Heat and Cold bad for GPS

Thanks, I keep mine in my bag so it stays indoors. Extreme temperatures are hard on batteries.

Especially rechargeable ones...

Garmin also has stated their GPS units has an operating temperature between 32F to 140F and Charging temperature between 32F to 113F.

So, if you don't feel comfortable in certain temperature, your GPS does not feel well either.

GPS in hot and cold discussed here:
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/31054
and
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/33807

RT

Extreme heat or cold definitely affects my body, so I can see how it could affect the unit.

Thanks you guys for posting this. I had no idea. This site is a wealth of info!

Good reminder. I have the bad habit of leaving it in the car. Last one got stolen that way!
Note to self: Bring the gps inside!

This applies to all electronics as well.

Interesting thought though, have a realtive who owned a camera repair business that also sold batteries. He used to store the excess inventory in the refrigerator(NOT FREEZER). He said they would last much longer that way.

My refrigerator is set at 35 degrees and since he told me that I've always stored the batteries there.
I'm wondering now if this was bad advice and I should store them at room temperature.

Any opinions on this?

This was true of the old zinc oxide batteries that used a chemical reaction to produce the charge. Cold would slow the reaction down so the batteries would stay "fresh" longer.

I've never had an issue with my Zumo... it's been in the hot & cold for years now. Hmmmmmm... makes me wonder though.

We have gone through this in several other threads. We posted temperature specs, both operating and storage, for the batteries used and for other electronic components (the batteries are the most critical but other components are also outside their specified range when left in the vehicle in the winter and summer). But there are always people who state that they have divine knowledge that stressing their GPS in this way has no impact on battery life or device reliability, that they will continue to leave their devices in their vehicles, and advise others to do the same.

What do people want, for Garnim to clearly print operating and storage specifications right in the manual? Oh, wait, they already do that, but some people refuse to listen.

I don't know how true this is for very modern batteries, but for plain storage batteries, chilling them (not freezing them) slows down the chemical reaction. The slower pace of electron from the positive to the negative terminals when there is no demand on them equates to longer battery life.

Intersting car battery fact: Being non-Ohmic, in very cold weather they actually increase in electric potential as they warm up. So if your battery won't crank your starter on a cold day, turn on the headlights for a few minutes. Then turn them off and try starting it again. If your car does start, drive to an automotive shop and make sure your battery isn't about to die.

Useful reminder as it is getting colder again.

Thanks

I stored some Alkaline AAA batteries in my fridge, and they started to leak acid... so I'm not sure either.

nuvic320 wrote
"I stored some Alkaline AAA batteries in my fridge, and they started to leak acid... so I'm not sure either."

I stored mine in the vegetable drawer in a plastic bin. I never had any leak. Not a pleasnt thought of having battery acid in the fridge.

Were these new batteries, or old ones possibly on their last leg?

I don't think frovingslosh was professing devine knowledge. It is possible that frovingslosh hasn't had any issues because it is a ZUMO. It is built a little tougher than your averave GPS. For one, it is waterproof. the operating temperature range is: -4°F to 140°F (from -20°C to 60°C). Drop your Nuvi in the hot tub and you will be calling Garmin for a replacement, your Zumo will tell you to turn left at the rubber duckie.

Hi Deepstryke, I think you have the names mixed on the posts. Frovingslosh was commenting on how (in other threads) people will insist that the weather has no effect on the battery of their GPS, not specifically commenting on drbillk's specific example of his ZUMO.

Yeah, what he said-- other way around-- but you get the drift

One more problem with temperature and electronic devices is condensation. When cold thing is taken into warm environment you can see on it water. If you get to your car you can see this thing on windows.

So if you keep gps in cold car (especially freezing) and then you get in and start breathing warm wet air around it you can expect that inside of gps can get wet. And water and electronics don't go well together.

Even riding with the air-conditioning on full blast. The GPS's black case gets heated from the sun. Between the battery charging and the sun's effect the GPS is quite hot to touch. Is the purpose of the black case so that it's non-reflective in the windshield? Here in Arizona during the day you can place you hand on a car painted white, while a black car with burn you.

Why can’t we let sleeping dogs lie?

Better to reply to an old, existing thread than start a brand spankin' new one

We live in times when vampires and zombies are in fashion again. So why are you surprised?

Some people have nothing better to do

Only to be directed to the old thread when you do start a new thread on an old topic.

.

No problems with mine as it gets recharged when it gets low.

Switch to defroster with the temperature full cold.