Dash cam left in the heat
- Thread starter framednlv
- Start date
Shockwave199
Known around here
I'd like to get to those temps. Still climbing out of winter here. I'll let you know. I can report that mine did perfectly in 5°f this winter.
Mine worked great at 32°f (about five days this year) as long as it stays plugged in. Seems that the power socket doesn't like to stay plugged in.
My biggest concern about heat is the battery exploding or catching on fire. Next would be the camera plastic just distorting. Last summer I would take it off the mount and place it in the console away from the sun.
My biggest concern about heat is the battery exploding or catching on fire. Next would be the camera plastic just distorting. Last summer I would take it off the mount and place it in the console away from the sun.
Shockwave199
Known around here
That might be a good habit to continue. I'll probably end up doing it too. My car bakes in my driveway.
I was asking because I was thinking about putting a camera in my wife's car. The problem is, she isn't going to want if she has to take it off every time she parks. It would be nice to find one that can withstand being in very high temperatures. I think the one I bought was rated for 60c but it is showing some signs of heat stress and the battery holds a charge for about 1 minute after unplugging it.
Any suggestions for a new camera would be greatly appreciated. I don't mind ordering from outside the US but the price needs to be fair.
Any suggestions for a new camera would be greatly appreciated. I don't mind ordering from outside the US but the price needs to be fair.
There are plenty of cameras that will work okay for you, what you need to look for is a camera with no battery. That is the part that fails due to heat usually and the way around this is to look for a camera that uses a supercapacitor and not a battery. I know Lukas makes one, and there are several others but I don't know them offhand as I'm still learning the dashcam world. I just got my first camera and am enjoying it, I went inexpensive on the first one to learn and play with then will upgrade once it dies.
Also, several people have made their own supercap mods to existing cameras and replaced the batteries. https://joovuu.com/gb/ has a super cap for the popular Mobius camera for example, though that one is made by a company and not by a person it is an example of modding a camera yourself to get that reliability.
Also, several people have made their own supercap mods to existing cameras and replaced the batteries. https://joovuu.com/gb/ has a super cap for the popular Mobius camera for example, though that one is made by a company and not by a person it is an example of modding a camera yourself to get that reliability.
hmjgriffon
Known around here
Why not mount it somewhere else like under the car? Maybe just under the bottom of the body, or behind a grill looking out, depending on the car you may or may not be able to find a place to put it, then it is in the shade all the time and outside of the car not inside where temps can hit 160 degrees.
In my case, and most others I assume, its the overall visibility the camera would have of the road and situation in case the footage is needed or wanted. I want the camera to have the view I had, or close to it. Usually the best view is up higher, so behind the rear-view mirror is a preferred location as you get good outgoing views that are not easily blocked.
Shockwave199
Known around here
Yeah, you can't mount a dash cam under or behind the grill. Not sure how I'm gonna deal with it. I'll probably take it off and put it in the glove box for seriously sweltering days. The heat of the car wouldn't hurt it I don't think. It's the direct blazing sun on it that could do it in, or at least shorten the life span. Mine is super easy to take off and on.
Shockwave199
Known around here
Just to follow up now that it's summer- I'm in the habit of taking mine inside, out of the blazing heat of the car. I have forgotten and left it in there a couple times and it's been fine, but it's not worth the chance of frying the thing. It is super easy to take it in and out- a couple seconds to do to keep the 100 dollar investment running well.
Shockwave199
Known around here
Yeah, but I don't forget because of where I keep it. And I've started keeping it in the glove box too. It's not the temperature in the car that concerns me, it's the blazing sun on it all afternoon.