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RE: DATACENTER: Datacenter HVAC requirements
> [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Jason Emery
> Sent: Friday, June 25, 1999 11:38 AM
>
> What about humidity in the datacenter? How important is
> control of that considering the cost? Is it easy or hard? What can
happen if
> humidity isn't controlled? Thanks,
>
There are two factors involved, where you are geo-physically located and
the requirements of the equipment. Too much humidity and you get
corrosion problems, not enough and you get static electricity problems.
Corrosion is slow and silent, static is quick and deadly. Most folks cut
the difference at 50%. It turns out that is really comfortable for
humans as well.
However, where things get really heated is in how much deviation should
be allowed. Here, in the West, the problem is mostly in "not enough",
however folks in Louisianna have too much, all the time. I have some
serial cards that are over 15 years old and still in service (I also
have an old PC-XT playing " dumb console terminal" in my server room
[anyone know where I can find a working DECwriter II?]). None of that
older equipment would be still operational if it had lived in a high
humidity environment.It would have succumbed to "purple plague" a long
time ago. The same goes with cables and connectors. On the other hand,
I've lost a LOT of equipment, over the years, to static discharge and go
to many lengths to protect against it.
If you don't control the humidity you pay for it elsewhere, is my point.
IMHO, a range between 30% and 70% should be sufficient. Occasional
excursions beyond those limits should be no problem, if you have other
measures in place. However, the low side is much more dangerous,
especially if you live in "lightning alley", where extreme anti-static
protections should be installed regardless of humidity conditions.
You might look up the environmental requirements for Electronic
Manufacture and storage, which is what I go by. The biggest enemy there
is static electricity. The biggest enemy, in storage, is corrosion.