Question about moisture and sub freezing temperatures

[Revolver]

I've been storing my Bridgeport Interact temporarily outside in a cold warehouse for a month now. It has no heating and there's been a lot of raining lately and the air is very humid also where it's kept. So I'm wondering how well the electronics can take the moisture, will there be problems?
It's going to be stored there for another month and there will probably be some sub freezing temperatures during that time, are there any parts that will get damaged from the cold?

[gus]

Condensation is the worst thing, it will rust.

I think I would make sure it is acclimated before firing it up.

Doesn't sound like you have a choice anyway

[mactec54]

Revolver

Mount a 80/100watt light bulb in the electrical cabinet & this will keep the electric/electronics part warm & dry, ajust the bulb watts, to have the cabinet around 55/65deg, make sure the bulb is not near something that can burn, put a cover/blanket over it as well, spray the metal parts of the machine, with anything like WD40 & everything should be good

[Al_The_Man]

Low temperatures on their own are usually no problem, it is rapid changes in temperature that are the worst in causing condensation.
My shop gets down to -25c in the winter and everything still works fine when we bring the shop temperature up enough to work in.
Al.

[Gncc50]

I have always wondered about this also.

There are heaters for gun safes. I wonder if these would work in the control cabinets or inside the machines enclosure to keep the moisture out. ......They must work for guns.

I am not sure if these would work or not........... Your thoughts?????????

http://www.drirod.com/products.html

Pete

[machintek]

I had a guy call me one winter with a Bridgeport that was in a unheated garage and it would not go into low gear. The grease was so thick that when he turned it on in high gear, the springs for the bull gear bent over. Then he could not pull it down into low gear.
Just a heads up.

George

[Revolver]

Thanks for the tips. I used wd40 when I put it there, but it has a tendency to evaporate and when I checked the machine yesterday, some surface rust had appeared! I now put on a generous coating of gun oil. That should not vanish.
I also tried to buy those moisture sucking things, but they were sold out on every store I went. They must be on demand because people are protecting their boats etc right now. However I took a pile of dry newspapers and put them in both electric cabinets to suck moisture. I will replace them every few weeks. That should do the trick just fine.

Originally Posted by Al_The_Man My shop gets down to -25c in the winter and everything still works fine when we bring the shop temperature up enough to work in..

That's pretty cold. Did you have any problems with the cutting fluid? I recall it usually can take only -5c before freezing.
Could the ice damage the pump and the lines by expanding?