(Topic ID: 217464)

Newbie - Climate Control

By AdeptJR

5 years ago



Topic Stats

  • 6 posts
  • 5 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 5 years ago by AdeptJR
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    #1 5 years ago

    Hello,
    Looking for advice. I am a newbie to actually owning pinball machines. I just took the leap of purchasing my first big ticket pinball machine, Batman 66. I have not yet received the game, but started reviewing the manual. I noticed it mentioned climate control. I converted my garage into a game room, sort-of. It has not been weather proofed, and my washer and dryer are still out there. I am concerned if it is okay to keep the new pinball machine in the garage. I live in the Bay Area (SF), and the weather can get pretty out during the summer months. I already have one pinball machine, Jokerz, and I have not had any issues and it has been out there for a couple of years. I also have a build-it yourself video arcade, but the cpu has gone out. Not sure if it was the weather or because I bought a cheap refurbished cpu. Either way, any advice would be well appreciated.
    Thank you,
    Jeff

    #2 5 years ago

    Batman 66, you jumped in with both feet. Cha-Ching.

    It should be fine. Check your humidity. If you start seeing anything weird maybe look into a dehumidifier.

    #3 5 years ago

    I have a detached insulated 500sqft garage and just did install a mini split AC system to keep my pins dry and cool. It was pretty easy to install but took a LOT of research ahead of that.

    I got quoted to have one installed ranging from $4-7k. Installing it myself cost about $1500 including all the tools.

    We have really high heat and humidity here though.

    #4 5 years ago

    Know your temperature range that normally occurs in the garage yearly and the size of the square footage area.
    Games do better in heat, than cold, but not extremes for both electronics and actually backglasses to a certain limit.
    If the garage is higher than 85F consistently for months on end, you may want to install an A/C unit, both not necessarily a central version.

    TIP: If your garage has windows, blocking the rays is important to avoid the extra UV rays (fading) and reduce ambient heating in the enclosed space.
    These are key factors.

    For example, in my region and extra game room garage, I know the temperature inside the insulated garage rarely drops inside below 45-50 F annually, even if the outside is 25-30 F (freezing temperature are not good for components of SS games).
    In the summer, it rarely goes above 65-70F inside the garage area.
    If temperature does, which is monitored, I pull backglasses that have them, and leave those with translites, and turn on auxiliary heat in the winter.
    I also monitor moisture, which although is generally much higher year round than most areas of California due to wet climate, but I rarely need dehumidifier as much garage is sealed.
    Problems are solved.

    Keep flipping

    #5 5 years ago

    I have a mini split 12,000 BTU in my 400 Sq foot garage in Las Vegas. We have temps from 40s in the winter to 115 in the summer, luckily no humidity. The mini split cost me $ 750 ish and $ 400 to install after getting quotes upwards of 2500-4000. It does a great job keeping the temps where they should be, just not when i open the door

    #6 5 years ago

    Thanks for the feed back everyone. After thinking about it for a moment or two, I just feel I have to much of an investment in this pinball machine and to nervous to take a chance. The office is becoming my personal arcade. My layout of my home with the garage/man cave and the location of the office / arcade is not my ideal plan, but when time and money permits it, I will make some changes.
    Thanks again

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