tinwoods

Wow, it's been ages since my last logon. Where better to go when a question arises pertaining to sewing machines.
I live in Arizona in the winter and shut off the power when we leave to go back to Minnesota in the spring. Having always brought a machine with I have always had the room for it but now we aren't hauling a trailer so that brings me to my question. Can I safely leave a machine during the hot summer in AZ without doing any damage to it? Has anyone else tried and what results did you have?

PaperPrincess

Is it an electronic machine, with an integrated computer, or a mechanical one?
Do you know how hot it really gets in your house/condo? A mechanical machine can probably be left, you are always reading about older machines found out in the barn, clean them up, oil them and they are ready to go. I'd be more hesitant if it were a computerized machine. Do you have friends who live there year round and could store it for you?

bearisgray

I leave a Singer 237 (electric, mechanical, simple) and an early BabyLock serger in Dade City, Florida over the winter.
So far, they seem to be okay.

From what I understand, Florida gets a lot more rain than Arizona does.

tinwoods

I have a choice to take a Bernina 160, computerized, or an older Singer Athena 2000 that belonged to my mom and I haven't used it and know nothing about it. I think it gets up to 120 degrees F during the months of July and August. Everyone I know there takes their machines home.

Tartan

How does the TV, VCR, fridge, microwave do shut up in a hot condo? I would think a seeing machine would be the same.

Tom W

Even computers do fine... it never gets hot enough to do damage. The processors can easily heat up to near 200 degrees while in use. Thermal shock is more of a concern than the rather gradual change in temperatures experienced in a house or condo, even in AZ or Las Vegas or anywhere else.

sewingsuz

I leave one computerized machine and our house gets about 85 to 88 degrees. Everything is good when we get home.

cathyvv

When you return to AZ, buy a mechanical Brother, and leave it there the next summer. If the machine does have problems when you return to AZ, you aren't out a lot of money. If it doesn't, you can congratulate yourself for the great choice you made.

A computerized machine is left in AZ over the summer, it would probably be fine, too.

Someone mentioned that the other electronic devices, like TV, microwave, etc. don't suffer in the extreme heat. However, microwave is made to withstand heat in daily operation, TV has virtually no moving parts, and so on. That might make a difference in how well they withstand the heat of AZ in the summer. But, I'm no expert!

rvsfan

It gets up to 115 average and has hit 122 in summertime Phoenix. I live here. In a closed up home, it will get much, much hotter, unless you leave the air conditioner set to about 90. If you don't plan to leave the AC on, and it's a computerized machine, I would store it with a friend, or carry it home on my lap if no room in the car.

Cactus Stitchin

You don't say which part of Arizona you winter in which may be part of the consideration. I'm in the Phoenix area and this year we didn't have as many hot days (110 and up) as other years but we did have a mostly hot, humid days with lots of rain and thunderstorms. Two other issues to consider, lots of area flooded this year that normally do not and as you probably already know, Arizona is very, very dusty. Since you are shutting off the power in summer, temperatures could be pretty high within the appartment with the possibility of some pretty high humidity as well. Perhaps when you arrive you could contact one of the shops with good repair technicians about the situation and what they would recommend. My other suggestion would be to make friends with a permanent resident and make arrangements to leave a machine with them.