Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums Topic: Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them

cilecto on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

cilecto — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:02:47 +0000

Both ThinkPads and MacBooks have had problems of video chips separating due to heat/age/movement. Both can be repaired. Macs are tricky to open. ThinkPads have published step by step disassembly instuctions. Both are excellent machines.

spideyjg on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

spideyjg — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:33:29 +0000

Contact the maker for the storage temp. There is no blanket yes/no answer. Can't get a spec then it is a no. I can't look up all widgets ever made. Jim

megan.orange on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

megan.orange — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:58:51 +0000

Oh no, glad I read this before putting my brand new laptop in. I have a little tiny netbook, agree with the Mac users, MAC's ROCK! But this weighs less that 2 pounds and is 8 inches long. I'm thinking that it will be easier to kill in a packtite.

spideyjg on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

spideyjg — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:37:10 +0000

Examples. Apple Macbook max temp is 113...It cannot survive thermal remidiation period! <a href="http://www.apple.com/macbook/specs.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.apple.com/macbook/specs.html</a> <blockquote>Storage temperature: -13° to 113° F (-24° to 45° C)</blockquote> An Ibook can take up to 140 and could, under close supervision, could endure thermal remidiation. <a href="http://support.apple.com/kb/SP89" rel="nofollow">http://support.apple.com/kb/SP89</a> <blockquote>Storage temperature: -13° to 140° F (-25° to 60° C)</blockquote> I have a Dell Latutude D630 and per it's manual..Again under scrutiny it could be thermally remidiated. <blockquote>Storage –40° to 65°C (–40° to 149°F)</blockquote> Jim Admin note: please keep in mind that doing anything like this is always at your own risk -- even if the manufacturer says it can take the temps, they may go higher than you expect. It will likely void your warranty.

tiredofbedbugs on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

tiredofbedbugs — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:01:04 +0000

bedwarrior! Macs rule! I agree with buggy. I will forever be a Mac user. I switched about 6 years ago and will never ever go back! I don't even remember how to use a PC anymore.

bedwarrior on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

bedwarrior — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:59:43 +0000

<blockquote><cite>kitep - 3 days ago <a href="http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/heads-up-packtighting-computers-can-fry-them#post-65650"> » </a></cite> Someone on this thread said heating electronics up to 120 degrees should be ok. Can't you set a packtite to 120 and just let it cook longer? </blockquote> If 120 F is truly safe, then a long, long session at 120 F- e.g 8 or 10 hours, should penetrate every crevice of an electronic device, I'd think. There is no real way to regulate the Packtite to 120 F though, other than manually opening it up by trial and error to let some heat leak out. FWIW, I use two thermometers in the Packtite- one buried in the interior of what is being heated, and a simple cooking type thermometer tucked in the upper corner- it gives a good indication of the 'air' heat vs the heat that has actually penetrated deep into multiple items. If all one were packtighting were a computer, the ambient temperature insie the apcktite wouldn't take that long to penetrate, I'd think, especially if one could open up one cover. All that said, unless I have real reason to believe a device was actually colonized, I am going to stick to air blowing expensive electronics from now on. And just to update- the computer repair guy confirmed my laptop's motherboard is what overheated (I didn't tell him why lol) so it may only be economically viable to fix it if I can get a working replacement motherboard from e-bay.

kitep on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

kitep — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:06:36 +0000

Someone on this thread said heating electronics up to 120 degrees should be ok. Can't you set a packtite to 120 and just let it cook longer?

cilecto on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

cilecto — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:55:02 +0000

Removing my bedbugger hat and putting on my tech one. Computers sometimes die for other reasons too. Many laptops (and the xbox 360) use a technology for attaching the video processor that comes loose. There are shops that specializing in repairing it. As for the PT, AFAIK, it has a probe that tells you when some part of your load hits 140. The PT is designed to treat a loaded suitcase, in which air does not circulate as well as it would in a computer. BB die between 113 and 122 F. Perhaps someone can advise how to judge when the computer -- in its entirety -- has hit 125-130, which, AFAIK, should be enough to debug it.

Adele on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

Adele — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 16:58:02 +0000

I'm not sure where exactly it is listed but I recall that the packtite folks will tell you directly that they do not recommend using the Packtite for electronics But that said - I am one of those folks who pushes the envelope and will try things "outside the box" and I've successfully used my Packtite many times for electronics - printers, computers, floor heaters, power cords and other stuff But I think the key point is that I did so with the full knowledge that I could fry these items and render them unusable afterwards. However, I was lucky and they came out fine

cilecto on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

cilecto — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 14:49:42 +0000

David (Mr. PackTite)…We really need a "delicates" cycle.

buggyinsocal on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

buggyinsocal — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 12:33:43 +0000

