does cigarette smoke adhere to electronics?

[madman300]

I ran across an ebay auction selling some electronic gadgets that I have been looking for. (amplifiers) However, in the description it says that they have been used in a smoking home for quite some time.

So does cigarette smoke (or what is in the smoke like tar, etc) adhere to the inside of the components? Will it affect the life time of the powersupply, capacitors, or anything else? Will the smell ever go away?

Hopefully someone here has had experience with this.

Thanks!

 

[Ryan]

I don't think it will affect the performance of the part - it will just stink...

 

[hypn0tik]

The smell sticks to EVERYTHING.

 

[madman300]

any way to kill the odor?
maybe hang one of those pine trees in the power supply fan?

 

[Safeway]

The entire unit will stink of awfulness. Believe me, I've worked on computers kept in a smoker's house. The entire unit was sticky to the touch, as was the inside due to case fans. And the whole thing smelled like a wet ashtray.

Smoking sucks.

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: madman300
any way to kill the odor?
maybe hang one of those pine trees in the power supply fan?

nahh the smoke and the tar in the air will still stick to it...and since its electronic you cant wash it off

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

Anything will build up a layer of yellowish tar if its kept around cigarette smoke long enough.

Just smoking around electronics isn't enough on its own though, it needs to be an enclosed, poorly ventilated spot, and they have to smoke quite a bit.

So it might be fine, or it might be glazed over and reek like hell.

That said, the actual preformance of the part should be unaffected... at least, I've never heard of cigarette smoke causing electronics failure before.

 

[gsaldivar]

Yes.

Cigarette smoke particles are large enough to lead to serious physical damage if enough of these particles adhere to the surface of hard disk platters.

More info here:

http://discussions.virtualdr.com/showth...08afb1d515144eaae5d1793d&postid=892766

 

[madman300]

This is a solid state amplifier, no moving parts.

I guess everytime it heats up though it could really get to stinkin?

 

[gsaldivar]

Originally posted by: madman300
This is a solid state amplifier, no moving parts.

I guess everytime it heats up though it could really get to stinkin?

I don't see how smoke could harm solid state equipment. :thumbsup:

 

[SupaDupaCheez]

Originally posted by: madman300
I ran across an ebay auction selling some electronic gadgets that I have been looking for. (amplifiers) However, in the description it says that they have been used in a smoking home for quite some time.

So does cigarette smoke (or what is in the smoke like tar, etc) adhere to the inside of the components? Will it affect the life time of the powersupply, capacitors, or anything else? Will the smell ever go away?

Hopefully someone here has had experience with this.

Thanks!

My Dad was a very heavy smoker his entire life (until about 30 days ago when he quit). He has some decent solid state Pioneer (early 70's) stuff and the stuff just stinks. It's not even in use but is sitting in my basement. I couldn't imagine plugging that thing in and cranking it up in a non-smoking room. Disgusting. I wouldn't waste my money just to stink up your house.

SDC

 

[Nitemare]

Should be fine electronically and physically, will just smell like ass for the first few months of use until it gets aired out.

 

[PHiuR]

cigarette smoke kills humans, and now computer parts too!

 

[Kremlar]

If the guy selling the parts is advertising that fact, there's a reason for it.

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: hypn0tik
The smell sticks to EVERYTHING.

It's the tar. Almost impossible to clean it up completely.