Climatic Chamber Configurator
Discover the Climatic Chamber Configurator
Our guide to choosing the climate chamber best suited to your needs.
We all know we need to pay attention to the humidity in an environment for our body's well-being. Less often, we think about how humidity affects all the objects around us and how, more importantly, most of them are designed specifically to cope with varying levels of humidity.
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Humidity testing is a critical step in ensuring that products and materials can withstand different environmental conditions without deterioration, maintaining functionality and safety.
In today's article, we'll look in detail at what a humidity test is, how it works, and what tools are needed to perform it.
What is the Humidity Test Used For?
Humidity testing involves testing products and materials under relative humidity, which can range from dry desert to humid tropical conditions. This type of testing is crucial for many industrial sectors.
In electronics, for example, humidity poses a real threat to the lifespan and reliability of devices. Condensation can cause oxidation in circuits, seriously risking malfunction. Humidity testing can simulate conditions such as extremes in temperature to verify the integrity of smartphones, computers, and even individual components like circuit boards.
In the automotive industry, humidity has a significant impact on interior and exterior components. These include fabrics, plastics, and car upholstery, which must maintain their aesthetic and structural properties in all types of environments. Humidity tests, for example, simulate exposure to condensation caused by cabin heating or tropical climates.
In construction, materials such as wood, paints and concrete are used for which moisture tests are essential.
Especially necessary for buildings in high-humidity areas or on sea coasts, where the presence of salty air can accelerate phenomena such as corrosion.
Even the food and pharmaceutical sectors make use of humidity tests, particularly regarding the characteristics of the packaging they use which must be able to guarantee the preservation of the products.
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How Does the Humidity Test Work?
Humidity tests are performed in a specific laboratory instrument called a climate chamber.
Climatic chambers allow you to simulate in a controlled environment isolated from the outside world . Inside them, it's possible to set, adjust, and monitor a whole host of parameters. The two essential ones are temperature and, of course, relative humidity.
As for humidity tests, we have two categories of tests:
- Static Tests: In these tests, parameters are held constant for extended periods. For example, one can examine how a material absorbs or retains moisture under stable conditions.
- Cyclic Tests: These tests vary humidity and temperature levels according to specific cycles, replicating seasonal or sudden climate changes. They are particularly useful for products that face frequent temperature changes or extreme conditions.
International Standards for Moisture Testing
Like all tests on products and materials, humidity tests are also regulated by international standards that define the procedures.
Among the most used we find:
- ISO 6270-2: Specifies methods for exposure tests under constant or cyclic humidity conditions, used primarily for painted materials.
- IEC 60068-2-78: Defines methods for testing in humid environments, particularly applied in the electronics sector to verify the resistance of components and circuits.
- ASTM D2247: A reference for prolonged exposure to humidity at constant temperature, widely used in construction and automotive.
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The FDM Climatic Chamber for Humidity Testing
A leading company in the sector for over 70 years, FDM – Environment Makers designs technologically advanced climate chambers capable of performing all the tests listed above.
Additionally, our technicians can co-design a customized climate chamber that meets the customer's specific needs.
For any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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Reference Standards
- IEC 60068-2-78 — Test Cab: Damp heat, steady state (constant moist heat)
- IEC 60068-2-30 — Test Db: Damp heat, cyclic (12+12h cyclic damp heat)
- ASTM E104 — Standard Practice for Maintaining Constant Relative Humidity by Means of Aqueous Solutions
- ISO 483 — Plastics — Small enclosures for conditioning using aqueous solutions
- MIL-STD-810H Method 507.6 — Humidity test procedure
- JEDEC JESD22-A101 — Steady-State Temperature Humidity Bias Life Test for Semiconductors
Authoritative Sources
- IEC 60068-2-78 — Damp heat steady state.
- ASTM E104 — Relative humidity control reference.
- JEDEC — Joint Electron Device Engineering Council — standard humidity testing semiconductors.
Frequently Asked Questions about Moisture Testing
What is the difference between steady-state and cyclic humidity?
The steady-state test (IEC 60068-2-78) maintains constant humidity (typically 93% RH) at a fixed temperature (30 or 40°C) for long durations (48h-56 days). It evaluates long-term effects: corrosion, absorption, insulation degradation. The cyclic test (IEC 60068-2-30) alternates phases 25°C/≥95%→40 or 55°C/93%→25°C/≥95% in 24h cycles. It generates surface condensation, more severe for infiltrations and seals. Military standards always require the cyclic version.
How do you achieve 98% relative humidity?
In a climatic chamber, this is achieved by direct steam injection (electronic or spray humidifiers) or evaporating water bath systems. Above 95% RH , control requires precision capacitive sensors (±1%) and anti-condensation management on the walls. For tests above 85°C/85% RH , HAST (Highly Accelerated Stress Test) pressurized chambers up to 130°C/85% RH are used.
How do you calculate the dew point at a given humidity?
The dew point (Tdp) is calculated from the Magnus formula: Tdp ≈ (b α)/(a−α) where α = ln(RH/100) + a T/(b+T), with a=17.625 and b=243.04°C. At 23°C/50%RH the dew point is approximately 12°C; at 40°C/93%RH it is 38.7°C. If the surface temperature drops below Tdp, condensation forms — a critical condition in automotive and electronics testing.
For which products is humidity testing mandatory?
Electronics: IEC 60068-2-78 for ruggedness, JEDEC JESD22-A101 THB for semiconductor life. Automotive: ISO 16750-4 damp heat cyclic (IEC 60068-2-30 Db or composite test IEC 60068-2-38). Pharmaceutical: ICH Q1A stability 25°C/60%RH + 40°C/75%RH. Avionics: RTCA DO-160G sec 6 (AC modes). Textiles: ISO 105-E04 sweat. Building: EN ISO 12571 for insulation and EN 1062-3 for external paints.
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