What's new
By:
Pinball info

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Pinball machines in a conservatory?

kevlar

kevlar

Site Supporter
10 Years
Joined
Apr 11, 2013
Messages
6,746
Location
Newport, South Wales
My games room is at capacity and the hoby is starting to spill out into other parts of the house :). Well actually I have Dave Wilcox's F-14 in my conservatory to give it some TLC but its got me thinking of ditching some of my Gym equipment in there that never gets used and adding 3 or 4 machines over time. Obviously sunlight is the biggest issue, I have vertical blinds on the windows and nothing on the roof but will install blinds overhead if I do go ahead and make it a 2nd games room. It gets really warm in there in the summer ( overhead blinds should help ) and very cold in the winter. I'm thinking this should be ok though as plenty of people keep machines in a cold garage.

Anyone have any experience of pinball in a conservatory?

PS...I think I need counceling :wave:
 
Better than a garage. I don't have a pinball in my conservatory but I do have an air conditioner. Worth the investment as ours is unusable in summer without it, even British summers.
 
Get pin covers if you don't mind putting them on and of after you have used them
 
I believed that is was moisture that was bad for them more than heat but we all see at shows how their performance drops off as they get warm in a hot room.
Buy sun damaged machines and don't worry about them ;)
 
I have 5 in conservatory. Been there for prob 4 yrs and working fine. Not noticed any fade but keep the quality machines elsewhere so not bothered by fade really
 
Plus any big/sudden changes in temperature are not good for machines and risk introducing moisture (condensation) which the games electronics won't like. :(
 
I got 4 in my garage - when MMR comes (if I don't bail out) I'm putting it in my conservatory - will definitely be putting a cover on it though, direct sunlight is unforgiving.

From my experience repairing pool tables in conservatories, some can get very hot - had a couple where the cushion rubbers have melted.

Don't think the cold would be a problem in the winter, it hasn't been in the garage - keping the damp out is the main problem.
 
replicas said:
A dehumidifier will help your machines stored in the conservatory.
Click to expand...
+1 for the dehumidifier. Buy a fairly decent one too - I have a Delonghi DEM10 and it has served me well for several years, and although it only collects a couple of pints of moisture every week or two in the winter it is still good peace of mind.
Cheers, Mark
 
If you change your mind about a cover, I've just bought one for my AC/DC, arrived today from Hungary.

Dead easy to take on and off - magnets hold the cabinet cover on, and the backbox velcro's from the side.

Looks much neater than a blanket draped over - £45 shipped.
 
xenon325i said:
Better than a garage. I don't have a pinball in my conservatory but I do have an air conditioner. Worth the investment as ours is unusable in summer without it, even British summers.
Click to expand...
What wrong with a garage? Other than being a little cold its bone dry.
 
I keep mine in the garage, Carl. What I noticed in the winter was the cold caused condensation to appear all over as soon as the door was open. Damp air comes in and condenses on the cold machine. It may be dry from a "rain" perspective but the cold causes condensation - at least, it does in mine. I'd prefer the conservatory with a dehumidifier and A/C but the missus isn't keen.
 
xenon325i said:
I keep mine in the garage, Carl. What I noticed in the winter was the cold caused condensation to appear all over as soon as the door was open. Damp air comes in and condenses on the cold machine. It may be dry from a "rain" perspective but the cold causes condensation - at least, it does in mine. I'd prefer the conservatory with a dehumidifier and A/C but the missus isn't keen.
Click to expand...
I have an internal door so I don't need to worry :)
 
Nothing needed during summer but insulation and an oil filled radiator for winter will look after your pins.

(In a garage that is)
 
Last edited:
mark9 said:
If you change your mind about a cover, I've just bought one for my AC/DC, arrived today from Hungary.

Dead easy to take on and off - magnets hold the cabinet cover on, and the backbox velcro's from the side.

Looks much neater than a blanket draped over - £45 shipped.
Click to expand...

Mark,
Have you a link pls??
Cheers
 
Buy a large sheet of dark tint 2mm Perspex sheet and cut out the cab sides, front etc = machine still looks sweet as you can see the artwork, you don't have to cover/uncover and finally no risk of fade ;)
 
xenon325i said:
Better than a garage. I don't have a pinball in my conservatory but I do have an air conditioner. Worth the investment as ours is unusable in summer without it, even British summers.
Click to expand...


can't disagree more

my pin room is very well insulated,so not only does it help with cold,it probably is 4 or 5 degrees colder than outside on hot days
Also,because of that it does not have big up/down temp changhes frequently happening

And because of it's location and little open glass,there is virtually no chance of fading/warped plastics from the sun.
There are two dehumidifers in there,to try and keep humidity at about 55% or so.

It's far from perfect,but for me I would take that over a conservatory any day

It's like pins,each unto his own :)
 
Mooseman said:
I have 5 in conservatory. Been there for prob 4 yrs and working fine. Not noticed any fade but keep the quality machines elsewhere so not bothered by fade really
Click to expand...


MOP and Ramones in downstairs bedroom,for that very reason
 
Everyone knows I'm completely OCD with my pins and I would not put them in a conservatory. Not only will the direct sunlight take it's toll on the decals and playfield colours, but the heat extremes could potentially warp the playfield, cause planking, crack the clearcoat, unseat inserts etc. I did an experiment when I had my previous IJ in the conservatory and placed a thermometer on the playfield. Even covered up, the lowest temp I got was 12 degrees, the highest 108 degrees! That wasn't even a good summer. I had a brand new pool table in there at the time and within 6 months the green baize had bleached almost white. I ended up putting full UV blackout blinds on all the windows and a black sheet over the machine, and had 2 radiators fitted. My pins now live in the garage with an oil-fired rad ticking away 24/7 and each machine has one of these inside it:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8-X-DEHUM...arden_Hearing_Cooling_Air&hash=item58a3cb530e
 
I have the covers from Pinside, I only put the cabinet cover on, just a gentle pull and it's off and takes 20seconds to put back on!
 
replicas said:
John has blankets on his which do the job and don't cost anything.
Click to expand...

Couldn't get to the backboxes to cover them anyway.... Neat looking though.

If I had a conservatory, I wouldn't keep machines in there unless I was desperate.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom