long term switch off of an amplifier

The biggest problem is damp, and lofts are often damp, with not only no vapour barrier from the outside air, but often deliberately not sealed from the outside to ensure adequate unforced ventilation of timbers. If you need to store electronic equipment in the loft then unless it is as free from damp air as a normal habitable room, I suggest ensuring it is hermetically sealed in polythene, and preferably the polythere around the unit, inside its box so not easili damaged maybe another outer bag. Also, do whatever might be necessary to ensure mice can’t get at and damage the plastic if there is any history of mice there. 

You could include a good size sachet (or several smaller sachets) of dried silica gel desiccant inside the bag because even hoping your sealing is good enough that should protect for some time against the tiniest of perforations.

I don’t think there is any need to ‘give it a run’.

The biggest problem is the inactivity  of tantalum caps, if switched off for more than a year they degrade. This is according to our local Naim service manager.

Regards

Roberto

Electrically you can store it for many years without problem; if it's more than about 15 years old when it comes out of storage, it'd probably be worth sending it in for a service to get it back to top condition again.

If it's been stored for more than 5 years it's probably worth turning it on for a few minutes with no speakers attached just to let it re-stabilise first (if you can, check the DC offsets at the speaker terminals).

If it's been stored for more than 20 years it's probably worth doing the service before turning it back on, just in case a capacitor has failed while in storage.

I had a hicap in storeage for around 3 years in the loft, a 282 for a year or so and a 250 for 6 months. All in their plastic bags inside their boxes. These were then moved to a second home and have been working fine for a couple of years when turned on every few months.

I kept my A60 boxed in my loft for over 25 years, in the cool but humid climate of North Wales. A couple of years ago, I took it out and put it back to work, and it has been fine since then. I did leave it powered up with no speakers connected for a couple of days just to let the warmth drive off any humidity that might have built up inside it. It wasn't even stored in a plastic bag, just the cardboard box with polystyrene packing.

Slightly off topic but I’ve had 3 Reference series Soundstream car amplifiers plus a Macrom active crossover, stored in their original packaging in the loft for almost 21 years! Since they’re designed for the hostile environment of a car interior, I’m guessing they’ll be ok when I finally get to install them?

Still no idea when this might be though! 

rackkit posted:

Slightly off topic but I’ve had 3 Reference series Soundstream car amplifiers plus a Macrom active crossover, stored in their original packaging in the loft for almost 21 years! Since they’re designed for the hostile environment of a car interior, I’m guessing they’ll be ok when I finally get to install them?

Still no idea when this might be though! 

I also had a Nakamichi head unit lying idle in my loft for a few years, before I gave it to a friend, and that worked perfectly, too.

If something electronic has been stored in damp compnditions I would bring it into a warm, dry environment for a couple of days before switching on, especially if the conditions when you retrieve it might cause condensation.

If very old I’m really thinking many decades, and especially with valve equipment with its higher voltages, first switch on would be best outdoors, with some sort of shield between it and you and any other people, especially if a wooden box like an old radio: switch on at the box before connecting to mains, then connecting the mains remotely. This is because old deteriorated capacitors can explode violently, and most likely time is on that first power up. Once on leave long enough to warm up to operating temperature before doing anything with it.

with the car amps, I doubt exploding capacitors are anything to worry about, but I’d be inclined to test before spending time installing in the car!

What about using vacuum bag's? The large suit type would have enough room for a boxed amp I would think. Being a vacuum there's no moisture! Rich 

Hi 

thanks for your replies.

its very interesting for me.

My idea is to save the amp and not get into an amp hunt and expenditure once again.

My loft - does not have moisture and insects. The door is a tight fit.

The Naim nait 5i-2 is as of now double boxed - just the way it was delivered to me.

thought i would clarify

regards

mpw

ChrisSU posted:

rackkit posted:

Slightly off topic but I’ve had 3 Reference series Soundstream car amplifiers plus a Macrom active crossover, stored in their original packaging in the loft for almost 21 years! Since they’re designed for the hostile environment of a car interior, I’m guessing they’ll be ok when I finally get to install them?

Still no idea when this might be though! 

I also had a Nakamichi head unit lying idle in my loft for a few years, before I gave it to a friend, and that worked perfectly, too.

Forgot I've still got the Becker Grand Prix CD Radio up there too! Quality bit of kit. 

rackkit posted:

ChrisSU posted:

rackkit posted:

Slightly off topic but I’ve had 3 Reference series Soundstream car amplifiers plus a Macrom active crossover, stored in their original packaging in the loft for almost 21 years! Since they’re designed for the hostile environment of a car interior, I’m guessing they’ll be ok when I finally get to install them?

Still no idea when this might be though! 

I also had a Nakamichi head unit lying idle in my loft for a few years, before I gave it to a friend, and that worked perfectly, too.

Forgot I've still got the Becker Grand Prix CD Radio up there too! Quality bit of kit. 

Ah yes. Good unit. The last proper install I did used one of these in VW blue. DLS amp, focal and JL audio speakers, fully dynamated. A nice system