How much does heat affect electronic equipment?

E

edtinney

CAGiversary!
I attend the University of Miami and I left my car down there for the summer. Unfortunately, I had to leave a lot of my stuff in there because I didn't have any more room in my bags. This includes my Gamecube, Game Boy Player, GBA SP, DS, Kongas, GBA Games, an Xbox controller, and a printer. The highs have been around 90 and my car is in the sun for most of the day. I assume it's at least 120 degrees in the car. Do you think my stuff is ok? If not, do you have any ideas on how I can replace the stuff without buying all new stuff? I'd appreciate only educated guesses. Thank you.
 
Dont worry about the heat after people keep seeing the car unattended and all those boxes in the back your crap will be in someones air conditioned house. :D
 
120 degrees is probably a conservative estimate, depending on the car. However, you should be just fine. I would recommend that you do two things, crack the windows, just enough so that it stays even with the outside, and sell me that Gameboy Player for $20 shipped. I can do paypal.

IKIK

Generally, you have to melt or burn a board for it to permanently damage electronics. They may act funny if they are overheated, but should operate fine once cooled.
 
[quote name='edtinney']I attend the University of Miami and I left my car down there for the summer. Unfortunately, I had to leave a lot of my stuff in there because I didn't have any more room in my bags. This includes my Gamecube, Game Boy Player, GBA SP, DS, Kongas, GBA Games, an Xbox controller, and a printer. The highs have been around 90 and my car is in the sun for most of the day. I assume it's at least 120 degrees in the car. Do you think my stuff is ok? If not, do you have any ideas on how I can replace the stuff without buying all new stuff? I'd appreciate only educated guesses. Thank you.[/QUOTE]

Is this stuff going to be in there all summer? If so, your stuff is toast if it doesn't get stolen first. I want pics when you finally go back!
 
What's your car look like again? :lol: :lol: :lol: (oh, and license plate number would help too!)

IKIK, but seriously, wtf are you doing by leaving that many expensive items in an unwatched vehicle???
 
I have to set the record straight. First of all, the car is in an on-campus garage that is accompanied by 24 hour security. Also, it is not actually in Miami, but a wealthy suburb called Coral Gables, so it's not like it's in the hood. However, no spots were available in the garage so I had to park it on top of the garage, that's why it is in the sun. I wasn't necessarily worried about the electronic stuff as much as I was the LCD screens and the ink in my printer. The temperature in the car is well over the the boiling point of water so i wasn't sure if the liquid crystal in the screens would do so as well. I'm in New Jersey now, so there's not much i can do, but i'll be down there within the next couple weeks to get my stuff. I just need peace of mind and appreciate your feedback.
 
[quote name='edtinney']I have to set the record straight. First of all, the car is in an on-campus garage that is accompanied by 24 hour security. Also, it is not actually in Miami, but a wealthy suburb called Coral Gables, so it's not like it's in the hood. However, no spots were available in the garage so I had to park it on top of the garage, that's why it is in the sun. I wasn't necessarily worried about the electronic stuff as much as I was the LCD screens and the ink in my printer. The temperature in the car is well over the the boiling point of water so i wasn't sure if the liquid crystal in the screens would do so as well. I'm in New Jersey now, so there's not much i can do, but i'll be down there within the next couple weeks to get my stuff. I just need peace of mind and appreciate your feedback.[/QUOTE]

You realize that water boils at 212 F, not 100, right? No matter how hot it gets in Miami, I don't think your car is going to heat up to 212.
 
[quote name='edtinney']The temperature in the car is well over the the boiling point of water [/QUOTE]

I doubt it.
 
Can anyone here imagine going a whole summer without your GCN, GBA or printer? Do you have more gaming stuff at home to tide you over until the Fall?
 
[quote name='MaxBiaggi2']Can anyone here imagine going a whole summer without your GCN, GBA or printer? Do you have more gaming stuff at home to tide you over until the Fall?[/QUOTE]

I went a whole 5 months with just a dreamcast. :lol:

My GCN hasn't been used in a month. My GBA? 3 months. :lol:
 
[quote name='edtinney']I attend the University of Miami and I left my car down there for the summer. Unfortunately, I had to leave a lot of my stuff in there because I didn't have any more room in my bags. This includes my Gamecube, Game Boy Player, GBA SP, DS, Kongas, GBA Games, an Xbox controller, and a printer. The highs have been around 90 and my car is in the sun for most of the day. I assume it's at least 120 degrees in the car. Do you think my stuff is ok? If not, do you have any ideas on how I can replace the stuff without buying all new stuff? I'd appreciate only educated guesses. Thank you.[/QUOTE]

Your shit is fried. You just better pray that they will be functional because the circuits inside of each can and will become warm and burnout so that you can't use them. But, like I stated earlier you may be able to get lucky and be spared.
 
You might as well count out the printer ink. If the heat doesn't get it, then having it sit without printing for 3 months will cause the cartridges to dry up.

As far as the LCD goes, that would be questionable. There's going to be quite a bit of heat building up in there and it is altogether possible that it may become damaged.

Make sure you don't leave anything in direct sunlight because then you can definetly kiss it goodbye. I've seen VHS tapes and CDs left in direct sunlight in a car and they were beyond recognition. I'm not sure if the plastic in the other stuff would be the same way but its very possible.
 
[quote name='lebowsky']You realize that water boils at 212 F, not 100, right? No matter how hot it gets in Miami, I don't think your car is going to heat up to 212.[/QUOTE]

You have to factor in that parts of South Florida are randomly subjected to vacuum due to a NASA mishap. Under those condition the boiling point of water is very low, which makes for very unsatisfying results for both cooking and hot tubbling.
 
Haha. My bad. I was thinking of Celcius. I'm just a little flustered right now and I can't think straight. Can you blame me?
 
[quote name='cdeener']Your shit is fried. You just better pray that they will be functional because the circuits inside of each can and will become warm and burnout so that you can't use them. But, like I stated earlier you may be able to get lucky and be spared.[/QUOTE]

Be spared? It's only electronic equipment. It's not like I'm facing judgment at the hands of the almighty.
 
[quote name='sblymnlcrymnl']I went a whole 5 months with just a dreamcast. :lol:[/QUOTE]

You say that like it's a bad thing.
 
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