About those environment limits

[RichDoyle]

Earlier this week I had occasion to run various errands using my FJR with temperatures ranging as high as the mid-nineties. I have a Zumo 590 with Sena headset and my iPod nano plugged into the 590. The nano is in the accessory compartment. This was in and around Prineville, OR.

I'd park at, say, the grocery store, leaving the bike outside in the sun. Come out, start the bike. The sound coming in from the nano was cutting in and out until I'd ridden the bike maybe a minute, when it would settle down and be OK. Went through this several times. This was totally new behavior. But it's also the first time I'd had occasion to run the bike in this kind of weather situation with the nano hooked up. No apparent hiccup of the GPS, it reacted fine with respect to map presentation and telephone reception.

I got to pondering and thought to check on a few things. Notably that fine print on the electronics. The Zumo and Sena both have a published operating upper temperature limit of 131 deg F. But the iPod nano is just 95 deg F, which was close to the ambient air temperature. In this case, I figure that the temperature in the accessory box when parked (especially in the sun) got high enough to overheat the nano, though not damage it permanently. When I got the bike moving the airflow cooled it down enough that it was OK.

So high-temperature effects do exist. And they can certainly be exceeded in some cases by the environment in which we operate our bikes and their farkles.

 

[infrared]

Definitely a valid consideration, there. If you park where there is no shade, a piece of Space Blanket (or even aluminum foil) as a sun-cover will do a lot to keep temperatures below the disaster point. That cover will do nothing to reduce the air temperature, but it will do a lot to keep the Sun from adding to the problem. Leave just enough space for air to circulate around the base of the case. Use tape to attach any mooring lines, because those materials will not last very long, if pierced.

Cheers,

Infrared

 

[Geezer]

Even for something that is not designed specifically for motorcycles, 95F does seem pretty low. It gets a lot hotter than that for other more normal uses, like if you use it sitting on a beach.

 

[Uncle Hud]

iPhone overheats often when inside the Otter Box -- but I've been using it for Google maps navigation, Spotwalla (SW Connect), and music server -- all through the Blueooth transmitter, and all while plugged in and charging. I suppose the greenhouse effect contributes, but that's a lot of energy in and out of the poor little thing.

One of these days I'll get my moto-Garmin installed on the swanky dashboard shelf from cateye77, and be able to boogie all day long in the southern heat. (Should be able to find a rattle-free mounting point for the garage door opener, too.)

 

[RichDoyle]

Even for something that is not designed specifically for motorcycles, 95F does seem pretty low. It gets a lot hotter than that for other more normal uses, like if you use it sitting on a beach.

That's my thought, also. How about anywhere outdoors in southern Arizona right now? So far, nothing else I have seems to be affected by this problem. Even though they might have that same 95 deg limitation stated, they can apparently endure considerably more.

BTW, another common published limit, is 10,000 ft. altitude, though sometimes it's just listed as "highest tested". Lots of us have been well above that. My stuff still all works as high as, so far, 15,000 ft.

 

[LKLD]

It's an Apple thing. Though, I haven't had an issue if it's put away out of direct sunlight. Sitting in the glovebox (black) with no airflow will increase the air temp dramatically, in a relatively short time. Don't even think about the clear windows on a tank bag!

 

[HotRodZilla]

My POS work iPhone overheats sometimes and freaks out. I don't care because it's an Apple product and therefore not worth worrying about. My Samsung S5 never has issues.

 

[Pterodactyl]

Riding back from the Blackhills last Sunday I had my iPhone in the map pocket of my tankbag to recharge. As I went past Billings the temp read 104*. The reported high that day was 108*. My phone screen had a message that said the phone could not be used because it was too hot. Understandable, but a first.

 

[FredandJeannesRacer]

Had my iphone in the clear pouch on the tank bag.

Temps in the 80's, but iphone message said "overheat alarm".

Put phone in shade, and it cooled down enough to use.