Here are some tips and tricks for protecting yourself from older electronic devices and keeping them safe from you!
- DO NOT plug an older device into an electrical outlet “just to see if it works.” Energizing worn out or broken components can cause permanent, unrepairable damage. Or worse yet, improperly grounded devices can give you a dangerous electrical shock.
- REMOVE batteries from any device that may sit unused for more than a few weeks. Some batteries can leak corrosive material, damaging the device and some batteries (particularly lithium-based ones) can swell or combust in certain situations.
- Protect plastics from UV (sun) light. While some discoloration can be corrected with retrobrighting, UV can cause plastics to become brittle and disintegrate. The less sunlight and heat a device is exposed to, the longer it will last.
- Another obvious enemy to electronics is humidity. An air conditioned room will protect a device much better than an attic or a garage.
- More tips on the way!