Extreme Weather and Industrial Electronics

What can weather do to Electronics?

Have you ever sat back and thought about what extreme cold or heat can do to your electronic items? Did you know that LCD screens can actually freeze in cold weather? You probably knew that too much heat can warp your printed circuit boards.
You might throw that controller in your truck for work and then plan to leave it there over night because you’ll need it the next day, but you might want to think twice! What is the temperature going to be like over night? What is the temperature going to be like during the day? If it’s summer it could very well get way too hot in your truck to safely keep the controller there. That controller’s main component is a printed circuit board, and if it is not made for high temperatures, there is a possibility that the board itself can warp, or the pieces and parts used on that board can get damaged, or in some cases, like those that use small batteries, “explode” and leak acid.
If the controller has an LCD monitor, the crystals in that monitor can likely freeze during overnight and daytime freezing temperatures, causing the screen to not work properly. So what can you do?
Our advice to you is:

• Don’t keep electronic devices in car trunks or truck beds, especially: LCD screens or monitors, hard drive-based video recorders, or printed circuit boards. The heat and cold can damage them.
• If your hard drive-based items experience extreme temperatures (below 30 degrees), allow them time to warm to room temperature before operating them.
• As an added precaution, when possible, always use surge protectors or battery backup systems to protect your smaller electronic devices. This will prevent damage from power spikes or surges, common during the winter and summer.

And as always, if you ever have an issue with your electronics, you can contact us to see what help we can provide. Global Mechtronics, Inc. is always willing to provide an estimate on our repairs and friendly service to make sure you get what you need.