Condensation

[dicky]

I'm having a big problem with this - the kit is in storage during the week and though perfectly dry it is getting very cold

Once i get into a warm pub where the air naturally is quite 'moist' the kit fills up with condensation - especially the amps as they are big heavy lumps of cold metal, just what you don't want to take into a warm pub really

Last week due to condensation my Crown Amp first blew a fuse in the mains lead while in standby after a couple minutes and then once that was replaced it wouldn't boot up out of standby, giving a 'protect' error evertime.

I couldn't get it to work and so ran on one amp, though at the end of the night I did switch the Crown back on and all was OK so no permanent damage done.

Yesterday I was working again so I took the amps and lasers out of storage and kept then at the house overnight beforehand to aclimatise

Thought this was gonna be fine. Loaded the van around 5:30pm yesterday including the stuff from the house - went to the venue at 7:15pm, only to find that condensation was once again a problem. This time the Crown was OK in standby but refused to power up on first boot (protect error) but after a few clicks and clunks on the speakers it powered up OK on the second attempt.

The lasers and lights with metal cases and lenses also looked quite condensed up but at least these seem to work OK

So even leaving the kit in the van for less than two hours (possibly even the time taken while driving to more distant venues) appears to be a problem too

Not sure what to do about this if the venue will not let me set up in the afternoon before the gig on local jobs. One thought is to get a 3kW fan heater or even a hair dryer to warm the amps up first while setting up but other than that I'm a bit stuck with this problem

Anyone else having (and getting around) this problem?


Rich

[Excalibur]

Best advice I can give is to case as much kit as possible. Not the perfect solution, but a step in the right direction.

[atlanticdisco]

Had the same issue so now use a dehumidifier which has been great.

[ukpartydj]

Best advice I can give is to case as much kit as possible. Not the perfect solution, but a step in the right direction.

Had the same issue so now use a dehumidifier which has been great.

I'm not sure either of these methods would solve the problem, unless you mean leaving the kit in the case at the gig or running a dehumidifier on the pub!
The cold equipment acts like a dehumidifier once it enters the warm pub.

I don't have this issue but I know of DJs who have brought kit inside their homes for a few hours before taking it out for a gig which heats it up enough.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Although all of my equipment is flightcased I still get paranoid about issues like you've had dicky so once the weather starts getting a bit colder I generally take quite a bit of equipment (amps, speakers and some lights) out of the lock up and store them in the house in the spare room. It looks like a bloody show room and it's a pain in the backside getting it out of the house for every gig but I do feel safer in the knowledge that it's all ok.
My RCF's and Mackies and also flightcase with the Denon controllers and mixer always stay in the house anyway.

[Les Brock]

Case everything up and I chuck a large silica gel bag inside a divers mesh weight bag. (to help stop bag ripping ) i find this helps

like this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-x-Large-10...item5d4cf01dac

and this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sea-Pearls-2...item20f15c50d2

US Sites but you get the jist

Regards

Les

[Pe7e]

The obvious solution is to keep all equipment that's vulnerable to failure due to condensation in a heated environment. If that's not an option, keep it flight cased and put several sachets of 'silica gel' (or similar desiccant) into the flight case it will absorb much of the moisture, they can be dried out again by leaving them close to your heating for a couple of hours

[DazzyD]

Case everything up and I chuck a large silica gel bag inside a divers mesh weight bag. (to help stop bag ripping ) i find this helps

like this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-x-Large-10...item5d4cf01dac

and this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sea-Pearls-2...item20f15c50d2

US Sites but you get the jist

Regards

Les

Welcome back, Les!!

[ukpartydj]

The obvious solution is to keep all equipment that's vulnerable to failure due to condensation in a heated environment. If that's not an option, keep it flight cased and put several sachets of 'silica gel' (or similar desiccant) into the flight case it will absorb much of the moisture, they can be dried out again by leaving them close to your heating for a couple of hours

I'm not sure silica gel will be very effective with regards to the original issue as silica gel is supposed to be inside a sealed case to work well.
The condensation issue only happens once the metal equipment (which will be significantly colder than the venue) being outside in the winter is taken into a humid warm environment.

Its a very tricky one to answer, if the pub is so humid that anything colder than the pub causes condensation then you're going to have to put all of your equipment in a sealed container and adjust all the volume levels before filling it with rice. It's the only way!

[Excalibur]

One factor in this is the van. If it's unlined, then condensation forms on the roof, and you're back to square one as soon as you put the kit in it. Looking at the simplest solutions, throw some blankets over the gear when it's in the van. You can get them for pennies at the charity shop. Very little outlay at risk there.