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Marine-proofing a Computer
thaddjuice writes: "I'm interested in installing a computer on my sailboat to interface with the ship's navigation and communication systems. What I'm wondering is what needs to be done to a computer to protect it from salty air, potentially damp surroundings, and temperature extremes. What parts are most vulnerable? What about peripherals - can you protect keyboards, mice, and monitors from these conditions? Power is also a concern, it has to run off of boat batteries. Should I start with a laptop, desktop, or rackmount system?"
Well, I used to live in fla, off the coast of Ft. Lauderdale... 2 miles from the beach my whole life, so, I've actually had some experience with this...
First, I'd recommend the laptop as the start. You can rig the battery slot to run off the boats battery a lot easier than having to convert that to AC instead... That usually works the best, rather than converting power and worrying about a monitor and everything else..
Secondly, they have clear plastic shims that a you should be able to pick up at most aquatic sports shops (Not fishing outlets)... They're used to protect diving equipment and other electronics on the boat. Personal suggestion is to just seal the computer inside a layer of this stuff (it'll conform to the keys and should provide some protection against the sun as well when using the system during that blinding sunrise/set). You will have to make arragements for airflow in/outtakes through the base of the stand, where you can make sure no water will seep into...
The heating/cooling issue I've never had a problem with... granted, I've never kept a sysem out on a boat 24/7 before... As long as it's dry, I can't really imagine it being that much worse than just using it in a non-airconditioned enviornment... Maybe if you got a laptop with a mobile dock so you don't have to leave it out there 24/7 (not sure if that's something you'd want to do, but if it was my laptop, considering the security of the docks and everything, I'd never leave it not locked down) you could get one of those mobile docking stations inside, and just protect keyboard/mouse externally... the laptop would be completly sealed...
Hope this helps some...
-PhaseBurn Welcome to Linux country. On quiet nights, you can hear windows reboot.
Look Here Amazing that a google search for marine computers brings up all the info you need without some smart ass /.'ers to tell use a F**king Search engine in the first place. Sigh... I getting too old for this ..
"Get them before they get....
Because you know, that wouldn't really be a bad question at all. Is there any way one could take a basic notebook or desktop, and after-market mod it in such a way that it would ahev a fair chance of surviving ground shocks from high explosives, thermal shock, EMP etc.? It might not be Marine-proof, but it might be interesting.
I'm the stranger...posting to
I've got a VAX 11/750 you can use... as an anchor.
Consider for instance our main stadiun. It had a dozen or so intelligent lighting fixtures mounted on tomcat truss about 80 feet above the main pool. These fixtures have fairly large boards and processors in them, but also could not be sealed because of the need for ventilation.
Without ever coming into direct contact with the water these fixtures had troubles. The huunidity combined with micro-droplets of saltwater in the air was hell on the boards. Even the special ruggedized, sealed power cable connectors we used could only last a few seasons before needing replacement. DMX (signal for lighting) connectors failed even more frequently. Worse, the inner boards would accumulate enough salt deposits to cause them to short in some cases in just a few months of exposure to two whales splashing around. And these instruments are designed to be rugged, roadworthy fixtures for getting banged around on rock concert tours.
Our solution, 1) by the best connectors we could get our hands on. This was the number one point of failure. Not just water resistant, but submersible. Look in specialty electronics catalogues, we only bought AC and DMX connectors, but they had many types available. We then wrapped all connection in several layers of amalgamating tape (great stuff!!). 2) We had a frequent overhaul plan where instruments were brought down, thoroughly cleaned (dunked in deionized water, allowed to dry 100%, prayers before powering up again)3)Pay attention to where air intake is located..add filters and larger fans to accomdate the reduction in airflow they cause.
Basically, I'd invest in low cost equipment, keep a repair/replacement schedule, stay very vigilant about salt buildup.
My recommendation is to buy a few CHEAP laptops.
:)
Don't spend a lot of money, because you are going to destroy these.
Sure, you can buy marine laptops, but, as you know, anything with the word "marine" in it immediately costs 5x what it should. If you can buy enough laptops to last the life of a marine laptop at the cost of one marine laptop, you are doing better then fussing about marine certified laptops. Besides, you'll want a new one in a couple of years anyhow!
You might even consider used laptops.
This is especially an option if boating for you means "going out on the weekends" versus "sailing around the world." If you sail around the world, then, yes, it probably is worth the money to buy a hardened laptop. Otherwise, spend your money on other parts of your boat!
I would definatly recommend AGAINST desktops, as other posters have mentioned.