Humidity: how low is too low?

[Icarusfixius]

The room with my miners currently has a humidity level of %12. The air is very dry, I am not sure at what point it will become a problem....or what I could do about it? I suspect a humidifier wont accomplish much as the hot air is being exhausted outside, so any humidifying I do will just be exhausted out as well I think.

[kapipindot]

You don't want that water vapor kissing every part of your rig so you just let the dry air pass through it. Is is best advise to just let the warm air out of you room via exhaust. Don't ever try to adjust humidity, yes it will cool your hardware's temperature a bit but you will not be happy to see moist on your gpu, technically it will slowly kill it. If you can't run AC on your room for 24/7, just an old fan will do.

[Icarusfixius]

Why do you want to make a room filled with electronic equipment more humid?

I think that's the dumbest thing I've ever read...

LOL, you have never run a datacenter have you....the humidity in a datacenter is typically kept over %50 to cut down on the potential of static discharge. At %12 the potential for static discharge is huge. I don't want the air to be super humid....It definitely SHOULD be higher than %12.

[Icarusfixius]

You don't want that water vapor kissing every part of your rig so you just let the dry air pass through it. Is is best advise to just let the warm air out of you room via exhaust. Don't ever try to adjust humidity, yes it will cool your hardware's temperature a bit but you will not be happy to see moist on your gpu, technically it will slowly kill it. If you can't run AC on your room for 24/7, just an old fan will do.

Trying to potentially raise the humidity has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with trying to bring down temps.

[xxcsu]

The room with my miners currently has a humidity level of %12. The air is very dry, I am not sure at what point it will become a problem....or what I could do about it? I suspect a humidifier wont accomplish much as the hot air is being exhausted outside, so any humidifying I do will just be exhausted out as well I think.

Why do you want to make a room filled with electronic equipment more humid?

I think that's the dumbest thing I've ever read...

Kryptonite13 - There is some missing basic knowledge about static electricity and dry air  

[Raimy]

Since you stated you vent to the outside adding humidly would be a challenge. I would suggest looking into anti-static floor mats near where you would work on the miners and a lot of grounding.

A facility where I worked at once had a ground bar installed in various places on the walls where you could touch to discharge any static before touching electronics. You might need to look into these type of options as the higher humidity solution sounds like it might be unavailable for you.

[Icarusfixius]

Since you stated you vent to the outside adding humidly would be a challenge. I would suggest looking into anti-static floor mats near where you would work on the miners and a lot of grounding.

A facility where I worked at once had a ground bar installed in various places on the walls where you could touch to discharge any static before touching electronics. You might need to look into these type of options as the higher humidity solution sounds like it might be unavailable for you.

So based on this ESD is only a concern with human interaction? the miners sitting by themselves in this dry air are at not risk?

[philipma1957]

Since you stated you vent to the outside adding humidly would be a challenge. I would suggest looking into anti-static floor mats near where you would work on the miners and a lot of grounding.

A facility where I worked at once had a ground bar installed in various places on the walls where you could touch to discharge any static before touching electronics. You might need to look into these type of options as the higher humidity solution sounds like it might be unavailable for you.

So based on this ESD is only a concern with human interaction? the miners sitting by themselves in this dry air are at not risk?

they are at risk  if dust  gathers inside the s-9

the fans  can move dust and spark a bit of ESD.

been there done that.

I suggest  taking s-9's apart and really cleaning dust out of them.

and 12%  is  low

  you could have  a few discharge mats at the  entrance

 Door to THE ROOM  so you don't space out and ESD the gear.

[halker2010]

I suggest you to use a water cooler in your workstation for humidity but only if as you say the air is really dry.

[senseless]

I suggest you to use a water cooler in your workstation for humidity but only if as you say the air is really dry.

Water coolers are closed loops...

