MIL-STD-810 Test Method 509.5 –
Salt Fog
Quick look:
- Tests for resistance to the exposure to salt
- Includes several 24-hour alternative cycles of spraying a unit with a 5% salt solution and allowing it to dry
- Ideal for naval applications, but can be applied to other environments
About MIL-STD-810 Method 509
MIL-STD 810, Method 509 is salt fog testing designed to measure the resistance of a product to the exposure to salt. This is relatively important in naval applications, but it can be applied to many other environments.
What we’re looking for in a salt fog test is corrosion and degradation of product materials. For instance, looking at the effect of salt on aluminum or contacts, materials that would potentially create shorts in the system, or damage to the material properties. Normally, this test is done for four days.
It entails a 24-hour spray of a 5% salt solution at a temperature that is generally kept around 35°Celsius. After 24 hours, the unit is taken out and allowed to dry for another 24 hours. Then it goes back into the chamber and is subjected to the 5% salt spray, or salt fog, for another 24 hours. Finally, it comes out and does another 24-hour dry.
After the last dry, the unit is powered on and a physical inspection is conducted. The inspection verifies that everything is working and the coatings put onto the product are resistant to corrosion from the salt fog.