iPad mini 3 overheating

[Sam the Swiss]

I use the iPad mini with Sky Demon for navigation. On warm, sunny days I get the problem that the iPad shuts down because of overheating, not nice when you are.just searching for entry points of an airport solar unknown for you. I use the GPS which is in the iPad (it's a GSM/GPS version).

Now I have heard the rumor, that using an external GPS source reduces the amount of energy used and thereby reduces also the risk of overheating. Do you have similar problems, or better: solution to this problem? I guess it's not the Sky Demon and it probably also happens with Fore Flight or OZ runways.

[Thruster88]

It gets very hot in Australia but I have never had an over heat on my Samsung tablet with gps and mobil data running ozrunways, just saying.

[Downunder]

I could be wrong but I think the screen is the number one cause of heat.

An external gps will probably give a more accurate location and save some battery power....

[M61A1]

Mine used to overheat in a drifter if the sun was directly on it. Not helped by a black leather kneeboard. I made an aluminium kneeboard and left it in natural finish. The design has a gap between my leg and the ipad back which allows airflow and the support at the ipad back acts as a heatsink and the hinged cover keeps the sun off.

[eagle49]

I have had seven Ipad mini's over the years thee off them have failed, Two from overheating one simply a dud.

Apple have been very good in replacing them, When the last one went (black from heat) but did not catch fire

I returned from trip and whent to my CFI for a flight to see if I could open the door of the tecnam eaglet to toss it

out (all good). I use ozrunways also on an old Samsung s5 that sits on front a frame with velcro it continues

much longer with better signal it only drops out in very remote areas like between Alice Springs and Canon stock route.

The new Mini 4 seems to not have same problems.

[Flightrite]

I've not had a shutdown of my "Istuff" whilst inflight even in warm direct sunlight cause I don't rely on it all the time. I bring it to life to check every now and then my position and ETS etc but keep it off probably 70% of the time whilst inflight, I never fly without current area maps!

[Sam the Swiss]

I could be wrong but I think the screen is the number one cause of heat.

An external gps will probably give a more accurate location and save some battery power....

Ok, I will try to protect the screen from direct sunlight and then see, if overheating is less of an issue. I know that the newer series of iPad don't have this problem, but the one I've got is a iPad mini 3.

[Sam the Swiss]

I've not had a shutdown of my "Istuff" whilst inflight even in warm direct sunlight cause I don't rely on it all the time. I bring it to life to check every now and then my position and ETS etc but keep it off probably 70% of the time whilst inflight, I never fly without current area maps!

Maybe that's another way to go, at least if I am flying in known territories.

[M61A1]

I've not had a shutdown of my "Istuff" whilst inflight even in warm direct sunlight cause I don't rely on it all the time. I bring it to life to check every now and then my position and ETS etc but keep it off probably 70% of the time whilst inflight, I never fly without current area maps!

That is another thing do.

I don't like charging them in flight, so to preserve battery life, I get a heading and fly it and turn the ipad off. I turn the ipad on every so often to check that I'm where I think I should be.

I carry one of those jumpstarter packs which has a USB charge port if I really need it,, but I've not needed to use it in flight as yet. if I'm going somewhere unfamiliar I will print my map off before leaving.

I've not flown in Europe, but from what I've seen their maps are really cluttered and airspace a bit tight, so that may make that a bit more difficult.

[Flightrite]

That is another thing do.

I don't like charging them in flight, so to preserve battery life, I get a heading and fly it and turn the ipad off. I turn the ipad on every so often to check that I'm where I think I should be.

I carry one of those jumpstarter packs which has a USB charge port if I really need it,, but I've not needed to use it in flight as yet. if I'm going somewhere unfamiliar I will print my map off before leaving.

I've not flown in Europe, but from what I've seen their maps are really cluttered and airspace a bit tight, so that may make that a bit more difficult.

 

I too never charge in the plane. I also have a 10A battery bank as a backup. I travel a few times a year up Nth to see my family it's over 700 miles so in that 4 hrs or so I check about a dozen times as well as I have a full set of WAC's for the route and even take segmented screen shots of the route on my iPad, anal I guess!??

[FlyBoy1960]

Turn the screen down to about 75% brightness, leave it plugged in and charging, no problems. It's the screen on 100% that causes the heat. (son works in apple store but no, can't get any discounts)

[old man emu]

It's the screen on 100% that causes the heat.

 

That's what I like. A simple solution. It pays to know how equipment works.

[Yenn]

I used an iPad in my RV4, which is rather like a goldfish bowl. Overheating is a known problem and as others have said the screen causes a lot of heat. Unfortunately we need a bright screen, or otherwise the sun makes it impossible to see. I had a ventilator ducted to blow directly on the back of the iPad, which was in an aluminium holder. No problems in up to 38 deg C. Except for the difficulty in seeing the screen in bright sun.

[M61A1]

That's what I like. A simple solution. It pays to know how equipment works.

In Drifter in broad daylight if you turn it down you can’t read it. In any case it’s in direct sunlight and a black case doesn’t help. I’ve even had it overheat in the drifter while turned off.

[skippydiesel]

I have had two over temp shut downs with my iPad mini (both in very bright sunlight) - came up with three fixes which seem to have solved the problem.

 

Drilled out the back of my Ram mount to allow more air to circulate.

Punched holes in the rubber iPad cover - same as above

Installed a dedicated small eyeball vent behind iPad mount. Can just see it in the pic

 

My iPad is on charge at all times while running OzRwys- definitely contributes to heat build up

 

[Kyle Communications]

My mini Ipad shut down once on me but not while flying...I had turned it off but it was in its airgizmo mount but it was in the sun and a 40degC day..I tried to tun it on and it came up and said too damn hot dude what are you doing :)...I started the engine and kept the door open and by the time I was ready to take off it burst back into life. best idea is have some sort of airgap behind it and some airflow then ok....oh and a sunshade of sorts then all fine..even out here where it gets really hot