You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar

Speciality Forums >> Astronomy Software & Computers Previous   Index   Next   Threaded

Pages: 1 FlagHigh member Reged: 01/31/06 Loc: Flagstaff, Arizona, USA Exactly how cold can a laptop go?       #2906759 - 02/03/09 11:25 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   This may be somewhat of a retorical question. My Dell Vostro says that its low temperature operating limit is 32 degrees F. I took it out last night for a couple of hours of GEM mount control w/Cartes du Ciel. I had it up and running for quite sometime before I headed out and plugged it all up (including AC power). The night was dry, clear, with a fairly steady wind @ <5 MPH. I started when the temperature was 40 degrees F. and decided to call it quits at about 28 degrees F. The only "protection" was it sat on a foam pad. It worked fine. How much colder can a laptop go with minimal protection? Post Extras:       rboe Reged: 03/16/02 Loc: Phx, AZ Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: FlagHigh]       #2906784 - 02/03/09 11:37 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The LCD screen is your limiting factor - it can freeze. Which is not good for it. Sans the screen it can go much lower until the battery looses power and I suppose the hard drive has problems. Post Extras:       FlagHigh member Reged: 01/31/06 Loc: Flagstaff, Arizona, USA Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: rboe]       #2906801 - 02/03/09 11:51 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Ron. At what temperature will a LCD freeze? The back-light tubes provide some heat, not much but some. Maybe a small heating pad strapped on the back would do the trick.(?) I know that the HD starting up at low temps isn't good, but it'll keep going for a few more degrees once it's up and running before hand. Other than LP,,, I'd rather be there (PHX) than here (FLG) this time of year. But,,, other than the heavy snow we had in December, which is almost gone now, the nights haven't been too bad. Our midnight temps have been running near 20. Post Extras:       Michael A. Earl vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research Reged: 11/17/08 Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: FlagHigh]       #2906876 - 02/04/09 12:48 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have had my old Compaq Presario out in 0F for two hours, but it was running the entire time. The screen got slightly slower, but everything worked (and still does). However, I would not recommend you doing this ever. I would keep any laptop that you want to keep around above 32F at all times. The only reason why I use my old Compaq in such temperatures is because it is not my main computer. Post Extras:       revans Carpal Tunnel Reged: 09/26/05 Loc: Fitchburg, MA Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: FlagHigh]       #2907040 - 02/04/09 05:49 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I've used mine in the teens... but I wrap it in an electric blanket... Rick Post Extras:       rboe Reged: 03/16/02 Loc: Phx, AZ Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: revans]       #2907222 - 02/04/09 09:29 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I really don't know and don't have a cheap laptop to test with. The electronics work great in the cold but some things in the support role don't do so well - CMOS battery, the already mentioned LCD, anything with bearings (HD, fans, CD drives). I think it was on this board where a fellow placed his laptop in checked luggage on a flight (the hold is not heated) and had a ruined screen after the flight. I suspect it will go below 32, but how much is a good question. Many folks put their laptop in a box so the heat it creates can keep the dew and cold at bay. As well as controlling stray light from the screen. I seem to recall one fellow using a light bulb to add in heat. I'd rather be in Flagstaff just about any time. Post Extras:       FlagHigh member Reged: 01/31/06 Loc: Flagstaff, Arizona, USA Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: rboe]       #2907487 - 02/04/09 12:09 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Michael, Rick, and Ron, Thank you for the comments. I had thought about the heating pad, but not the idea of a box - possibly one made of foam-board configured with a hinged front and top and heating pad. Naturally, now that I have an idea of what I can do, we're forecast for rain & snow Thursday night through Tuesday. It seems the weather gods play havic with anything new to try out. Post Extras:       bicparker Carpal Tunnel Reged: 02/07/05 Loc: Plano, TX Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: FlagHigh]       #2907536 - 02/04/09 12:41 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The best results I have had with operating a laptop in freezing to subfreezing temperatures is keeping it in an enclosed box with a red plexiglass window (and a shroud covered entry for the hands). The heat generated from the laptop keeps the laptop closer in its operating range and stays within the box. This generally works in temperatures down to the 20's.. below that, I have no idea (and suspect that you get into some diminishing returns at that point). Post Extras:       RandallK Carpal Tunnel Reged: 11/10/06 Loc: Nanaimo, B. C. Canada Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: bicparker]       #2907749 - 02/04/09 02:42 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I find about 4° C (39° F) about the limit before things start to fog up. Even my Synta hand controller starts to act sluggish and gets dew on the outside of the LCD screen. On the West Coast we have to also watch the dew point, which affects lenses more than computers but can screw up the insides of a laptop if condensation should occur. I like the idea of a box, except cardboard, if it's damp out, will turn to mush as well. Maybe a styrofoam picnic basket might work...hmmmmm. The other thing I did was to set the power properties to keep the computer ON (NOT HIBERNATE!) when the lid is closed, thus turning off the LCD screen and lowering the chances of condensation when imaging. Just keep track of the time and as long as you're not doing anything else on the laptop while imaging, you should be OK. This method should also reduce current drain on an external power supply to the laptop even in warm weather. Edited by RandallK (02/04/09 02:56 PM) Post Extras:       bicparker Carpal Tunnel Reged: 02/07/05 Loc: Plano, TX Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: RandallK]       #2907880 - 02/04/09 04:00 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I should have mentioned.... I used a wooden box. I used to live on the dew laden Gulf coast, so I can relate to lots and lots of dew. A cardboard box never entered my mind. Post Extras:       groz Carpal Tunnel Reged: 03/14/07 Loc: Duncan, BC Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: rboe]       #2908850 - 02/05/09 01:02 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: I think it was on this board where a fellow placed his