I have just installed my PSX-2 circuit breakers.....they work and look great. basically, they are circuit boards with some great and complex technology in them, including LED's and surface mount technology to name a couple.
Having worked in the electonics field myself (defense electronics), these boards can be sensitive to dust and other "nasties" that may come onto them from above. Even though they are mounted under my layout, should I worry about these units, since they are not cheap, being subjected to dust and the like? I am thinking about making shields made from .06 plexiglas that can be formed like sheet metal. The clear plexi will allow me to see the LED's and to monitor them, while being protected by the plexiglas.
Any comments?
-Al
Clear plexiglas, like most plastics, can accumulate static electric charges. These, in turn, can jump to electronic components as a miniature lightning bolt, and do significant damage. So, a "protective" plexiglass sheet could itself damage the boards.
I would just leave these uncovered. That way you don't have to worry about heat buildup, either.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
The typical user of these products mounts them under the layout, subject to roughly the same conditions you're wondering about. Manufacturers are quite aware of how these things are used and they're designed accordingly. They don't need additional protection unless the instructions state otherwise.
Rob Spangler
Good points all. I will leave well enough alone! Thanks for you input.
We have four PSX devices mounted under our club layout which is in a very dusty location in Arizona in a non-air-conditioned and unheated building except when someone is actually there, with no covers or shields of any type over them, and they have given us no problems because of being in that environment.