test imaginable except D-testing (destructive tests take items to the breaking point, and were done in another area). We had ovens, freezers, nitrogen chambers, centrifuges, accelleration sleds, and lasers, all with fixtures and connections to monitor the DUT under such extreme conditions. We also performed spot reinspections of old stockpile components that Los Alamos sent us, even some old vacuum tubed components. ANY failure was a cause for line shutdown and temporary reassignment while the brass and labrats poured over the failed item. Needless to say, failures were extremely few and far between.

My experience with consumer products is not so good.

So, my opinion varies per item. If it was made to withstand extremes it likely will, if not, it likely won't. I'd be inclined to put the bulk of consumer electronics (and speakers) in the "likely won't" category out of precaution. There will be exceptions. Asess the risk and throw the dice.

<font color="#FFFFFF" size="1">[ November 18, 2007 04:58 PM: Message edited by: bfish ]</font>

[Ronald Lee]

Originally posted by RKLee:
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but you should let electonic e****pment come up to room temps before powering them up. I have no idea on loudspeakers though.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">How come the system puts in asterisks, when I try to spell eqiupment?

[gamalot]

Most of the tangerines that fail where at one time subjected to freezing. Plastics and metals expand and contract at much different rates!

That being said, take a look at what your equipment is made from and judge for yourself.

Stuff in your car seems to do fairly well but I do think some thought has gone into this.
I know my XM radio and CD player revolt when I turn them on in sub zero so I think if you could find a somewhat less extreme you might get by.

Keep in mind also when dealing with tangerine (plastic) phase plugs you have an addition to the equasion---GLUE.

Gary

[Ronald Lee]

Originally posted by gamalot:
Most of the tangerines that fail where at one time subjected to freezing. Plastics and metals expand and contract at much different rates!
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Keep in mind also when dealing with tangerine (plastic) phase plugs you have an addition to the equasion---GLUE.

Gary

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Good to know, if my ancient 806s ever get frozen, I will know that they will still work.

[Davidg]

Lot's of views but no opinions? Somebody has to have some thoughts on this, I'm not the first one to have to store things

[Russnohio]

Originally posted by gamalot:
Keep in mind also when dealing with tangerine (plastic) phase plugs you have an addition to the equasion---GLUE.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Very good point. I'd think though that it would also depend on how many years the item was stored in such an enviroment. Since glue is used throughout a loudspeakers construction, it is something to consider....Altec surround dope would be another concern for me at least. This material can't do very well in a freezing enviroment for a long time I'd think. Especially do to the fact that in most cases the material is already 30+ years old. Then again...Altec compression drivers HAVE been used in many out-door commercial applications such as racetracks and stadiums (In all kinds of weather)but I'd bet the service-tech rate was high. Anyone know if later generation tangerine equiped drivers were used out doors?


Russ