Ziploc bag vs. humidity: good? bad?

[Nina R]

I have had several Bluetooth keyboards fail after a couple of weeks in a humid motel room at the shore (I don't use a/c much, preferring to open the windows).

It's that time of year again and I'm worried the humidity may damage more than keyboards. Should I put my iPads (yes, multiple) in ziploc bags when they are not in use to keep humidity out, or will that do more harm than good? Not getting much help from Dr. Google on this … TIA

 

[Johnny365]

If you're that concerned and have A/C in the unit, then turn it on?

 

[ericwn]

Environmental requirements for iPad: https://support.apple.com/kb/SP580?locale=en_US

I’m not sure if bags help at all. If so, you’d need to insert the devices in an environment with low humidity i guess.

 

[dwig]

sealing the keyboards in a ZipLock bag will merely trap the current moisture in with the keyboard. It would only help if they were sealed in while in a low humidity (Air Conditioned, ...) environment or if a dried desiccant was sealed in with them.

 

[Nina R]

sealing the keyboards in a ZipLock bag will merely trap the current moisture in with the keyboard. It would only help if they were sealed in while in a low humidity (Air Conditioned, ...) environment or if a dried desiccant was sealed in with them.

Thanks. To clarify I'm looking for advice on how to protect the iPads, not my keyboards. (Although the newer iPad has a rather expensive keyboard folio I'd hate to trash. The one I will mainly use, though, is an inexpensive freestanding one, so that is the least of my concerns. It's the iPads themselves I'm worried about.)

 

[muzzy996]

In my experience Ziplocks are temporary containers at best as they really don’t seal out moisture much at all.

http://www.circuitnet.com/experts/86556.html

 

[Nina R]

In my experience Ziplocks are temporary containers at best as they really don’t seal out moisture much at all.

http://www.circuitnet.com/experts/86556.html

That's a good link and an interesting site. Appreciate your help. I think I'm just going to pray

 

[artfossil]

Have used my iPads many times at the beach in high humidity conditions (July on the Gulf) (with Apple Smart Keyboard) and have never seen humidity adversely effect them. (I'm talking about using in a room/on the deck.)

That said, the only useful enemy of humidity is to close the doors and windows and turn on the A/C. As @dwig notes, a ZipLoc bag would trap the humidity (and heat). Let your iPad breathe!

 

[Cordorb]

I would say the sand and salt are the big problem get a better type plastic bag.

I have this image in my mind of the late night TV seal a Meal ads that heat and melt the plastic closed.
You may want to skip the step that sucks all the air out

 

[KatanaAzul]

Maybe get some of those silica gel pouches if you’re really worried. I use them for photography equipment, haven’t really thought to use it for my iPad but I do think it would work in conjunction with a plastic bag sealed with as little air as possible.

 

[HDFan]

the only useful enemy of humidity is to close the doors and windows and turn on the A/C.

But that introduces another problem. If you carry that A/C cooled iPad into a hot, humid atmosphere you can get condensation. Taking a A/C cooled camera in the tropics outdoors you will see the condensation on the lens glass. In this case placing the camera in a ziplock bag will allow the device to come to temperature without condensation.

I have taken multiple iPad generations from A/C to hot & humid with no problem. However I carry my iPad in my backpacks zipper closed & lined laptop pocket, so by the time I am ready to take it out it has most likely already adjusted its temperature.