Test equipment near a window?

[dave3533]

With test equipment is it generally advisable to avoid placing the device near windows / other areas with varying temperature? Do temperature variations affect things like calibration etc in the long run or just as the temperature itself is varying?

Thanks!

[German_EE]

Sunlight shining through a window on to your equipment can make things surprisingly hot, in addition to this a window (even double glazed) cools down at night. However, it's nice to be able to look out the window once in a while to get back to reality so my heat sensitive equipment is in one corner of the workshop where the temperature is more stable.

[David Hess]

Temperature changes are a consideration in applications where precision and accuracy are high.  I would be more concerned with bright sunlight causing discoloration or damage to the instrument surfaces.

[Yago]

I avoid it like the plague, thinking that the instrument cases are heated by sunlight.
The (instrument) interior could get very hot and could reduce its lifespan.

Probably also the place of greatest range in temp of the house, air cold at night and sunlight hot at day.

[geppa.dee]

Pff... sunlight on equipment, temp diffs... small problems.
Try humidity so high in air coming in that any rust-able surface rusts in days... the joys of living at approx 150m from the sea. Then try to have both electronics and metal fabrication and computers in a room that needs ventilation during summer (the view is of an empty wall of the building in front, so... not many upsides either).
One learns to love aluminum and stainless.

[macboy]

I would worry not only about temperature variations, but also UV radiation. UV destroys plastics. You probably don't care if the plastic case of your $10 clock radio is destroyed slowly over ten years, but you will feel very differently when the plastic case, knobs, jacks, and sockets of your test gear starts turning yellow and crumbly ten years from now.

[VK5RC]

Life is a compromise,  also don't forget some plastics outgas some nasty stuff. A window and fresh air is pretty good for the carbon based gear in the room.

[ivan747]

Pff... sunlight on equipment, temp diffs... small problems.
Try humidity so high in air coming in that any rust-able surface rusts in days... the joys of living at approx 150m from the sea. Then try to have both electronics and metal fabrication and computers in a room that needs ventilation during summer (the view is of an empty wall of the building in front, so... not many upsides either).
One learns to love aluminum and stainless.

Living in this island, 3 streets away from the sea, it's the same problem. Rust in everything. Cheap or not cheap. That and the sunlight ruins everything that's metal, plastic and untreated wood. You have to keep them well stored. I keep my scope in a bag, for example. I also keep those silica gel bags all over my toolboxes and storage places to slow down rust, but I'm not sure how effective it is.

Yes, avoid the window. Specially if you live in an area with a high UV index. It will ruin the plastics, make them brittle. If you forget you left the window open you're in big trouble.

I can't really think of an electronics equipment that is well suited for being next to a window. And I'm really thinking about it. Unless it's all metal, don't bother.

Generally, do not store anything close to Windows.

[lapm]

well that depends on testing equipment.. Cheap 5$ multimeter, who cares... high accuracy voltage measuring station, definitely protected location...

In my country windows are usually triple glassed and in current apartment i have one regular glass and one of those vacuum insulated ones per window. And i still can feel room temperature dropping at night and winter has not even started yet.

Personally i would protect expensive stuff from direct sunlight and draft if bossile. and in draft i include things like not placing them above heater (heat convection).

Even eevblog forums has had some nice graphs showing how measurements cant change with room temperature...

[ivan747]

well that depends on testing equipment.. Cheap 5$ multimeter, who cares... high accuracy voltage measuring station, definitely protected location...

In my country windows are usually triple glassed and in current apartment i have one regular glass and one of those vacuum insulated ones per window. And i still can feel room temperature dropping at night and winter has not even started yet.

Personally i would protect expensive stuff from direct sunlight and draft if bossile. and in draft i include things like not placing them above heater (heat convection).

Even eevblog forums has had some nice graphs showing how measurements cant change with room temperature...

Random question, does that triple glass stuff also keeps the heat outside when it's summer? And can you actually open a tripple glass window? I've only seen double glass windows at college, because the labs are right beside a noisy avenue. I wanna be a millionare importing tripple glass windows to keep the cool inside 

[suicidaleggroll]

Unless you're doing precision work, I wouldn't worry about the temperature variation, and I highly doubt the sunlight coming in through the window will raise the temperature of your equipment to the point that it compromises the longevity of the electronics, however the UV radiation will destroy the plastic over time.  Unless you want your face plates, buttons, knobs, and dials breaking into pieces when you touch them after just a few years, you should keep them out of direct sunlight.

[TriodeTiger]

Another reason to keep high precision stuff away from windows is smash-and-grab.