Weatherproofing a laptop

[James Henry]

It all depends on the local climate. We have some switches installed on the
roofs of several casinos and other tall building in Atlantic City to provide
fiber based T-1 backhaul for a major cellular carrier. We first used good,
enameled, ventilated enclosures. The enclosures were pretty rusted up inside
and out in just a year, the RJ-45 ports where we handed off copper Ts to the
cell carrier switch were pitted and corroded, and cooling fans in the units
seemed to only last 6 months.  We pulled them out and replaced them with
hermetically sealed air conditioned enclosures. In 3 years we've had just 2
failures (out of about 15 units) and these units were ones that spent their
first year or part of it in the un-sealed vented enclosures. That compares
to about 6 failures in the first year using ventilated enclosures.  The new
air conditioned enclosures cost us $2400 each vs. $600 for the old ones, but
considering the cost of truck rolls (and the switches at $3500 each) along
with the rock solid reliability we gained, it was a no brainer and well
worth it.
So if your install is near the ocean, even 20 stories above it, consider
sealed air conditioned enclosures.
Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: talk-bounces at seattlewireless.net
[mailto:talk-bounces at seattlewireless.net] On Behalf Of Harmon Seaver
Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2006 8:43 PM
To: SeattleWireless Talk List
Subject: Re: Weatherproofing a laptop

On 7/5/06, JBilderback <jebild at access4less.net> wrote:
> >
> >>Probably the best bet is to put it into a completely sealed box and then
put
> >>a sun shade over it.
> >
> >
> >     I wouldn't put it in a completely sealed box, that would cook it.
> > Put it in a little shelter like they use for weather instruments. They
> > have a roof with a large enough overhang all around to shade it and
> > then the walls are vented -- white-painted wood slats at an angle so
> > rain can't get in but air flows  freely. Cheap and easy to build or
> > you can buy them. Like these:
> >
> > http://www.rickly.com/MI/InstrumentShelter.htm
> >
> >    But I would put more overhang on the roof.
> >
> >
>
> I'd be worried about humidity/moisture if you do this. It seems
> likely you'd get condensation on the machine.... and if made it as
> far as the motherboard or even connectors, problems would soon follow.

    That doesn't seem to happen to the electronic weather instrument
stuff. Don't know why you'd get any serious condensation anyway, the
laptop would be the same temp or a bit higher as the air, condensation
would only occur if it was lower temp than the air.



-- 
Harmon Seaver
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