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Re: Transformers plastics and joints
Plastic is one of the most stable materials around and most plastics should last quite well for years. That being said plastic is a composite material and not all plastics are created equally. What can happen is the component parts of some plastics will start to separate over the years. Sometimes the plasticier will leach out making the plastic less flexible and more prone to breakage and sometimes foreign materials like metal flakes will create little pockets of instability which will grow over time. Also some plastics contain fire retardant which can leach out causing yellowing. This is called "inherent vice", and that basically means that even if you leave something alone in an ideal environment, over time damage will occur.
Of course like all chemical reactions energy is required so ultra-violet light, or even visible light can speed up the damage. Humidity should only have a imited effect on plastics but it could cause metal screws or pins to rust.
To keep things safe longest, limit visible light exposure (keep things away from windows, turn off the lights when not in the room) and eliminate UV completely if possible (filter film is available). Keep the environment cool, room temperature or lower, but above freezing and keep the humidity between 40 - 60% (too dry and rubber parts will crack, to high and metal parts will rust - some dehumidifiers have digital readouts which will provide this information).
Sorry for the lengthy reply but part of my work is around keeping historic objects intact, so I tend to pontificate.
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