Salt, Salt Fog, Salt Spray and Corrosion in Electronics
Protecting Electronics from Salt Fog: Military and Renewable Energy Solutions
Understanding Salts Interaction Around Electronics
Salt and electronics don’t mix well. Anyone who’s ever accidentally dropped their cell phone in a swimming pool knows that it’s unlikely the device will ever be the same. Even if it’s operational after drying out, the sensitive electronics inside are likely to suffer corrosion over time. This article explores the impact of salt, salt fog, and salt spray on electronics, and provides insights into how to protect sensitive components from these corrosive elements.
The Impact of Salt Fog and Salt Spray in Harsh Outdoor Environments
Electronics exposed to saltwater environments face a significant risk of damage. It doesn’t take a lot of salt residue to wreak havoc on sensitive circuitry. While fully submerging an electronic component in saltwater will certainly cause shorts and rapid corrosion of any protective sealants, even a small amount of salt residue carried through salt fog or salt spray can damage equipment over time.
How Does Saltwater Impact Electronics
Saltwater contains NaCl (sodium chloride), which leaves a corrosive residue on circuitry and can cause irreparable damage. When saltwater dries, the salt residue left behind continues to corrode surfaces long after the initial exposure. Salt is also extremely difficult to clean from circuitry, making the only effective strategy against salt corrosion aggressive protection of sensitive electronics from salt fog exposure using sealed enclosures or effective filtration solutions.
Preventing Damage from Salt Fog and Salt Spray
Protecting against salt fog and salt spray corrosion is a significant challenge for manufacturers of outdoor equipment. While there are many methods for waterproofing printed circuit boards and other electronics from salt air, the primary objective for these manufacturers is to keep salt out of their enclosures altogether. Since air must pass through almost all electronic devices for temperature regulation, one of the first lines of defense against salt fog and salt spray is the air filter.
How Universal Air Filter Provides Protection
Cost-Effective, Long-Term Protection
UAF High Efficiency outdoor enclosure filters, WR and OSP filters, have been tested in a GR-487 rated enclosure subjected to the GR-487 30 Day Salt Fog test per the ASTM B117 test standard. In addition to passing the GR-487 visual inspection for salt contamination inside the enclosure (downstream of the filter), UAF performed a quantitative analysis using copper and silver coupons to determine the corrosion reduction downstream of the filter. The coupon analysis downstream of the Water Resistant (WR) and Outside Plant (OSP) filters showed an 85% and 98% reduction, respectively, in corrosion from the salt fog exposure in these tests.
Extended Filter Life Expectancy with Multiple Layers of Protection
Salt, salt fog, and salt spray pose a significant threat to the longevity and reliability of electronic components, especially in harsh outdoor environments. Understanding the corrosive nature of salt and implementing effective protective measures, such as high-efficiency air filters from Universal Air Filter, can significantly reduce the risk of damage and extend the life of sensitive electronics.
For manufacturers and users alike, investing in proper protection against salt corrosion is crucial for maintaining the performance and durability of electronic devices.
Better understand how Salt Fog can effect your Military and Renewable Energy applications