laptop in checked luggage on a flight (the hold is not heated) and had a ruined screen after the flight. that was me. 40 minutes in the cold unheated luggage compartment of a dash 8, screen never worked properly again. about 30% of the pixels died. Was about 8deg c when we took off, and we spent that time at 16,000 feet, so, temp would been in the -15 deg C range for 40 minutes, not sure how low it would actually get in the hold, we were not at altitude long enough for it to fully cold soak down to outside temp, but probably got real close. Post Extras:       polaris super member Reged: 05/02/05 Loc: Kaunas, Lithuania Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: groz]       #2908965 - 02/05/09 05:06 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I once kept mine working in an open box for a couple of hours, with temp dropping from -4 to -13°F. It survived, though later bad sectors developed in the hard disk - I'm not sure if it was coincidental or not. My colleague was using his laptop at -22 and had a HDD crash. HDD survived, but all data was lost. So, it may work ok, but it's risky. Edited by polaris (02/05/09 05:07 AM) Post Extras:       bicparker Carpal Tunnel Reged: 02/07/05 Loc: Plano, TX Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: polaris]       #2909279 - 02/05/09 10:13 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   After a certain point below freezing, it really won't matter; it is just too cold. My box was a closed box, though, to retain the heat, which gave a little more leeway. In any case, in dealing with the cold, there is certainly a risk to the system. Post Extras:       Locoweed sage Reged: 06/27/07 Loc: Texas Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: bicparker]       #2913087 - 02/07/09 10:08 AM Attachment (41 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Specs on the hard drive say 32°. I was amazed that the solid state hard drives have the same spec. Since loosing a hard drive during use at below freezing temps, I now have a infra-red heat lamp I can shine on the laptop. So far it seems to work well, keeping the area around the laptop warm enough that I don't worry about the fan sucking in frigid air. My laptop sits in the garage, so the light doesn't cause me any problem. Post Extras:       Dan G Carpal Tunnel Reged: 06/27/06 Loc: Minisink, NY, USA Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: Locoweed]       #2913301 - 02/07/09 12:01 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have regularly used mine down to -10F for entire nights of imaging. The LCD has an acrylic red screen cover which provides a degree of insulation plus an electric heating pad set on low is against the back of the LCD. I place a towel over the entire unit when I head in and let the set up image all night. Dan in NY Post Extras:       Pierre Stromberg sage Reged: 02/07/08 Loc: Woodinville, WA Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: Dan G]       #2916733 - 02/09/09 01:11 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Funny. I've got the opposite problem. I have an ancient eMachines 5310 that tends to overheat and I'm too much of a cheapskate to replace it, despite having had two hard disk crashes. I even sent it in for a free repair as part of a class action lawsuit. It's starting to have heat problems again so when I'm inside the house, I tend to use it and then turn it off immediately. When I've got it outside, it performs quite well when the temperatures are low. During astrophotography, I always shut the lid and that keeps the LCD screen from freezing up. Laptops generally should be able to handle very cold temperatures quite well, especially if you're keeping the lid closed with the sleep mode off. P Post Extras:       CounterWeight Postmaster Reged: 10/05/08 Loc: Cloudyopolis, OR. Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: Pierre Stromberg]       #2919733 - 02/10/09 02:29 PM Attachment (41 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I think it depends on the laptop? I have an about 1.5 yr old Gateway with the dual CPU - the 'fire warining' type with the BIG lcd screen, and just keep it in a cardboard box 'turned so the opening is to the side instead of up' and have been using it in the teens all winter. I turn off the screen saver and 'nearly' close the lid/screen when not looking. I do this for temp and dew protection. The laptop gets warm enough to keep keep the little box well above ambient, although I have noticed some frosting of it on occasion even with these measures. Now I even close the box and all is fine. But that's just for this particular laptop in my area . Post Extras:       groz Carpal Tunnel Reged: 03/14/07 Loc: Duncan, BC Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: Pierre Stromberg]       #2919854 - 02/10/09 03:32 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Laptops generally should be able to handle very cold temperatures quite well, especially if you're keeping the lid closed with the sleep mode off. A lot of laptops force either sleep, hibernate, or off with the lid closed. The reason is very simple, with the lid closed, there isn't enough airflow available for cooling, and the cpu will overheat. Those that dont have this problem, will have specific setup configurations to allow running with the lid closed. Of the 6 laptops here in my office, only 2 allow running with the lid closed. Edited by groz (02/10/09 03:33 PM) Post Extras:       Pierre Stromberg sage Reged: 02/07/08 Loc: Woodinville, WA Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: groz]       #2920182 - 02/10/09 06:32 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Quote: Laptops generally should be able to handle very cold temperatures quite well, especially if you're keeping the lid closed with the sleep mode off. A lot of laptops force either sleep, hibernate, or off with the lid closed. The reason is very simple, with the lid closed, there isn't enough airflow available for cooling, and the cpu will overheat. Those that dont have this problem, will have specific setup configurations to allow running with the lid closed. Of the 6 laptops here in my office, only 2 allow running with the lid closed. Very true. Like I said though, this really applies in very cold conditions. Otherwise you gotta be more careful. With my laptop, after two hard drive failures, I'm pretty much a fatalist and squirrel away the most critical data on my servers. P Post Extras:       Raven911 Carpal Tunnel Reged: 03/12/05 Loc: by Cloudcroft, NM Re: Exactly how cold can a laptop go? [Re: Pierre Stromberg]       #2920239 - 02/10/09 07:06 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   My old notebook, a Dell Latitude, runs quite well down to the low teens. It gets a little sluggish down in the single digits. I have been running it this way for years. I normally leave it out in the sliding roof shed, and it is typically pretty much frozen when I turn it on. I just turn it on an hour or so before I start to warm it up. The screen broke a long time ago. If it breaks, I have not lost much. Post Extras:       Pages: 1