TO OP: Just get yourself a swamp cooler... It'll help with airflow and provide some humidity.. (assuming that the temp isn't low enough that it'd freeze the water). This guy made one at home.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_ubf0zqvSQ

[Tidsdilatation]

Could you please explain HOW dry air could cause ESD? Im an electritian and im clueless of what you speak 

[senseless]

Could you please explain HOW dry air could cause ESD? Im an electritian and im clueless of what you speak  

The same way that clouds cause lightning. Particles rub together and build up a static charge. Then, when the charge is high enough to overcome the resistance to ground they discharge through the easiest path to ground. Humidity increases resistance. Probably should just add some filters, or clean the machines occasionally... Even if ESD didn't occur, it's still an eventual fire hazard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV86jPo-vBg

[Coffee135]

In any room where a mining equipment low humidity. I have a summer humidity reached 5% and no problems with the equipment arose. I don't see any reason to increase the humidity. Dust in the equipment will be for any moisture in the room. Every week I remove dust with a vacuum cleaner throughout the room.

[QuintLeo]

Why do you want to make a room filled with electronic equipment more humid?

I think that's the dumbest thing I've ever read...

 No it's NOT stupid.

 Humidity levels that are too low (and 12% is DEFINITELY too low) allow static electricity buildup - which KILLS electronics.

 The data centers I have worked in generally aimed for ballpark 40% RH - and at LEAST 30% - for that reason.

 An evap cooler would probably be the best option.

[mettalmag]

The room with my miners currently has a humidity level of %12. The air is very dry, I am not sure at what point it will become a problem....or what I could do about it? I suspect a humidifier wont accomplish much as the hot air is being exhausted outside, so any humidifying I do will just be exhausted out as well I think.

don't mess with it, 12% is low but better than 70%+
in fact ideal range is between 30-60.
Just exhaust the hot air out and pull in outside air with filters, that should balance the humidity

[dspencer]

Better yet: How high is too high?

[mettalmag]

Better yet: How high is too high?

100% 

better to keep it in range of 40-50% if you are able to control it
and yes too low generates static which kills electronics

[Dannyh2]

I totally get it that you worry about the static charge that it will kill electronics. I learned it the hard way, i destroyed like 1000 dollars on equipment 2 years ago. But that's ONLY if you touch your gear or get close to it. I just wear an ESD band at all times now. Nothing to worry about.
You could get humidifier. If you have green fingers you could also get some houseplants hehe.

[DrG]

As mentioned above a swamp cooler (evaporative cooler) should be able to assist with raising the humidity for little cost.  If you're moving a lot of air consider buying an static air discharger/ionizer.  Fast movement of air can lead to increased charges, especially if the air has particulates.

I killed a SCSI hard drive a long time ago when the Santa Ana winds were kicking up and humidity dropped to single digits. I wasn't even moving, I simply touched the drive and fried the logic controller on the board. Now I won't touch my miners on windy days.

[QuintLeo]

The room with my miners currently has a humidity level of %12. The air is very dry, I am not sure at what point it will become a problem....or what I could do about it? I suspect a humidifier wont accomplish much as the hot air is being exhausted outside, so any humidifying I do will just be exhausted out as well I think.

don't mess with it, 12% is low but better than 70%+
in fact ideal range is between 30-60.
Just exhaust the hot air out and pull in outside air with filters, that should balance the humidity

 Nope, it doesn't.
 Keep in mind that the heat generated by the miners causes the room air temp to go up which drops the RH.

 I had *2* big Brisa units AND a small "misting" system running in my mining room (which is perhaps 500 square feet) and even when it was RAINING outside (which was bloody RARE last summer, we went about 2 months at one point with ZERO rain and 3+ months with a single rainy day) I never saw 50% RH - mid-40s was as high as it ever got.

 I'm currently in the process of revamping the air system to push more air through the room, as the temps were getting pretty marginal at times during the major heat wave we had.

 Electronics is generally specified to work between 20-80 % RH, sometimes wider, as long as it's "non-condensing" (which will NOT be a problem in a miner due to it's heat generation) that's the critical part.

 Also, higher humidity levels help keep dust count down some.