[Duo/24000] Ideas Wanted For Long-term Laptop

[Dan K]

first Chuck wrote:
>> I'm considering placing each laptop into a
>> vacuum sealer bag along with some moisture
>> absorbing packets usually found with new
>> electronics. I'm thinking that the removal
>> of air should mean no moisture and no
>> corrosion.
then wayne ingalls wrote:
>I thought I should jump in on this one since
>it's related to how I earn a living. If you
>want to put desiccants in the bag because
>that's what you see other people doing, you
>may or may not be wasting your time. I have
>yet to see _anyone_ selling a consumer
>product use desiccants properly in a package.
>If you know that your product is sensitive
>to moisture, you protect it by sealing it in
>a moisture vapor barrier bag, either with or
>without vacuum and with or without
>desiccants, depending on the humidity in the
>air at the time you pack it. If you're going
>to plan on sealing something for many years,
>you will need a bag that has either a foil
>or metallized layer; clear bags will not
>provide an adequate barrier.
Not really a consumer product, but seems like most new harddrives arrive 
in a sealed moisture-and-static-proof bag with a desiccant pouch inside. 
Which I assume is what you mean by 'use properly'. BTW, normal/regular 
static-proof bags are not rated to be 'moisture proof'.

>If you think you wanted to reuse the 
>desiccant from another package, it's most likely
>already saturated and won't be any help.
Nutz, so does that mean I can't 'renew' my desiccant sack collection, say 
by heating in a lowtemp oven for a few hours?

>To  protect against corrosion you need a
>different material, usually a special paper
>called VCI (volatile corrosion inhibitor).
>This treated paper keeps giving off vapors
>that provide protection against corrosion.
Cool stuff (of which I'm aware), but have none. Where can I buy me some?

>Your best bet is to try to keep the laptops
>in an environment where they don't see large
>changes in temperature or humidity (think
>"store in a cool and dark place")
I think that points out the problem, the OP wanted to be sure the 'Books 
were protected even if he couldn't ensure the storage environment to be 
perfect.

I'm not remembering the specifics, but I'm sure I've seen products 
designed to hold and store objects over a long term. Moisture-proof 
sealable cans or bins or whatever, they have gas hose ports and valves 
and such to allow the interior to first be evacuated of all air/moisture, 
then flooded with an appropriate gas and then sealed. I can't imagine 
such a commercial product would be cheap, but the idea of using a 
largeish, moisture-proof (or -resistant) sealable box may appeal to the 
OP. Big ex-mil ammo cans come to mind.

Related questions for the plastics experts:
     What causes ABS plastics to become brittle?
     How can one protect ABS objects (eg; PowerBooks)
          from such deterioration?

And speaking of ABS deterioration: Ambroid ProWeld (solvent welder) 
rewelds broken ABS PB plastics. <http://www.ambroid.com/Ambroid.html> I 
bought some at <http://www.towerhobbies.com> but also available at many 
hobby stores. Can't say enough good things about it! Though capable of 
much, much more, successfully repairing a broken PB5300 clicker's small 
springy bit ought to be proof enough of its abilities!

Dan K


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