Previous   Index   Next   Threaded

Extra information 0 registered and 5 anonymous users are browsing this forum. Moderator:  Bowmoreman, richard7  Print Thread Forum Permissions       You cannot start new topics       You cannot reply to topics       HTML is disabled       UBBCode is enabled Thread views: 1065 Jump to *Announcements and News* -----   Cloudy Nights Announcements   Discussion of CN Articles, Reviews, and Reports   Celestial Events*General Astronomy* -----   Beginners Forum   General Observing and Astronomy   Outreach   Light Pollution*Equipment Discussions* -----   ATM, Optics and DIY Forum   Binoculars   Binoviewers   Cats & Casses   Classic Telescopes   Equipment   Eyepieces   Mounts   Observatories   Reflectors   Refractors    Video and Electronically Assisted Astronomy*Astrophotography and Sketching* -----   Beginning and Intermediate Imaging   Film Astrophotography   DSLR & Digital Camera Astro Imaging & Processing   CCD Imaging & Processing   Solar System Imaging & Processing   Sketching   Astro Imaging/Sketching Contest *Observing* -----   NEO   Planetary and Solar System Observing   Lunar Observing   Deep Sky Observing   Double Star Observing   Solar   Variable Star Observing and Radio Astronomy*Telescope Specific Forums* -----   Celestron NexStar    NexStar GPS / CPC Telescopes   Questar Forum   Meade ACF/RCX / LX / GPS    Meade ETX*Speciality Forums* -----   Arizona Science and Astronomy Expo   NEAF (Northeast Astronomy Forum) and NEAIC (Northeast Astro Imaging Conference)   AstroArt   Astronomy Clubs and Star Parties   Astronomy Software & Computers   AstroWebsites   Science! Astronomy & Space Exploration, and Others   Space Rocks   Stellar Media*Swap and Shop* -----   Shop and Swap Audio Components*CN Feedback and Vendor Announcements* -----   Vendor and Group Announcements*International Year of Astronomy 2009 - Forums are now closed.* -----   IYA Archive Info

CN Forums Home