storing metal detector in car trunk in New England in summer

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I was thinking of keeping my Garrett GTI 2500 in my car trunk while I am work so I can hunt on the way home. The problem is I worry about the heat affecting the detector.
The summer temps in the Boston area tend to be in the mid 80's most of the time for the next 2 weeks.

Can anyone help me out with advice about this.

 

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[goodmore]

A bad idea. If you don't give a crap about the detector go for it. The inside of a car gets a lot hotter than the outside air temperature. Ask those creeps that leave their kids or pets in cars.

 

[norbyx]

Can't you take it to the office?? Buy a bag and put it near your desk or something...

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[stefen]

I was thinking of keeping my Garrett GTI 2500 in my car trunk while I am work so I can hunt on the way home. The problem is I worry about the heat affecting the detector.
The summer temps in the Boston area tend to be in the mid 80's most of the time for the next 2 weeks.

Can anyone help me out with advice about this.

Ask a 5 year old what he'd do!

 

[AC1955]

Don't, don't, don't...the heat can affect the electronics. Computers hate heat!

Garrett makes a nice suitcase type bag for the GT2500. It's not overly large and would probably fit under your desk at work.

HH,
Anita

 

[kieser sousa/rip]

Ice packs and a cooler

 

[Tom Slick]

I've done it hundreds of times in those temps. and never had a failure but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

 

[chrisplay2004]

I keep my bounty hunter in the back seat of my sidekick everyday.
I drive for a living so my windows are always down. Never know when you see a spot and have to stop.
Seems to always work fine.
ChrisPlay does not endorse this message...

 

[cactusrat]

I don’t have room in my trunk, cookie baking takes up a lot of room.

The manual for the Garrett’s metal detectors says not to store them in a hot car.

Chocolate chips, anyone?

 

[rwd mo]

I've put a few in the trunk but not in middle of summer as heat can and does go up to 130*F in your trunk. with the prices of detectors I would NOT risk it. Put it in an unmarked bag in your office.

 

[lookindown]

Trunk doesnt get as hot as inside the car.

 

[relic lover]

I don,t know how your model is but some people take off the control box and take it in. the color of your car is a major factor, if it is black thats gonna get real hot.

 

[Keppy]

Every one here must think Ben works in a office....... He could work in a factory or in,construction.or drive .. or one of the many jobs that is not office work............. But i have left my detector in my pick up many of times on hot summer days and they ........ Always worked when i took them out to use..... All i can say is leave it in your car... And when you go to use it it will work ...OR ... You will have to send it to Garrett for repair....My self i always take the chance......

 

[leprechaun]

I've never had a problem leaveing my detector in the trunk, have been doing it for years. When I get home from the beach I wash off my equipment and put it back in the trunk.

 

[spartacus53]

In the trunk here too and no problem. Like lookindown said, the trunks doesn't get that hot, unless you barbecue, or have a running furnace in it.

Ohhh... If for some reason you do have a problem, please notice my disclaimer

 

[Keppy]

When i said i left mine in my pick up .... I left it in the bed of the pick up and it has a lockable fiberglass tonto cover on it....... I guess that if it had no window glass for the sun to shine through it ... Then it would not be as hot as the inside of the car or truck........

 

[n3umw]

I've read several books that mention heat is dangerous to your detector.
I work for an electronics manufacturer and I'm not sure I believe this.


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.


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).

BOTTOM LINE - I keep my detector in my trunk for extended periods of time during the summer and don't have any concerns.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I actually do work in an office however I take the commuter rail and then the subway 1.5 hours each way to work so it would be a pain carrying the detector along with my laptop.
I have left ammunition and my AR15 in my truck in the summer, neither cooked off. I also have an electronic shot timer (Pact) for time how fast I can shoot in the trunk all the time and it has never had a problem and the batteries in it are probably 3 years old.

I was thinking of the trunk rather than the main part of the car.

I have noticed that my car radio always works even when the car hits 160, maybe they build car radios to military specs? And I have left my cell phone in the car by mistake before and again it works fine.
I wouldn't do this very often but wanted to find out what people thought.

 

[Keppy]

​Like i said before my radar detector never comes out of my truck......... And we do get some 98 degree temps here in the summer at times..... and down to 10 below in the winter and sometimes colder................ And i have never had a problem with it.................

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

Keppy that is something I hadn't thought about, my Garmin is in the car all summer and the temp in the car has been over 160! It works like a charm