Performing outside - iPad overheating and screen viewing solutions

[skipper01]

Thanks for all the replies.
Out of interest and slightly off topic - what happens at ie large or medium outdoor festivals that may be subject to extreme weather in terms of heat?
Do they always bring/use cooling for ie stage conditioning and amp racks, mixing areas etc?
Surely any electronic equipment operating for some time at around ie 30degrees isn’t sustainable if just left…?

[MarkOne]

Keep direct sunlight off it with a shade of some kind and then something like this?

[Drew Stephenson]

Actually I'd be surprised if any electrical equipment misbehaved below about 50. Instruments, yes, but electricals? Wouldn't have thought so.

[Mike Stranks]

Obviously I'm not a performer, but I quickly learnt that for summer gigs - even in the UK - a gazebo was essential.

Way back, I sometimes placed radio-mic receivers onstage in full sunlight. (These were Audio-Technica) I had all sorts of problems, which research showed were directly temperature related. I subsequently devised ways to keep them shaded, and sometimes ventilated.

Black, active, speakers on sticks in full sunlight often caused the fans to run flat-out throughout the gig. They never shut down, but sometimes by the end the backplates/heatsinks were incredibly hot.

But as it was the UK, rain was always a far bigger problem than sun!

[shufflebeat]

I've used both SKUBB and DRÖNA storage boxes from IKEA as sunshades for tablets and laptops. There is a zip down the back which holds them in shape and which is very convenient for running cables in and out.

Regards, Simon.

Genius.

[Wonks]

Actually I'd be surprised if any electrical equipment misbehaved below about 50. Instruments, yes, but electricals? Wouldn't have thought so.

But in direct strong sunlight, anything plastic or metal will easily get over 50°C, so shade is important. Even after 10 minutes or so, it’s easy for the outside at least to get that hot, and with powered electronics inside putting out heat, it’s going to be even warmer inside.

Batteries in phones and tablets will also drain quicker when hot. They don’t like cold but they also don’t like it hot.

[The Elf]

On our record hottest day a couple of weeks ago, my iPhone was sitting on the (open top) car seat next to me (plugged into CarPlay - I don't use the phone itself while driving!), and it gave me an exclamatory error message saying that the phone was too hot and would not respond again until it had cooled.

I'm guessing that the iPad has similar protection, so you really don't want to end up in that situation!

[skipper01]

The iPad overheated at the weekend at a wedding outside just as the bride was walking in and I was playing a piece! Luckily I knew the piece anyway.
I reckon it was about 25 degrees and the iPad had been on and left for about an hour.
It did have a black cover on it.
I tested today in similar weather without the cover and a large fan close to the iPad and it was ok for hours.
I really don’t feel good at all though about the piano and other kit for long periods in this heat and potentially worse heat…!

[Sam Spoons]

My only bad experience of iPads shutting down due to the heat was when I left them in full sun whilst setting up the rig. I managed to get them cooled down and keeping them out of full sunlight allowed them to run for the day without further issues.

[Murray B]

Actually I'd be surprised if any electrical equipment misbehaved below about 50. Instruments, yes, but electricals? Wouldn't have thought so.

I rather foolishly had my Laney VC amp in direct sunlight on one of the 30 degree plus days a couple of weeks ago. It was not happy and decided to have a little sleep at the end of the first set. Lesson learnt!- this weekend will be in as much shade as I can get it in and a fan running on it.

I always have a plan B - via a Cab Sim DI, but not the gig I would have wanted it to be!