I want to hook up a system in the garage but am wondering if my receiver (Luxman R1050) can withstand cold weather. The coldest it gets where I live is about 20 degrees which means inside the garage it is around 30 to 35 degrees, all these are nighttime temps. Will these temps have any adverse effects on my receiver or the speakers? Thank you
-
Feeling lucky? Check out the AK 24th Anniversary Giveaway thread and join in the fun!
Garage system
- Thread starter oneputt
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
I'll offer two guesses: #1 The electronics should be OK unless a problem already exists which hasn't manifested itself yet. #2 Depending upon the type of suspension material the speaker drivers use, it's a possibility an audible change may occur as they warm. If so, maybe it'll go away after a little use. Perhaps don't blast the bass when first using at low temps. Again, these are only hunches.
Lavane
Lunatic Member
Thats what came to mind to me also. Moisture would be way more of a problem.
I also agree speaker surrounds could be stiff at first also. Depending on the material used for the spesker surrounds there may be a chance of cracking at Temps in the low 30's or lower? About the lowest it ever gets in my garage is in the high 30's. So far no problems with speakers that have 47 year old foam surrounds that are holding up just fine. Many foam surrounds rot out over time. It all depends on the material used.
Lavane
Lunatic Member
Humidity here in the north end of the central valley here in Cali is low also.
It was a different story when I lived in the Sierra's though. I kept equipment I didn't care about out in my shop.
Not worried about humidity, just the cold. Running a flex duct to the garage might be a good idea as it is an attached garage. I don't care that much about the receiver or the speakers as they've been sitting unused for quite awhile so 'm gonna give it a go. Thanks for all the advice.
Running a duct to the garage is a possibility, however, all building codes will require a fire damper at the point where it comes thru the wall.
As to a return, that’s not even possible from the garage, again it’s a Code thing.
Same principle why there are no returns in bathrooms!!
As to a return, that’s not even possible from the garage, again it’s a Code thing.
Same principle why there are no returns in bathrooms!!
Are you sure it gets that cold inside the garage? II have an attached garage and the coldest it gets in there is the very high 40’s. As I type this, it’s 17 degrees outside, but 49 degrees in the garage. I have.a pretty good garage door (insulation wise) but not anything over the top.
I’ve had a 1972 Rotel RX-400 receiver and Allison 6 speakers in the garage for a few years and have had no issues. I wouldn’t worry about the temps and just go for it.
I’ve had a 1972 Rotel RX-400 receiver and Allison 6 speakers in the garage for a few years and have had no issues. I wouldn’t worry about the temps and just go for it.
Bone Yard
Super Member
I get fairly major temperture swings up here, moisture is the biggest issue, don't open the door when it's warm outside and cold in the building!
The only Luxman Equipment I've ever seen was curbside in Paris, I would have grabbed it but my backpack didn't have the room, I did take some of the goodies off the Technics TT next to it. If you value your equipment, get something else like a a nice mid-level 80's reciever, they're cheap and you won't cry if they stop working. Personally I have stacks of stuff in my cold shop, mostly shrink-wrapped, I haven't noticed anything quit working but I've been told the cold can be really harsh on it. Most of it dates from 70's to early 80's and yes it's just keeps chugging along.
The only Luxman Equipment I've ever seen was curbside in Paris, I would have grabbed it but my backpack didn't have the room, I did take some of the goodies off the Technics TT next to it. If you value your equipment, get something else like a a nice mid-level 80's reciever, they're cheap and you won't cry if they stop working. Personally I have stacks of stuff in my cold shop, mostly shrink-wrapped, I haven't noticed anything quit working but I've been told the cold can be really harsh on it. Most of it dates from 70's to early 80's and yes it's just keeps chugging along.
I have been using a Technics SA-450 receiver in my garage for the past 25 years and the only issue that I have is the digital display is not working. I can wiggle the display board and it will come back on, so I assume that it is a cold solder joint. I like the Technics receiver as it fits in a 12" deep top cabinet, so my receiver is protected from dust. When I listen in the summertime, I will keep the cabinet door open to allow for extra ventilation. My garage does not normally drop below 45 degrees even when the outside temperature is in the teens.
I have a thermometer on an interior wall of my garage and I have seen it go as low as 45 in the winter and 85 in the summer. In the summer I will not pull a hot car in the garage until it is cooled off.
Best of luck, you will enjoy jamming to your tunes in your garage.
I have a thermometer on an interior wall of my garage and I have seen it go as low as 45 in the winter and 85 in the summer. In the summer I will not pull a hot car in the garage until it is cooled off.
Best of luck, you will enjoy jamming to your tunes in your garage.
I do keep my garage gear out there all winter, detached so it gets down to -10° sometimes and can sit for long periods under 10°. I am a bit worried about cracking a solder joint. Not the I turn it on out there below maybe 50°, but I still worry about the old solder joints expanding\contracting, maybe at different rates than surrounding board\traces?
LOL< now that I've said that, it seems like it shouldn't be a worry. Not worried about speaker surrounds, although it is crazy dry during winter. You guys said moisture? From where? You'd have to have a surface colder than surrounding air, to drop below dewpoint to generate condensation - and that ain't happening unless your introducing moisture (oh, attached garage, do you get moisture from the house?).
I don't think I'll worry about it.
LOL< now that I've said that, it seems like it shouldn't be a worry. Not worried about speaker surrounds, although it is crazy dry during winter. You guys said moisture? From where? You'd have to have a surface colder than surrounding air, to drop below dewpoint to generate condensation - and that ain't happening unless your introducing moisture (oh, attached garage, do you get moisture from the house?).
I don't think I'll worry about it.
Codes are different everywhere, typical new construction homes here that I prewire almost daily, the attic door is in the garage(fold down ladder), the hvac system is almost immediately there, the garage ceiling is rarely insulated, there are no firewalls between the garage attic and the home attic.. wide open..
as far as return air from a garage, that's more common sense than code..
Yeah it's pretty dry around here in the wintertime too.. inside the home..
RVT1K
Super Member
I play mine all the time no matter the temps and I have had zero issues. I even had a 5-disk CD changer out there and it always worked fine. The receiver has also survived years of my bashing on the workbench it sits on. The CD changer, not so much. I have a cheapo MP3 player that reads a USB stick now.
The temps in my detached garage lag behind outside temps, so there is potential for some condensation but I've never noticed.
