DIYbanter - View Single Post - Can cold weather damage electronics components and circuit boards?

Dr. Anton T. Squeegee

In article . com,
(known to some as wylbur37) scribed...
During the winter season, outside temperatures can go down to 10
degrees Farenheit or lower.

Since many people carry their laptop computers to and from work
each day, I was wondering whether exposure to cold temperatures
can damage computer components or circuit boards.

The item most susceptible to such damage in a laptop would be the
display. LCD means 'Liquid Crystal Display,' and that liquid that holds
the crystals suspended does indeed have a freezing point.

Permanent and irreparable damage can be done to such displays if
they freeze. There are industrial-grade displays which are explicitly
designed and built for service at low temperatures, but they are
considerably more expensive than the typical 'consumer' display. I doubt
that you would find such in a laptop (or any other portable computer)
outside of the high-end ruggedized models made by GETAC, Dolch, and
Panasonic (the "Toughbook" series for the latter).

As to the other electronics: The standard "Commercial" operating
temperature range for most components is 0c (32f) to 50c (122f). You may
want to check the specifications for your specific laptop, but I would
say that 10f is way too cold to be operating such a device.

My guess is that 10 degrees F is probably not cold enough to cause
damage, and that any temperature-related damage is probably caused by
too rapid a change in temperature (cracking as a result of expansion
and contraction).

Am I correct on this?

No. Sustained exposure to 10 degrees F will freeze and permanently
damage the display, unless the laptop is explicitly designed and built
to withstand such (only your spec sheet will tell you).

Keep the peace(es).

--
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee, Director, Dutch Surrealist Plumbing Institute
(Known to some as Bruce Lane, KC7GR)
http://www.bluefeathertech.com -- kyrrin a/t bluefeathertech d-o=t calm
"Salvadore Dali's computer has surreal ports..."