Costalegre Jalisco Mexico

Do any of you take any special measures with your computers to reduce corrosion from salt air? I am currently starting a search for a lap top to accompnany me on my move in just about 1 year. Any suggestions?

My suggestion is not to leave it sitting open. YOU may not feel it but there is a certain amount of salt in the air. At the very least cover it up totally with a towel to keep the access of any to a minimum.

I may be paranoid, but having friends who have lots of electronic devices on their sail boats , I know that sometimes a laptop is dead after 2 - 3 years at sea. I always cover my laptop.

It is not only that but there is a lot of dust flying around 24 hours a day, a keyboard on a desktop is cheap to replace, but not on a laptop.

Do what you want, but that's my advice.

I lived full-time on a boat for 5 years, 2 of which were running around Mexico and never took any special precautions. I have never had a failure that seemed to be attributable to the salt air. I take no special precautions and had one laptop before we moved on the boat I used for navigation and email after we moved on the boat and it still runs.

Your mileage may vary!

Stan

Salt: About the only area I've noticed that salt is affecting my computer (and other electronics) is in the
area of external connections. Power supply plugs, USB plugs, headphone plugs, battery connections etc.
I regularly treat them to a light bath of WD40 on a Q-Tip...keeps them from getting too ratty.
As for the endless dust, I do the towel thing for what it's worth....stuff gets everywhere.

Sounds like good advice. The house I rented in Melaque sits right on the beach. The first time I used the microwave, it literally blew up in a puff of smoke -- almost like something out of the Wizard of Oz. I guess that is the tradeoff for living with that spectacular view.

The local computer guy cleans with white gas. Between the dust and humidity my electronics don't do well. Then there's the 2-wire/no ground that's murder in an electrical storm

Scott --

At one point, I thought you said you were going to add grounds to your electrical system. Or is my memory system shorting out?

I did to one outlet/room where the computer is. The utility room is on the other side of the wall with water and gas pipes. The other 2/3 rooms would be lots more work and no way can I do the whole house