Sun exposure to internal computer components

[TTan]

Hi guys, recently built a rig with a chassis that has a fancy see-through plastic side.

It sits by my window and in the day the sun shines through this see-through side onto the internal components. Both the window and case are closed of course, but sunlight nevertheless shines through.

Will this cause any damage to my components?

Hope to hear from the mysuperpc community on this! Thanks!

[zburns]

If the case side or 'side window' is plexiglass, the sunlight will not affect the plastic window itself. If, however, the window is an 'oil' derivative plastic, it will turn yellow eventually. I did not know it, I googled 'plexiglass' and found out these specifics. The article reminded me that all airplane cockpit 'windows' are plastic, not glass. As the article said, thousands of old airplanes out there with 'perfectly clear' cockpit windows.

EDIT: The window thru which sunlight comes thru to strike the computer's plastic window, has a filtering effect; plus sun angle and time of year affects sunlight intensity. However, if the plastic window is getting 'hot' or very warm on the outside surface, that would be some cause for concern, because it would imply the stuff inside would be getting warmer, etc..

The plastic window will have a filtering effect on what 'gets' thru the plastic window; the plastic window by itself will reduce or limit any inside damage you refer to.

Regarding the components on the circuit boards, you would have to talk to manufacturers even to 'start a discussion'. I really doubt there is any short term effect, like 5yrs, etc. -- no way to easily know. You or someone has to know specifically the materials the components are made of, and then the effects of ultraviolent light and any other 'penetrating' sun rays of a specific wavelength. Your computer will probably be outmoded by advancing multiple core cpu technology, RAM technology, SSD 'common' use at lower prices, etc., etc. way before any negative effects -- the companies that actually make the IC chips, rectifiers, resistors, would know the answers or know who at the very 'start' of the component mfg process to talk to -- a process that end users such as 'computer builders' are 'way removed' from what are the final answers.

Additional thoughts: Some of these comments perhaps belong ahead of some of the above comments. Consider your motherboard or any other component being exposed directly to sunlight, as in perpendicular to sunlight, and, in the summer time in the lower United States. The temperature of the motherboard without any electricity turned on would be quite high, very hot. It you powered up under these conditions, the heat generated by normal operating temperatures would add to the 'heat caused by direct sunlight'. If you operated under these conditions, clearly your cpu would be affected.

Conclusion: My earlier answer (Regarding . . . ) stands provided the plastic window is not getting beyond a 'room temperature' point during the sunlight period. Also, unless you have a really big window or skylight, the opportunity for sunlight to strike the computer must be very limited time wise! At noon, sun is essentially overhead, sunlight thru your window at a 'angle', sometimes a severe angle.

Your question is quite valid, particularly, if the plastic is getting warm or hot from sunlight (which I doubt) and the computer is turned on and being used -- a heat build up problem inside the computer.

[RickyTick]

Yeah, I'd really be concerned with a heat problem. Plus I'm not sure what the ultraviolet light might do to internal components. But heat is the main issue to worry about.

[ARchamps]

Agree with both zburns and RickyTick. Heat will likely be your biggest problem. I would also be worried about UV rays hitting capacitors etc.

[zburns]

Follow up to the 'posts' above. Insects see ultraviolent light just as we see sunlight. Logically, insects eyesight is not damaged by UV light. Read wikipedia and find the statement that UV light does not penetrate very deeply, or something to that effect. Basic electronic components -- there are not many -- are resistors, capicators and inductors (these three components are used to make up IC chips - integrated circuit chips). These small electronic components are all housed in a 'plastic' housing or sometimes a metal housing. It stands to reason that if an insect can see UV light and not be hurt by it, logically an electronic component housed in plastic or metal will not be 'hit' by UV radiation provided this occurs on the earth's surface.

If in outer space, UV rays will have a much higher penetration level (astronauts helmets have sunlight shields) but UV in space is not the topic. TTan's post indirectly implies (incorrectly) that the sun shines on his computer window all day. His window sees 'direct' sunlight when the sun can be seen thru the window and indirect sunlight when the sun cannot be seen thru the window.

After sunlight comes thru the glass window (UV passes thru window glass with no loss) and then the computer case plastic window, UV rays may or may not penetrate the side window. However, glass will not stop UV, nor will certain types of clear plastic, such as plexiglass.

Best advice is to keep sunlight off the computer to prevent heat buildup. A person gets used to 'one particular way of operating' and forgets about 'problems, difficulties, etc.' like UV for years, maybe (?), then discovers a problem.

From reading Wikipedia, UV over a long period can cause plastics to crack on the surface, and then lead to further cracking (ultimately destruction) further below the surface.

When sunlight comes thru the window and directly strikes the plastic case window, the case window will warm up, and the inside of the computer will warm up - some - and elevate the operating temperature of the components inside the computer, particularly the cpu -- which is not good. Conversely, when sunlight does not directly (line of sight) come thru the window, the side window will not heat up at all (from heat outside of the computer) -- if the computer is on, the side window may be warmed by internal case heat.

My conclusion or answer to TTans question is that sunlight directly thru the window striking the plastic window will heat up the window and likewise heat up the computer. If the computer is on, the sun heat will add to the internal computer heat and elevate the internal temperature -- not a good idea.

Once the angle of the sun is such that the sun is not directly in line with the computer window ( computer window includes any metal surrounding the plastic window, or computer window means 'entire case side of the computer'), heat from the sun (nor UV) is no longer a factor. UV is not a real factor because it will likely not penetrate the outside 'packaging material of the electronic components.

Fibreglass circuit board material is not considered in the above comments.

Final comment: I would keep the sunlight from striking the computer 'clear plastic' side, even tho it is unlikely sunlight, for the daily time it is directly on the window, will cause a problem assuming computer technology will obsolete this current build, eventually. If the side window plastic does absorb UV and allow a smaller amount to get thru, there is less of a hazard (assuming a hazard exists in the first place). The amount of time, daily, that direct sunlight can strike the computer window is only several hours. Best idea is 'block out the sunlight' or coat the window (computer window or the house window) with something that absorbs UV.

You could also find out from the case manufacturer what the plastic window on the side of the computer is made from. If the window lets UV in with no attenuation, you could replace the plastic with some other clear plastic (even thicker) that does attenuate UV. The type plastic could be chosen 'for maximum attentuation of UV; as long as you know the 'specifics' of the plastic, you can find out the attenuation factor for UV coming thru the plastic.