Computer stored at below freezing?

[Neoton]

Hey Tom's Hardware. I hope this is the right forums for this. Sorry if it is not the right one. My mother is against video gaming and has taken away my pc that I had built for the past year. Kind of dissapointing since I had spent the whole summer working for it. Anways, She has it stored in the trunk of a car that is in our garage. I am worried about the low temperatures. Is it alright that the computer stays from 5 to 30 degrees F for extended periods, like 90 days?

It is pretty cold around here and it was 4 degrees F a few days ago.

 

[Jonas Magnusson]

Tell your mother that she should store it somewhere more warmer, try and say it in a nice way so she will believe you.

 

[arossetti]

Generally speaking that is not good at all. Continued expansion and contraction of the PCB due to temperature changes could adversely affect the components. You could also experience condensation internally due to temperature changes. Additionally, a car trunk is one of the last places you ever want to transport computers dur to the continual shock that can be received while driving.

Whenever you get it back, don't just plug it in and turn it on. Let it reach room temperature for a day, them inspect it internally.

 

[USAFRet]

A PC built in January in China, then shipped across the Pacific, sits in an unheated container on top of the cargo ship.
How cold is it?

When you get access to is again, just let it warm up to room temp before you turn it on.

 

[synphul]

I'd agree with USAFRet, it should be fine. Most warehouses and trucks (shipping) aren't heated. Just don't power it up the minute you get it back inside. Give it a good 12-24hrs to warm back up thoroughly to ambient, give the internals a check and maybe blow a little compressed air inside just to make sure. Letting it warm back up gradually (aka, not running) will allow the temps of the parts to equalize with the room and prevent condensation issues.

 

[The Orig Ralph]

I agree with arossetti "Continued expansion and contraction of the PCB due to temperature changes could adversely affect the components.". While computers are subjected to extreme temps in shipment and storage, they're generally on the hot side - shipping trailers can see temps of 140F or more, but you don't see them shipping from china by way of the artic circle.

and the repeated cycling of freezing to warm temps (which causes expansion/contraction of the metal components) can destroy a lot of the components by working connections, soldered joints etc loose

i also agree with letting it sit inside for 24 or MORE hours before turning it on, especially to let it dry off any condensation that will form when you first bring it in

fwiw