Storage Hazards

[Computer Collector E-Mail Newsletter]

>>>>> Won't *any* batteries cause corrosion over time? E.g. anything in pocket
calculators etc.

I agree.  Recently I went to use my Palm III, and it wouldn't turn on.  So I
opened the battery cover to change them, and to my surprise, the dual AAAs were
badly melted.

Speaking of which... LOL, can someone suggest a way to CLEAN battery acid?  Is
my PDA salvageable?


--- Jules Richardson <julesrichardsonuk at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

> On Fri, 2004-10-08 at 12:03 -0700, Marvin Johnston wrote:
> > In rummaging through classic computer stuff I haven't seen in a while, I
> > saw several things that are definitely a problem. What other things need
> > to be added to the list for collectors to watch out for?
> 
> Sunlight's a real killer for certain types of plastic and causes it to
> change colour - if you must leave equipment in the sun for long periods,
> at least make sure it gets the sun evenly :-)
> 
> Some plastics react badly with each other when left for extended periods
> of time too and can stick together. Unfortunately there seems to be no
> way of knowing which types (power cables and polystyrene don't seem to
> do very well; we've also had an Amstrad PDA at the museum that had
> welded itself into its protective wallet...)
> 
> Oh, watch out for rodents too. There's a TRS-80 at the museum which has
> had half its keys eaten...
> 
> Be careful with laser-printed documentation in ring binders too; the
> text has a habit of sticking to the underside of the binder's cover for
> some reason - stick a blank sheet of paper in there to protect it.
> 
> > * Leaky nicad batteries that will "eat" the circuit board traces
> > The early computers that come quickly to mind are the TRS-100, Lobo
> > Drives Max 80, NEC 8201A, 286 and later motherboards, and S-100
> > CompuWatch Clock/Calendar boards. Any others that should be added to
> > this list?
> 
> Won't *any* batteries cause corrosion over time? E.g. anything in pocket
> calculators etc.
> 
> 
> 


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