While we are on the subject...Say your outside providing a system for a rock band. How cold can it be before you start to risk damaging to your drivers?
Being from "the Great White North", I'll submit a couple of procedures.
I have been system tech twice at World Cup ski events. It ain't warm.
The squints on load out day had to drag the truss into the chalet to let the soca thaw out before thay could wrap it up. The first one they tried to remove shattered. Did I mention it was cold ?
On th PA side, for the mainstage, as long as the band wants to play, I'll supply.
For the SkiHill side, no choice. The skiers need their tunes.
1) I left the amps and boards running 24 hours. (we were there for 4 days) with the gain all the way down. Boards were somewhat sheltered, but not with heated enclosures. We took turns feeding the generators. I think we had 20 Honda 5K, spread all over the bloody place.
We had speakers every 50 feet along the course (ballet), as well as clusters at the bottom, middle (for moguls and that flying shit they do), and firing right at the judges table.
2) When we got to the site in the AM, cracked the gains open a bit, and played some BG music. By the time I got to the top, then took a sled to the bottom, probably 40 minutes had gone by. This time, I put the amps to Show Level, and repeated my climb.
3) When the day was done, climbed the mountain and drop the gains.
"We" did this contract twice, used the same gear both times, and never lost a driver or amp.
Bottom line - If it's cold, let shit warm up a bit, or keep it in operation.
In standard indoor winter shows, if the rig has been in the truck over night, the first thing I do is open all the cases (to let the cold air out). Get the stuff placed, and get the band settled on stage. This should give enough time to equalize temperatures somewhat. I have never lost gear to cold or humidity.
Rain, and flooding, that's another story.