I travel a lot for work. I trust my inspection skills as the very first thing I do upon arrival at a hotel room is grab my LED flashlight and inspect the daylights out of the room. Until then I decide it's clear, my bags live in the bathroom. However, most laptops will fit into a 2.5 gallon (XL) ziplock quite easily. Putting the laptop into one for travel and when in the hotel room when you're not using it would be a good option if you either aren't as confident in your inspection skills and/or you want to be extra, extra careful. (PS--I didn't hear blame either, but I know that a lot of people who come here are stressed and sleep deprived, and so for me, while no one ever said in previous posts that everybody should packtite their laptops, if I'd written those posts, I would have been a little more vocal in stressing that temps at the levels the packtite reaches can damage electronics only because I would be afraid that some people wouldn't see the distinction without clearer warnings.) As for the Mac vs. PC thing, I made the switch to a Mac about 2.5 years ago, and you couldn't PAY me enough to go back to a PC. I partitioned the hard drive and installed Windows on it so that any software really totally unavailable for the mac could still be run, and for me, that's absolutely the best of both worlds.

bedwarrior on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

bedwarrior — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 11:01:18 +0000

<blockquote><cite>soscared - 13 hours ago <a href="http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/heads-up-packtighting-computers-can-fry-them#post-65604"> » </a></cite> I apologize if my posts were among those that encouraged you and your wife to packtite your laptop. As I said though, I packtited mine twice, and it's totally fine. I never said others would have the same result, as I cannot know that. </blockquote> No apology needed My wife and I made our own decisions as adults, and I regret if, in the emotions of damaging an expensive laptop, the tone of my post may have come off as blaming others for their posts on packtighting (PT'ing) electronics. To those who have managed to pull it off unscathed, more power to you for dodging a bullet- but those considering doing so need to be aware of the risk. My laptop is 4 years old so, although it is in the shop now (hard drive is fine, by the way) and will hopefully get fixed, it will have to be replaced fairly soon anyhow (I am drooling to finally switch from PCs to Macs anyway) but it would be nicer to make an upgrade at the exact time of my choosing. Another thought- many of us travel a lot for either work or pleasure. Even if one is willing to risk a one time PT'ing of electronics, to do so everytime one comes home from a trip would be bound to catch up with the odds, another argument against the PT option.

spideyjg on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

spideyjg — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 22:17:00 +0000

General rule on electronics, except batteries, is temps below 120 are safe, 120- 140 is iffy depending the componentry, and above 140 is detrimental. Jeff did a video on the packtite using monitors and some temps got 150+ so it is not safe to use unattended for electronics. People that have used it on electronics kept an eye on the temp and shut them off about 130. There are widgets to hook up a hard drive via a USB drive such as this... <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002" rel="nofollow">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002</a> and using one of those you may be able to remove the hard drive and extract your data if the drive survived. Jim

soscared on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

soscared — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 21:38:11 +0000

I apologize if my posts were among those that encouraged you and your wife to packtite your laptop. As I said though, I packtited mine twice, and it's totally fine. I never said others would have the same result, as I cannot know that.

buggyinsocal on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

buggyinsocal — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:24:42 +0000

The only way I would packtite a laptop is if the laptop was on its last legs and I was planning on buying a new laptop within days or weeks so that in the very likely event that it got fried, I'd already have a new one on order. Mind you, I have the distinction of being in a line of work in which a laptop is required to get work done but a laptop is not provided by work, so it's often the case that my laptop is the most important single possession I own, so I know I may be more reticent than most, but still. All the significant damage from thermal treatment of my apartment happened to electronic items: two DVRs (one died immediately, the other died a few months later) and one microwave. The PCO, in fact, found my older iPod and brought it out to me; that fact speaks volumes to me about the effect that high heat has on electronics. All of which is a long way of saying thanks to the OP for adding this comment to the discussion. I watched people report packtiting laptops and other small electronics with apprehension.

Nobugsonme on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

Nobugsonme — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:32:27 +0000

Thanks, bedwarrior. I don't think putting electronics through a Packtite is a good idea. Some people have claimed it worked for them, as you note, but there is always a risk involved.

bedwarrior on "Heads up: packtighting computers can fry them"

bedwarrior — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:21:26 +0000

Against all my better judgement, I very, very reluctantly agreed to packtight my laptop after a move. I feel the risk to computers is negligable to non-existent, but I wanted to keep the peace with my insistant wife who was proud of the fact that her laptop survived her own packtighting session, even after I warned her not to. Low and behold, my laptop did not come out unscathed. It now powers down spontaneously after seconds to minutes and will need serious repair or replacement. I didn't packtight the battery, but clearly something inside failed as can be randomly expected for any high density electronics subjected to such heat for an hour or two. I just wanted to pass this on lurkers who, like my wife, get suckered, in my view, by over-enthusiastic reports of successful packtighting of computers or other expensive electronics.