Does Temperature Effect Electronics?

VEX V5 General Discussion Technical Discussion
#1

Hi everyone,
Has anyone ever had a problem with using VEX electronics that have been in a cold car for a while?
Thanks,
DCL

#2

How cold? Unless it was like -40 or something I would not expect any issues.

#3

-40 degrees Fahrenheit or Celcius? :wink:

And no, I haven’t had any problem with that, but I also live in Arizona.

#4

Both :slight_smile:

#5

He means like 30 degrees F. We just to know if its okay to leave electronics out in a 30d.F. car for 9 hours for convenience later that day.

#6

It should be fine, storage temperate for electronics goes pretty low. Just make sure there is no condensation, electronic components do not like moisture.

#7

Batteries might need a fresh charge. But the electronics should be OK.

Not much call for a frost warning in Los Angeles is there? :slight_smile:

#8

I’ve had an ultrasonic sensor start to function strangely when I was testing autonomous in a garage at below 0 degrees F (-18 C). It was fine once it warmed up though.

#9

Thanks for the input. It looks like we should be fine.

#10

DCL, do you want me to get some warmers ready for your visit tomorrow?

#11

Maybe a flamethrower?

#12

I am thinking more of a shorted battery. It is an official VEX part.

#13

Hmm… So we have now determined that natural cold doesn’t have much effect on vex electronics, but I am pretty sure that temperature will, in the case of a flamethrower, affect Vex electronics.

#14

The theory behind this is that extreme cold is bad for Vex electronics; therefore extreme heat must be good for Vex electronics. I don’t know why people use cooling sprays on motors; I’ve only had issues with motors overcolding during a match.
Note: This entire post is a joke; don’t use a flamethrower on Vex electronics, and I have had motors overheat during a match, but never freeze.

#15

I too keep a flamethrower with my vex supplies.

#16

Shorted VEX batteries are a wonderful heat source - we had that during matches during Toss Up World Championships. Unfortunately, it lets out a lot of smoke too, and the robot stop working.

#17

Here is a graph of what various temperatures does to the voltage output of a small LiPo Battery.
I did the tests with a 3.7v battery and a 5 ohm resistor.

Canned Air was used for the -50c temperature, and liquid nitrogen was used for the ~-200c temperature.

[attachment:56d613e60f19f]

#18