Need pointers to make sure my 'gear' survives harsh conditions.

[Rod S]

Well, maybe the studio owners here can give me some pointers on this. I recently relocated from California back to my home town, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The problem here is the weather. Well, I actually, it's gorgeous :D , but : (1) It's hot as hell, for most of the year. (2) It's humid as hell (3) We live close to the ocean, so you get this kind of 'salty humidity' which manages to corrode everything in sight. I have my 'home studio' set up in a bedroom, near a window. The only precaution I'm taking right now is to keep the gear covered when not in use. To give an example, a computer that's been in this house for 4 years has a lot of rust in its case, even though it's been covered when not in use all the time. I can't afford to have A/C running all or even most of the time. I do have a ceiling fan in the room, which actually creates a mild tornado, so the heat doesn't seem to be that much of a big deal as far as I can tell. Not sure if it matters, but this is the type of gear I have : 2 synths, 3 modules, drum machine, a mixer, 3 effects processors (modules), laptop, amp and monitors. I've thought about putting those little dessicator packs inside of the gear to keep the inside dry, even though I don't like to open equipment if I don't have to. Any pointers to ensure my gear's survival long term? Thanks in advance Rod

[fantasticsound]

I heard what you said, but I'll reply anyway. Air Conditioning. If you value your electrical equipment, shield it from the outside environment. That means, "treating," the air before it contacts your gear. Preferably with an air filter as well. The two most ignored corrosive agents: water and salt. And you apparently are exposing your equipment to both. Not much more to say. A hint; I grew up outside Chicago, Il, USA. Cars in the north don't last very long, in comparison to those in the south, because moisture can be handled, but frozen moisture in the form of ice and snow, along with salt used to melt it, gets kicked up into the body, engine, etc. It takes quite a bit of care to keep a car for long in the north. If the car is valuable, the owner doesn't call the mechanic and ask how to reduce the effects of salt and snow. He either bites the bullet and stores the vehicle half the year, or lives with the damage. That said, the desicant is better than nothing, but I can't vouch for it's full effectiveness in your climate/situation. Good luck! :D

[Rod S]

[b] Air Conditioning. If you value your electrical equipment, shield it from the outside environment. That means, "treating," the air before it contacts your gear. Preferably with an air filter as well. [/b] I wish it was this simple :rolleyes: To make a long story short, we are (actually, sort of getting out) an energy crisis - so we actually CANNOT excede our 'electrical' quota. Since I moved back to my parents, just my presence here with the gear running is borderline blowing their quota. So no can do, at least for the time being... [b] A hint; I grew up outside Chicago, Il, USA. Cars in the north don't last very long... [/b] Yeah, I know all about that. Lived in Rochester, NY for 5 years. Same deal there... [b]Good luck! :D [/b]Yeah, looks like that's all I got :D Anyone else? bueler?

[videoeditor1]

A protective layer on bare metal pieces to reduce the onset of oxidation (rust). We used to use light oils applied with a cloth. Now, a lot of WD-40 is used on exterior surfaces to inhibit rust. NYC Drew