Keeping a museum in good health

[Matt Agajanian]

Hi all.

As I've amassed a small but quite populous collection in my mini-museum, I am wondering how to best keep it in good condition.

Since there are so many pieces in my collection, what are the best ways to:

1--frequently use each calc

2--charge them at the proper time

3--and, *most importantly* (for me) to monitor battery condition so as to prevent corrosion and leakage

4--should I consider removing battery packs frequently and install the relevant on when I choose to work with a particular calculator. I can see this being an issue of wear & tear especially with Spice batteries & compartments and perhaps strain the durability on Woodstock battery compartments.

Your thoughts and insights are very appreciated.

Thanks

Edited: 5 June 2012, 1:24 a.m.

[David Ramsey]

That's a good question...

Although I'm sure that the people with actual hardware knowledge will chime in with more useful information than I am able to provide, here's what I do, for what it's worth:

One. Don't keep batteries in calculators that you don't use regularly. Just don't.

Two. Dust them every week or two.

That's pretty much it. In my experience, over 30 years of collecting these calculators, the biggest problem I've run into is that sometimes the plastic becomes brittle and crackly with age. Watching the internal screw posts of a pristine and never opened model 41 calculator disintegrate into a pile of plastic crumbles is one such example. On the large desk machines, like the 9810 and others, rubber/plastic feet and rubber edging the metal parts disintegrates.

The only possible benefit I can see to occasional use is that it might extend the life of some electrolytic capacitors. However, I've never had a machine failure that I ever traced back to a bad capacitor, so I don't worry about this.

Edited: 5 June 2012, 11:21 a.m.

[bill platt]

Keep batts out. For those you use regularly, always keep face up so that a batt leak is less likely to go inside machine.

Put batts into all machines once a year and power up.

Valentin keeps his hermetically sealed. The mortals among us just keep them cool, dry and out of dust and fluorescent light.

Edited: 5 June 2012, 7:05 p.m.

[bill platt]

Also don't keep in cellar or below sea level. Keep away from windows. Store in most tornado-proof closet in the house.

[Eddie W. Shore]

I store most of mine in a dark closet.