When I leave school and go to the gym, i leave my mbp in my car and it gets freeezing cold here in columbus, oh. Is it okay to use the computer cold? Right now, its freezing cold but it seems to be working fine. Any problems?
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Safe to Leave MBP in Car, Cold Weather
- Thread starter runofthedill
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Batteries hate temperature change. Also don't let them get anywhere close to water-freezing temperature.
I always let my MBP warm up a bit to something close to room temperature before using it if it ever gets cold from travel. This is advice given to me by a genius from the Apple store.
I always let my MBP warm up a bit to something close to room temperature before using it if it ever gets cold from travel. This is advice given to me by a genius from the Apple store.
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As well as ^^^ (All of the above), really cold temperatures can also cause your LCD panel to explode. (Well, not literally, but crack and leak fluid) By really cold, I mean like -25+ if you tell temperatures in Celsius, or like -14+ in F.
I have heard of LCD and Plasma TV's in recreational vehicles in the winter near me doing this.
Of course, you can also follow the official Apple Specifications:
These are for the Unibody MacBook's, your MBP may withstand less or more depending on the model.
Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F
(10° to 35° C)
Storage temperature: -13° to 113° F
(-24° to 45° C)
I have heard of LCD and Plasma TV's in recreational vehicles in the winter near me doing this.
Of course, you can also follow the official Apple Specifications:
These are for the Unibody MacBook's, your MBP may withstand less or more depending on the model.
Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F
(10° to 35° C)
Storage temperature: -13° to 113° F
(-24° to 45° C)
This is what my biggest worry would be
OP, don't fire the computer up when cold right away. Let it acclimate to the surrounding a bit first
thats probably the best advice. give it 10/15mins in the new environment to "thaw out" haha
Time to warm up is good, but if a computer is like a camera - small electronic parts, etc, then you need to let it warm up over a longer period of time. Wrap it in a towel when you bring it in (acts as an insulator).
When it warms up quickly, there may be condensation build up.... inside where it can do damage to the electronics. The towel just lets it warm up a bit more slowly. I'm also thinking that since metal expands and contracts due to temperatures, firing up a cold computer might heat/expand some components while other bits are still cold/contracted.
just my 1.5 cents worth....
When it warms up quickly, there may be condensation build up.... inside where it can do damage to the electronics. The towel just lets it warm up a bit more slowly. I'm also thinking that since metal expands and contracts due to temperatures, firing up a cold computer might heat/expand some components while other bits are still cold/contracted.
just my 1.5 cents worth....
Sounds like a recipe for disaster! Lol If you must try and insulate it in a bag and keep it running so the battery juices are flowing and what not. Cold MacBooks scare me more than hot ones.
this.
i had my mbp laying in the car for a couple hours while it was -22Cº outside (-8Fº) then i needed so i got it and tried to turn it on. in the end I had to take a power nap with it on my lap to thaw it up enough to fire up, when i get it up i was reading core temperatures of 12Cº (54Fº) and my battery was almost drained, scared the **** out of me.
Well I would advise no. I live in Saskatchewan Canada. If anyone here is from Sask, they know what I mean when I say it gets flipping cold here. I left my windows netbook in my car for about two hours (unintentionally) when it was about -30 Celcius out. When I brought it in, I let it sit for about an hour before I turned it on again. When I did, it blue screened on me. It works fine now, Im typing this on sed netbook. But i wouldn't do it again. Although maybe I should, I need more incentive to get rid of this so I can purchase my macbook pro..
That's a pretty good idea. I know some BMW cars keep the interior warm with residual heat from engine for 15min or so. It wouldn't be hard to apply this to a little compartment big enough for your laptop and other electronics.
In Sweden, they have electrical plugs in parking lots that connect to your engine so it doesn't freeze over. Keeps it warm so it can start at a moment's notice.
We have those in Canada and probably northern parts of the US, they don't keep your car warm, just keeps keeps the engine/battery from freezing, like you said. The car is still cold when you get in, it just wont wreck your engine when you turn it on.
