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#1 Posted : 17 September 2007 13:13:00(UTC)
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Posted By Paul Durkin
Hi All,
In a relatively new(2004)basement our two PCs(not new)have stated to dis-colour(cream to yellow)There is a slight smell of ammonia (from concrete)however last year we painted/sealed the surfaces. There is also some air.con. with dust filter only. Recently, the smell has returned & the dis-colouration(only of the PCs) any ideas?
Odour threashold ammonia:40ppb)
Regards,Paul
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#2 Posted : 17 September 2007 13:52:00(UTC)
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Posted By Merv Newman
Paul,

I'm totally stupid on this and have no idea. Could it just be the RGB controllers on your computers going wobbly ?

Bit of a coincidence perhaps but if they are the same model from the same suppliers I would go for the guarantee.

Merv
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#3 Posted : 17 September 2007 14:41:00(UTC)
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Posted By Heathrow
You sure your not weeing on them ?


;-)
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#4 Posted : 17 September 2007 16:06:00(UTC)
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Posted By Descarte
surely they mean the plastic is being discoloured, this could be caused by a great many things, ae the computers being cleaned? if so what with, what is the lighting like in the office, is there any direct sunlight, what is the age of the computers, are any other computers the same make and model in any other offices being similarly effected?
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#5 Posted : 17 September 2007 16:23:00(UTC)
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Posted By Paul Durkin
Thanks Descarte,
Yes it is the plastic housing including keyboard. In answer;
lighting;mainly artificial, fluroescent, basement fairly dark, some borrowed outside light
Age; Old, but do not know of others in 'proper' offices dis-coloured.
Cleaning; None we know of !!!!
I may now test an old computer to monitor it's dis-colouration rate ;outside/inside?
Regards, Paul
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#6 Posted : 17 September 2007 17:34:00(UTC)
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Posted By Stephen D. Clarke
We once had an issue with greenish/yellow goo oozing out of light switches - it was eventually tracked down to the cable manufacturer having used the wrong plasticiser in the PVC cable sheath.
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#7 Posted : 18 September 2007 09:27:00(UTC)
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Posted By Descarte
it sounds like "Indoor air quality monitoring" would also reassure you from a acid gas point of view either done via external contractors or probably eaisly done by leaving passive disorbtion tubes in the work area and sending off for analysis
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#8 Posted : 18 September 2007 09:42:00(UTC)
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Posted By Paul Durkin
Thanks Stephen,
You could well be correct. I noticed an old plastic(Robot Chef !!)in a cupboard at home with a similar colour deterioration. I also remember uPVC plastic windows having a similar problem(but in sunlight)
'So the answer MAY lie in the plastic'.
However our Computer people have NOT noticed it with our other old stock!!!
To test, I have taken a similar aged keyboard to the basement, to watch it suffer !!!
Regards, Paul
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#9 Posted : 18 September 2007 10:17:00(UTC)
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Posted By Merv Newman
Paul,

Gawd. Your working environment, and your kitchen, seem to be really (weird, off, viciouse ... I can't think) I've just checked and we have a ten-year old printer stacked in the wine celler. It looks sort of grey. (don't they all ?) but I wouldn't call it yellow.

Perhaps a little atmospheric monitoring for acid components ?

Who has been drinking too much green tea ?

I know it is not Friday, but you have to be prepared to think sideways. Sometimes.

Merv
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#10 Posted : 18 September 2007 11:25:00(UTC)
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Posted By Paul Durkin
Thanks Merv,
I have found an Internet article by a Dr. Then i.e.'The discoloration of plastic computer cases'; Quote " The yellowing or discoloration of computer cases is an EXTREMELY common phenomenon" (news to me)So Stephen was correct. The answer lies in the polymer used i.e. ABS. Apparently during degradation, different chemical reactions occur along the polymer chain. These can result in the breaking and rearranging of chemical bonds, causing (among other things!)discoloration of the polymer (according to Dr.Then) So no need to call out our air monitoring squad.
But we will have to deal with the odour.
Regards, Paul
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