Electronics in hot RV all day question

[FireflyTX]

I do not plan on using my laptop, IPad or phone or anything of the sort at Burning Man BUT I am using that stuff on the drive out and back to keep me busy. My concern is that it is going to sit in the hot RV all day. Will my things get ruined? Is there any tricks to storing them while at Burning man to keep them from getting heat damage. I thought maybe double ziploc bagging and putting in the fridge or cooler or will that be worse?

[GreyCoyote]

I would suggest putting them in ziploc baggies and getting them out of the car. The car is probably the worst place for them in the heat of the day.

I wouldnt put them in a cooler however. Just somewhere in the shade, where they wont get crunched, ideally inside something light-colored. (FWIW, my stuff gets packed in a duffle with the dirty socks and underwear. Gives it some protection from random jolts while keeping the attraction factor down. Not many people would consider dirty laundry a prime first target for theft)

[some seeing eye]

Welcome!

A well known strategy is to cover completely the windows of the vehicle with mylar "space blankets", cut to the exact size of the window with scissors, and attached to the *outside* of the window, taped *completely around the edges* with 2" wide 3M blue painter's tape. The adhesive on the blue tape comes off without any damage at the end of the event.

With that treatment, a light colored vehicle will generally stay cool enough to sleep in, well within the storage and even operating temperature range of electronics.

[shroom]

I left my cell phone under the seat of my car when I went. It was fine. I'd say just store your items somewhere out of direct sun light. If you're too worried don't bring it.

[FireflyTX]

Love the mylar blanket tip!!! We knew to tape our windows but didn't know about that. I would leave the stuff home but driving 2 days (or more) each way I will go nuts with no music and such. Also using phones for GPS and keeping in touch with family on the way out and back to know how our 4 year old is doing.

[CaffeineGirl]

A couple of years ago my cell phone died a week or two after TTITD after being left in a partially shaded RV every day. Now I zip up electronics in a small softsided cooler that I leave open at night to let cool air in (I do not add anything wet). No problems any more. I also have a few meds that are not supposed to get really hot, so those get stored in there also.

[Train Wreck]

I've used a small cooler for cell phones and the like as well. No ice needed, I just put it in the yurt. A good shady spot, or a vehicle with mylar shades in the windows as mentioned before would probably work just as fine.

If you're really concerned for your gadgets and don't plan on using them during the event you could always duct tape the seam on the cooler to keep the dust out.

[Eric]

We only use the mylar on a couple of windows (we like to be able to look out of the RV when we're eating or whatever) and have never had any trouble with our electronics. I put my phone in a ziplock & don't worry about it, the bosses laptops go into their laptop bags, all are kept in shaded safe spots.

[Fidget]

I shut my electronics off the moment we hit the playa and tossed them in a drawer in the back of the RV and they were totally fine. I never felt like they held any heat in them when I had to dig around them for some other things - you should be fine.
Maybe just dont leave them on the dash.

[theCryptofishist]

You know, back in the mists of time, the cave men (and early burners) didn't need phones, iPads, or laptops to "keep them busy". Besides story-telling, looking at the vast expanses of the west roll by the window, and knapping Clovis points, they "read".

[Train Wreck]

What is this reading thing you speak of?

[pink]

I use Mylar bubble wrap on my van conversion, only leave on little window uncovered for a bit of light. The a/c doesn't work, so I only have the bubble wrap keeping it cool. That said, no issues with my iPod or phone in the van all week. You really want to use the insulation stuff...it makes ALL the difference!

[jneilvindy]

What is this reading thing you speak of?

I think it's that thing that happens when you press the button on your electronic device and it "reads" to you.

My car and tablet read to me all the time, I love reading!

[FireflyTX]

Yes, I knew some folks were going to be like "Oh just leave them home" I don't think listening to music is a big deal while I am working on my art projects and staying in touch with my 3 year old on the trip is a reasonable enough reason to bring a couple items that will be stored. It's also nice when you are in an older RV that if you have mechanical issues you have some mode of communication. Thanks so much for all the tips!! I am so excited !!!

[skippy3k]

For what it's worth, we have kids that we miss terribly each year when we go. (Talk has begun on bringing them with us next time...) But just be emotionally prepared if you don't have a working signal out there. The first year we went, we figured we could find SOME location with a signal so we could check on the kids. We couldn't and felt disconnected and panicky. The next year we agreed to just put it out of our mind and put the electronics away. Much, much better and have adopted that approach since. For my wife, she felt better having the expectation beforehand that communication wasn't going to happen. For me, (and I hope this doesn't sound bad) not hearing my children's voice helped with the pain of being away from them.

I've heard there are some camps setting up wireless hotspots, but I've never found them. And never really looked that hard.

So this is all to say, we have had great luck putting the devices in a ziplock bag, wrapping it up in something padded and soft (dirty underwear?) and forgetting about it.

[FireflyTX]

Yeah ,I am figuring my phone won't work at Burning Man. More for the travel days before and after since that part itself will be about 5 days total.

[AntiM]

Some of the services (Verizon, for example) will have enough signal to send a text or two. Early in the week, you can get a call out. Sometimes. Maybe. We just put our phones in the center console of the vehicle and they've been fine.

We learned about Larry's sister's cancer while on the playa, a family emergency was only way we learned our Verizon service works sporadically there. We have OnStar now, technically we could place a call through the pickup's "phone". If anyone had a real emergency, we'd offer that. Sssh. Work is never an emergency.

[knobdyspcl]

Welcome!

A well known strategy is to cover completely the windows of the vehicle with mylar "space blankets", cut to the exact size of the window with scissors, and attached to the *outside* of the window, taped *completely around the edges* with 2" wide 3M blue painter's tape. The adhesive on the blue tape comes off without any damage at the end of the event.

With that treatment, a light colored vehicle will generally stay cool enough to sleep in, well within the storage and even operating temperature range of electronics.

I was given that tip too, but was told to cut the Mylar or silver bubble stuff big enough to also cover the window's frame an extra inch or 4. The frames are usually metal and can transfer heat into the vehicle.

This theory is sound, but I'm tempted to test this out with a dual thermometer. One sensor set at a covered window and one sensor set at a covered window and frame on the same side of the RV.

see ya in the dust
Mir

[Token]

If you expect your RV to get hot enough to ruin a phone or computer ...

How the hell are YOU going to survive in the RV?

Why the fuck drive an RV 4 days if it gets so hot?

Methinks you worry too much. Live a little.

[Captain Goddammit]

What RV hasn't got an air conditioner on the roof? Those things really work great. And this is America, goddammit. Turn shit on.