Arcade Machines in a Cold Garage a Bad Idea?

Jesse69

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Are Arcade Machines in a Cold Garage a Bad Idea? That's the only place left for games but it's unheated. So would the temperature changes and cold be bad?
 
Are Arcade Machines in a Cold Garage a Bad Idea? That's the only place left for games but it's unheated. So would the temperature changes and cold be bad?

I'm curious too. Perhaps I'll do a search on this site to see if anyone else has posed this particular query. You've piqued my interest with this one.
 
Storing them in the cold should be fine. Its usually the humidity that you need to worry about. I would avoid powering up below about 50 degrees or so. Definitely do not power up below freezing (obviously).
 
I have kept machines in cold garage for over 5 years and so no evidence of any kind of damage, rust, failure, etc. Just take away any glass marquees (ex: Spy Hunter) as the change between winter/summer might caused them to peel eventually.
 
Storing them in the cold should be fine. Its usually the humidity that you need to worry about. I would avoid powering up below about 50 degrees or so. Definitely do not power up below freezing (obviously).

Indeed. When running a game and the temperature is around or below freezing, the CRT may act strangely or not power on at all (I had this happen with my Pacman, CRT stayed on for 10 seconds, then turned off).
 
I'm sure it's not the ideal condition to run the games but I keep some games in an unheated garage and the only time that I have ever had a problem was once when it was really humid outside I had a monitor that the High voltage started arcing to the monitor frame. After the humidity went down the monitor was fine.

In my opinion, the cold shouldn't have any impact on the game. The cold doesn't hurt the chips.
 
Does anyone ever use the search function on this forum? This has to have been covered at least a half dozen times here.
 
The cold does great for things like the PCB, power supply, etc. Monitors dont like humidity and below-freezing temps. The past few days its been in the upper 40s to mid 50s and its been ideal to go out and play.
 
Did you play your games in a cold garage at say 30F?

Yes, I did (including some pinball machines also). Never really worried about that. But at that temp, you won't want to stay there too long as your feet start getting really gold standing in front of a machine.
 
I've got one in my garage that we've turned on in the low 30's if not colder, and its lasted 2 years so far. I wouldn't have thought twice until someone else mentioned its not a good idea.. Now I'll usually kick on a propane heater for a bit to warm the garage, or atleast the machine up a bit...
 
I play them ALL the time in the cold garage.

SC doesn't get crazy cold like those yankee states though. The lowest it might get down here is 15 or 10 degrees and like somebody above said- it's too cold to stand out there and play at that temperature.

It gets hot as hell down here too and playing in the sweltering heat is no fun either.

I haven't had any problems with flaking glass.
 
I'm curious too. Perhaps I'll do a search on this site to see if anyone else has posed this particular query. You've piqued my interest with this one.
I was thinking the same thing. So instead of reading any further I think I'll do a search as to not repost something that has been talked about 100 times.
Glennon
 
Depends on the game - I'd default to what other members are saying for upright games. One thing I can tell you that you DO NOT want to do is power up a cocktail cabinet or a lightgun shooter that uses a monitor that's lying flat. Basically any game with a flat-lying monitor is bad to power up in the cold.
 
Many good monitors have a problem in cold temps, and old used non cap'd monitors have a really hard time. Often the horizontal hold will be quite off, and messing with the controls will only cause it to get out of sync as it warms up, or be wrong when it's brought back in a house.

Do not store any painted glass bezels in the garage, and especially cause rapid heating/cooling cycles on one. Slow, you may be safe, but powering up to play a game then powering off will cause the glass and paint to expand/contract at different rates (paint faster than glass) and cause it to spider, crack and flake, destroying your bezel/marquee. Plastic ones generally aren't a problem.

Humidty and rapid heating/cooling changes from very cold temps can cause problems. Think of it this way -- most homes are 70 degrees and pretty dry. Electronics will heat up to a maximum amount regardless of ambient temps, say 120 degrees for most things, a 50 degree swing. Now if it's 20-30 degrees, that is 50 extra degrees in a rapid period of time and could cause additional problems coupled with condensation from the rapid heating or cooling with humid air. Just don't do it.

You know how bad flourescent lamps perform when it's less than 50 degrees for most, less than 30 degrees for even the best ones... no different than monitors and some other components. Its just not the best thing to do to your equipment.
 
interesting thread, i been contemplating expanding to the garage, esp since getting stuff through the door frame of basement can be issue.

and looked at some games in the freezing cold last night, so this is interesting.
 
I have always kept my games in an unheated garage. As long as you bring them up to room temperature before using under normal conditions it is fine. Meaning, don't get out the blowtorch to warm the game up faster.
 
I think the biggest risk would be humidity and onboard batteries.

IIRC: I have seen electronics placed in our basement have the batteries explode from the humidity.
 
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4 winters later and I've not had a problem. Granted... 2 of those winters included insulation in the walls so it doesn't get THAT cold in the garage any more... but the first two winters got in to the lower 30's... maybe even upper 20's...

BTW: My florescent porch/driveway lights worked fine even when it was -6f outside... well, they DID take a bit longer to go brighter...maybe 30-40% longer?
 
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