Tomtom GPS Heat

Forums › GPS, maps and mapping software › Tomtom GPS Heat

ronw

1222 posts

Uber Geek

#180919 26-Sep-2015 13:36

I have a TomTom 6100 GPS which I have mounted on windscreen. The unit gets very hot from sun and at times after parking car and on return the GPS is so hot you cannot handle it. I have tried to shield it from direct sun by inserting a tinfoil cardboard (foil facing outwards) but it doesn't stop the overheating.
I am worried that this kind of heat may damage unit and wonder if anyone has better suggestion for protecting the unit.

Nokia 7 Plus
Nexus 6P 32Gb
Nexus 6 Phone
Nexus 5 Phone
Nexus 7 2013 Tablet
Samsung TAB A 8"
Samsung TAB A 10"

& many Windows laptops, Desktops etc

scuwp

3886 posts

Uber Geek

#1394834 26-Sep-2015 14:39

Take it off the windscreen and put in the glovebox? That's what I do with mine when parked for any length of time.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

RunningMan

8961 posts

Uber Geek

#1394836 26-Sep-2015 14:44

It's likely a combination of direct heat, and heat build-up inside the parked car.

As above, put it out of direct sunlight, and consider window tinting or similar to reduce heat in the car.

ronw

1222 posts

Uber Geek

#1394860 26-Sep-2015 14:56

Would that I could, but all my front panels are made of a stippled plastic and the suction cup will not stick to it. Also would not the glovebox be a bit far away from driver to see? The last thing I would want is to be forced to peer over the far side of car to see where the next corner is.

scuwp: Take it off the windscreen and put in the glovebox? That's what I do with mine when parked for any length of time.

Nokia 7 Plus
Nexus 6P 32Gb
Nexus 6 Phone
Nexus 5 Phone
Nexus 7 2013 Tablet
Samsung TAB A 8"
Samsung TAB A 10"

& many Windows laptops, Desktops etc

ronw

1222 posts

Uber Geek

#1394861 26-Sep-2015 15:00

I agree but as my answer above I cannot fasten the suction cup anywhere on the dashboard fascia because suction cup will not adhere. I am surprised that car manufacturers do not think of things like this. I have looked at the whole front and top of dashboard for a smooth place that I can put the suction cup on there are none. Sounds like I may be forced to come up with a better way of stopping the sun hitting the Tomtom

RunningMan: It's likely a combination of direct heat, and heat build-up inside the parked car.

As above, put it out of direct sunlight, and consider window tinting or similar to reduce heat in the car.

Nokia 7 Plus
Nexus 6P 32Gb
Nexus 6 Phone
Nexus 5 Phone
Nexus 7 2013 Tablet
Samsung TAB A 8"
Samsung TAB A 10"

& many Windows laptops, Desktops etc

ronw

1222 posts

Uber Geek

#1394886 26-Sep-2015 15:17

Whoops just re-read your answer again and realise I misread you. It's amazing what a difference a preposition like in or on is. I thought you were telling me to put it on the glovebox now see that you said in. So apologies yes I could do that but its a pain to keep doing that.

scuwp: Take it off the windscreen and put in the glovebox? That's what I do with mine when parked for any length of time.

Nokia 7 Plus
Nexus 6P 32Gb
Nexus 6 Phone
Nexus 5 Phone
Nexus 7 2013 Tablet
Samsung TAB A 8"
Samsung TAB A 10"

& many Windows laptops, Desktops etc

scuwp

3886 posts

Uber Geek

#1394892 26-Sep-2015 15:53

ronw: Whoops just re-read your answer again and realise I misread you. It's amazing what a difference a preposition like in or on is. I thought you were telling me to put it on the glovebox now see that you said in. So apologies yes I could do that but its a pain to keep doing that.

scuwp: Take it off the windscreen and put in the glovebox? That's what I do with mine when parked for any length of time.

Yeah, I was wondering where this was going. Sorry no other suggestion. If it's on the dash parked in the sun it's going to get hot..VERY hot sometimes. I have tinted windows but you can't tint the front so that suggestion wont work. I have just resolved to popping mine off the cradle and dropping in the center console when parked, I don't do it every time I stop, just when I am going to be a while and car is in the sun. Seems OK when driving with the air-con going.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

shk292

2858 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1394916 26-Sep-2015 16:38

This must be a uniquely NZ problem - in other countries, leaving your GPS on display for any length of time would result in a broken window and lack of GPS

UK drivers are even advised to wipe off the tell-tale circle that a suction mount leaves on the windscreen, after they have stored the GPS in the glovebox

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#1394921 26-Sep-2015 16:51

I have the same unit and it was incredibly hot after 30 minutes of driving today.
I have a pop-up compartment on my dash, but there's no way to fit it in there... otherwise I'd be sorted.
The only real solution seems to be removing it from its craddle and hiding it in the glovebox whenever possible.
Or, moving somewhere colder.

nakedmolerat

4629 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1394922 26-Sep-2015 16:52

shk292: This must be a uniquely NZ problem - in other countries, leaving your GPS on display for any length of time would result in a broken window and lack of GPS

UK drivers are even advised to wipe off the tell-tale circle that a suction mount leaves on the windscreen, after they have stored the GPS in the glovebox

You can buy gps for less than $100.

It used to coat a lot but nobody cares anymore as almost virtually every car has one now (almost every car i saw on motorway has one)

afe66

3181 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1394986 26-Sep-2015 18:17

I used to stick mine under the drivers seat when parking in hot weather, quick easy to grab.

Do people break into cars for GPS anymore ? More and more of friends just use their phones.

A.

TLD

902 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1414530 27-Oct-2015 11:50

ronw: Whoops just re-read your answer again and realise I misread you. It's amazing what a difference a preposition like in or on is. I thought you were telling me to put it on the glovebox now see that you said in. So apologies yes I could do that but its a pain to keep doing that.

scuwp: Take it off the windscreen and put in the glovebox? That's what I do with mine when parked for any length of time.

Accepting that this is not the UK, I would still be reluctant to leave a $400 six inch GPS on display. It attaches magnetically to the suction mount, so it is hardly a problem to whip off and hide away.

For what it is worth, I bought a GO6100 recently, and it doesn't get noticeably hot. I have a Pajero, and the GPS is mounted so the top third is above the top of the screen, so I guess it gets less directly sunlight.

BTW It's a cracking GPS. I could barely believe the spec when looking for a new one. Free world maps for the lifetime of the device. My old TomTom GO720 has been to Oz, the UK, Ireland and France, and when I first got that unit NZ and OZ maps were separate. So it was actually a cost saver getting the GO6100 just for cost of the maps. Yes I know you can transfer them, but all my maps are years out of date, and to the point of being a hazard!

Then there is lifetime traffic by the built in SIM with free data. Unfortunately this is limited to the country you purchase the device in, but I am really impressed with how well it works. Coming back from Christchurch I was driving in slow traffic marked red on the GPS. At the very point the red colour ended, we started moving freely again. Does anyone know how this works IN NZ? The UK is covered with those blue Traffic Master radars, but the only thing I can of for NZ is that it uses uploaded data from everyone's GPS — or those with SIM cards or linked to their smart phone.

It also has lifetime safety camera warnings, but there is a small chance that might be showing an erroneous camera outside Riccarton Mall because I pressed the new camera icon, and before I could see I had messed up and cancelled, it was saying thank you for the heads up.

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)