nanog mailing list archives

Co-locate weather conditions (Re: MAE NY?)


From: Sean Donelan <SEAN () SDG DRA COM>
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 4:39:46 -0500

davediaz () netrail NET (David Diaz) writes:
This was all good with the exception of temp for condensation.
Condensation can occur at just about any temp (within reason) that is what
Dew Point is.  Humidity is Dew point/(room) Temperature.  When they match
you have humidity of 100% and start to see condensation/fog.  Anyway this
is from flight school.  I have heard different engineers recommend 40%
humidity and maybe 67.5 degrees temp.  Something about enough humidity to
avoid static dischargies etc...??

Normally people pay consultants a lot of money to go look this stuff
up in libraries :-)

You are correct, it is actually a XY curve plotted with both relative
humidity and temperature.  Condensation/fog is not good for a co-locate
space. In addition to electrostatic discharge other issues include
corrosion, fungial growth, affect on the other material stored in the
area, and of course comfort for the human occupants.  Go to far in any
direction, and you'll have problems.  You are looking for the sweet spot.
The problem for a co-locate operator is there isn't one, but several
depending how the occupants decide to use the space.  Further, what
is 'acceptable' may vary depending whether you are the one paying the
utility bill, or if someone else is paying it.

        cigars          70f/70% R.H.
        wine            56f/>20% R.H.
        mag tapes       63f/25% R.H. (> 10yr storage)
        mag tapes       70f/40% R.H. (< 5yr operating)
        museum objects  70f/50% R.H.
        photographs     68f/35% R.H.
        color photos    40f/35% R.H.
        books/paper     70f/35% R.H.
        "clean rooms"   72f/50% R.H.

You'll notice I didn't list 'co-locate space'.  If you do some research
you will find the 'optimum' settings are always one study away from
changing.  As researchers discover new and inventive ways for Murphy
to attack, they also discover the previous settings sometimes created
the perfect petri dish for problems to grow.  People get very religious
about the 'correct' environment.  And we haven't gotten into things
such as filtration for dust, smoke, gases, pollutants.  Or other issues
like electromagnetic interference, vibration, lighting, acoustic noise,
sesimic stability, floor loading, fire prevention and resistance, etc.

Government and technical sites of interest
        Magnetic media storage          http://www.nml.org/
        Books, paper, photographs       http://www.loc.gov/
        General storage                 http://www.nara.gov/
        Electrostatic discharge         http://www.eosesd.org/
-- 
Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO
  Affiliation given for identification not representation


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