Maxtor DIAMONDMAX 100462887 - Manual (Page 27)

DiamondMax 20 Serial ATA Product Manual, Rev. A 19
2.15 Corrosive environment
Seagate electronic drive components pass accelerated corrosion testing equivalent to 10 years exposure to
light industrial environments containing sulfurous gases, chlorine and nitric oxide, classes G and H per ASTM
B845. However, this accelerated testing cannot duplicate every potential application environment. Users
should use caution exposing any electronic components to uncontrolled chemical pollutants and corrosive
chemicals as electronic drive component reliability can be affected by the installation environment. The silver,
copper, nickel and gold films used in Seagate products are especially sensitive to the presence of sulfide, chlo-
ride, and nitrate contaminants. Sulfur is found to be the most damaging. In addition, electronic components
should never be exposed to condensing water on the surface of the printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) or
exposed to an ambient relative humidity greater than 95%. Materials used in cabinet fabrication, such as vulca-
nized rubber, that can outgas corrosive compounds should be minimized or eliminated. The useful life of any
electronic equipment may be extended by replacing materials near circuitry with sulfide-free alternatives.