[geeks] What happens when the humidity is too low?

[Lionel Peterson]

>From: Dave K <davek08054 at gmail.com>
>Date: 2007/02/05 Mon PM 12:45:54 CST
>To: The Geeks List <geeks at sunhelp.org>
>Subject: [geeks] What happens when the humidity is too low?

>What are the likely symptoms (besides getting "zapped") when the
>relative humidity in your server room is too low?  I seem to have
>insufficient google-foo to be able find any good articles on this
>(lots of articles on plants and critters though).
>
>In particular, I'm having some tape drive issues, and I'm wondering if
>the fact that the drive specs say a minimum of 20%RH and right now I
>have 8%RH has anything to do with it?

The info I'm seeing on the web indicates that relative humidity should be around 45%, if you're at 8%, you appear to be way off the mark, and well beyond Mfg. specifications...

I had a job assembling servers (from individual parts) in an office space that was a static electricity festival, and that was in no small part due to the low humidity (not sure of the percentage)...

I would believe anything can happen in an environment that far off-spec...

Lionel