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IPAD overheating: X-Naut Ram mount? or?

charosenz

Well Known Member
I have experienced the dreaded shut down of my IPAD overheating. I have it on a ram mount. It was about 78 degrees outside (not sure inside) but it does get full sunlight the way it it mounted on my panel.

I (now) know it needs to be cooled. I know it allowing sunlight on it really compounds the overheating risks.

I have read one positive comment about the X-Naut cooling Ram mount adapter that was quite positive. (FS at Sportys).

If anyone has that, or another solution for cooling the IPAD, I would appreciate hearing about it.
 
Shade

My iPad also overheats if it sits in the sun. I rotate it in its mount so the sun is hitting the “edge” rather than on the screen. I also sometimes shade it with a window shade or chart. If I can’t do any of that, I remove it from the mount and put in the shade.

-Andy
 
At my place of employment, we've done quite a lot of research into what are the primary causes of overheats when running iOS + EFB software. What we learned, in part, is:

1. The iPhone overheats much faster than an iPad
2. The larger the iPad, the longer it takes to overheat
3. If you have a case on your iPhone/iPad, that reduces the time until an overheat occurs.
4. Direct sunlight on the device is by far the quickest way to overheat the device. It can go from running in an optimal thermal condition to running in a critical thermal condition in less than 180 seconds.
5. The newer your device (processor wise), the better it'll perform, even in critical mode, where Apple does some significant processor throttling.
6. If an iPad overheats, it will recover much quicker than an iPhone.

Lastly.. the only reliable way that we've found to keep the iPad from going into serious or critical thermal modes, during the course of normal usage, was a X-Naut iPad holder.
 
bit late I guess... nevertheless, had a X-Naut iPad mini mount for almost 2 years now, very happy with it, and would definitely buy again.

There are not too many alternative too cool an iPad, and whilst ice buckets could work, it ain’t that practical. So air cooling of any kind is beneficial.
Caution, if your iPad overheated whilst parked on the ground someplace, it will take ages to return to life with the X-Naut for cooling. When it happens I usually crank the slider open some and hold the device in the prop slipstream (yes, we’re still groundborne). Better yet, the X-Naut permits a quick removal of your iPad to be placed in the shadow whilst going for that $$$ (€€€) pizza (or burger)...
 
bit late I guess... nevertheless, had a X-Naut iPad mini mount for almost 2 years now, very happy with it, and would definitely buy again.

There are not too many alternative too cool an iPad, and whilst ice buckets could work, it ain’t that practical. So air cooling of any kind is beneficial.
Caution, if your iPad overheated whilst parked on the ground someplace, it will take ages to return to life with the X-Naut for cooling. When it happens I usually crank the slider open some and hold the device in the prop slipstream (yes, we’re still groundborne). Better yet, the X-Naut permits a quick removal of your iPad to be placed in the shadow whilst going for that $$$ (€€€) pizza (or burger)...

Not too late at all. I appreciate hearing from been-there-done-that folks. Much more valuable than those who do not have hands on experience.

I wonder if the Minis handle heat better? In my case I experienced the overheating - shutdown warning while doing taxi tests - probably about the hottest environment for a plane. it was about 84 degrees but the direcdt sun was probably the main cause of my overheating. Plus in my tip-up -6a there is no shade at all. A kroger may also be in my future.....
 
If your cockpit is too hot for the computers, maybe it’s too hot for the pilot too. I love my Kroger sun shade and have not experienced an iPad shutdown. The iPad is mounted on a Ram mount right in front of the fresh air vent which probably helps. I’ve considered drilling large holes in non critical areas of the Ram mount so the cooling air can get at the back of the iPad better.

Bevan.
 
Not too late at all. I appreciate hearing from been-there-done-that folks. Much more valuable than those who do not have hands on experience.

I wonder if the Minis handle heat better? In my case I experienced the overheating - shutdown warning while doing taxi tests - probably about the hottest environment for a plane. it was about 84 degrees but the direcdt sun was probably the main cause of my overheating. Plus in my tip-up -6a there is no shade at all. A kroger may also be in my future.....

Here in Australia, my Ipad Mini has overheated shutdown on a number of occasions when flying after some time when sun is shining on it. Move it to hold it is airflow of a fresh air vent gets it cool and it will reboot
I realise I should not be a child of the magenta line, but I carry a Garmin 660 as a back up.
 
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