How do you keep your detector cool when not using it?

[yazoo]

Keep it in cooler or those big freezer bags used for shopping with dry ice packs. Yazoo

[russellt]

break that thing down AND keep it in your sock drawer.. crimany

[CyberSage]

Actually an oversize cooler, or cooler that would hold the coil(s) and the electronics/display of the detector would be a better alternative to just putting the detector in the trunk or seat. Open the lid at night, and close it during the day. The thermal cooling properties of a cooler work at any temperature, even if you use the reverse logic. It will keep the contents warmer when its cold. The key is the starting temperature and the average duration of exposure. I would not recommend icing it down, but a small blue ice enclosed in a zip lock bag would help on really hot days. Without the blue ice try this... Put a kitchen thermometer in the proposed cooler and check it just after the hottest part of the day. See what the temp is. If it is less than say 90 degrees then you have your answer.

[n3umw]

I works for an electronics company, some facts;

Recommended maximum *operating* temperature for most consumer electronics including digital cameras is about 105F and recommended storage is a maximum of 120F.

Cars in the sun on a 100F day, reach 160F with the windows closed. Car trunks are slightly cooler (140F).

Car radios last longer than the cars they are installed within.

LCD displays may not work properly when heated over 50C (122F) until they cool down.

All batteries lose their charge faster when hot, even when not in use.

Extreme heat may soften the potting compound in the detector coil and let the wires in the coil shift affecting the coil's performance.

Plastic can melt at what temperatures? At the low end, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), melts at 212 °C (about 414 °F). Teflon®, which we use to coat cookware, is polytetrafluoroethene - PTFE, and it melts at 327 °C (about 621 °F). Teflon wire does not melt at soldering temperatures.

Also;
An empty plastic cooler (Blue Coleman, 9-qt, $10) in the trunk. After a day in the sun, temperature inside the ice chest (no ice) in the trunk was about 15 degrees cooler.

A padded cooler (6-can, $8) inside the plastic ice chest is 25-30 F lower than that inside the passenger compartment. Even on days when the outside temperature was 105, the inner compartment remained below 105 F as long as it cooled down at night into the 70's.

For alkaline batteries (the most common kind of household battery), putting them in the freezer will extend their shelf life by less than 5%. And cold batteries can't be used immediately -- you have to wait until they've warmed up to room temperature first. If you need those batteries for a flashlight in an emergency, this could prove problematic. When stored at room temperature, alkaline batteries retain 90% of their power, and the average shelf life of alkaline batteries is five to seven years.

For NiMH and Nicad batteries (often used for electronics), storing them in the freezer might be more practical. These kinds of batteries lose their charge after a few weeks when kept at room temperature. But they'll retain a 90% charge for months if you store them in the freezer. Just like alkaline batteries, you'll need to wait until they've warmed up before using them.

But;
Printed circuit (PC) boards and components are heated to 500F to melt the solder used to attach the components.

After the components are attached, epoxy may be added to the completed PC board assembly and is cured at 260F for one hour.

The finished units containing the PC boards are cycled with power applied at 130F for 24 hours. This helps to weed out components that are likely to fail (infant mortality).

Some tips;
Heat OR light degrades plastics. Also direct sunlight can increase the temperature seen by your device. Always keep your detector out of direct sunlight. Keep it in the trunk, in a case, or throw a towel over it.

Heat will shorten the lifespan of your electronics but it will not be significant (less than 5% at 140F).

LSD (low self discharge) rechargable batteries (like Eneloop) retain their charge for extended periods. Unlike regular rechargables, they can retain most of their charge for 3 years at room temperature. Keep a set of these in your pack for backups!

Hope this helps!

[coinnut]

Very nice writeup. Thanks for that. thumbsup01 The first part says it all. lol It gets really, really hot inside a car. Too hot for most electronics.