BillFitzmaurice.info

Good evening good forumites. I can't find any definitive info online, so I'm soliciting opinions here.

I have a large attic that I've been using for building and storage. Now that summer is here, it's HOT up there. It's only passively ventilated, and minimally so. It's very uncomfortable for mere mortals, and even I can only work up there for short periods. The other day I took a meat thermometer up there; it's reading between 110 and 115 degrees FahrenHOT. And around here the humidity swings between 99% and 119%. All the time.

There are four 2512 drivers in boxes up there. I'm worried about them.

Should I be?

I know that some of you routinely store your finished cabs in enclosed trailers, and I would imagine that can get pretty hot too.

But how hot/humid is too much?

I doubt the heat by itself would hurt them in the short term but the high humidity makes me say get them out of the unconditioned attic. Just my opinion but I never leave my equipment out in high humidity places for more than the few hours they are being used for an event.

The drivers are probably getting hotter while in use than what they are getting in the attic.

My stuff stays outside year round in a trailer....in the sun. I wouldn't worry about attic temps at all.

I might have exaggerated the humidity a bit, purely for the sake of emphasis, but living on the Gulf Coast it's definitely seriously muggy in the summer.

Thanks for chiming in Bruce - as a fellow Gulf-dweller your input carries a lot of weight!

Heat isn't a problem so long as it doesn't get above 150 degrees. Humidity plus heat equals corrosion, doubly so if it's salty ocean air.

Speaking of storage.
Bruce mentioned storing his gear outside, year round, but your in Texas, it can't get as cold as WI
What about storing them outside all year in a trailer that goes from -20 F actual to 95 F outside air temp.?
Too hard on the speakers?
I take everything back down in the basement when i am down, and it's getting to take a lot of time! I would rather leave the big stuff outside in the garage and just take my lights and electronics inside.

J_Dunavin wrote: What about storing them outside all year in a trailer that goes from -20 F actual to 95 F outside air temp.?
Too hard on the speakers?

No more so than the speakers for your car radio. You do want to let the speakers warm up before you hit them with full power.

Bill Fitzmaurice wrote:No more so than the speakers for your car radio. You do want to let the speakers warm up before you hit them with full power.

I've heard that before, but now it's gospel

I never blast my speakers till they've warmed up; like I never mash the gas till my car is warmed up. Good to know this myth is confirmed.

In 27 years of high power car audio in Canada, the only failures I've had of speakers or electronics due to extreme cold were a couple glue joint breaks right where the spider is glued to the frame and a dust cap unglue. Nothing that couldn't be glued back on. That only happened in under -30C or colder weather. There is usually frost on all the electronics when I fire up the system in winter. I still have amps running from 25 years ago. I usually play at low volumes for the first 20 minutes or so until the speakers loosen up. Their initial stiffness is quite audible and you can hear once they loosen up.

The only thing is when you bring the cold items from outside into a warm humid place you can get condensation. Usually when it is that cold the air is pretty dry inside due to the heating systems so as to not be a problem.

J_Dunavin wrote:Speaking of storage.
Bruce mentioned storing his gear outside, year round, but your in Texas, it can't get as cold as WI
What about storing them outside all year in a trailer that goes from -20 F actual to 95 F outside air temp.?
Too hard on the speakers?
I take everything back down in the basement when i am down, and it's getting to take a lot of time! I would rather leave the big stuff outside in the garage and just take my lights and electronics inside.

I don't think you realize just how cold it gets here....back in January, I went out to play golf and had to put on long pants!

Ha, nice!
What was it, like 60? bbrrrrrr

J_Dunavin wrote:Ha, nice!
What was it, like 60? bbrrrrrr

At 60, I wear shorts.

We do get freezing weather a few times during the winter - but not a lot.

Thanks for the great info everybody! My mind is eased, though I will try to watch for and guard against the effects of humidity.