•  Lasting low relative humidity can cause washer contraction and ESD and bring problems including 
loose captive screws and circuit failure.  
•  High temperature can accelerate the aging of insulation materials and significantly lower the 
reliability and lifespan of the switch. 
For the temperature and humidity requirements of different switch models, see “Environmental 
specifications”. 
Cleanness 
Dust buildup on the chassis may result in electrostatic adsorption, which causes poor contact of metal 
components and contact points, especially when indoor relative humidity is low. In the worst case, 
electrostatic adsorption can cause communication failure. 
Table 2 Dust concentration limit in the equipment room 
Substance  Concentration limit (
Dust  ≤ 3 x 10
4 
(no visible dust on the tabletop over three days) 
NOTE: 
Dust diameter ≥ 5 μm 
 
The equipment room must also meet strict limits on salts, acids, and sulfides to eliminate corrosion and 
premature aging of components, as shown in Table 3.  
Table 3 Harmful gas limits in the equipment room 
Gas  Maximum concentration (m
/m
3
) 
SO
2
 0.2 
H
2
S 0.006 
NH
3
 0.05 
Cl
2
 0.01 
 
EMI 
All electromagnetic interference (EMI) sources, from outside or inside of the switch and application 
system, adversely affect the switch in a conduction pattern of capacitance coupling, inductance coupling, 
electromagnetic wave radiation, or common impedance (including the grounding system) coupling. To 
prevent EMI, take the following actions:  
•  If AC power is used, use a single-phase three-wire power receptacle with protection earth (PE) to 
filter interference from the power grid.  
•  Keep the switch far away from radio transmitting stations, radar stations, and high-frequency 
devices.  
•  Use electromagnetic shielding, for example, shielded interface cables, when necessary. 
•  Route interface cables only indoors to prevent signal ports from getting damaged by overvoltage or 
overcurrent caused by lightning strikes.  
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