I'm back in Dallas and I've been welcomed by 110 degree temperature. I have some gigs coming up that start right after my day job. I would have no time to go home to load. But I'm thinking it can't be a good thing to leave my gear in car with this heat. What do you guys do?

Hey Paul,
So your back in nice and cool Texas ...

I know extreme heat is bad. as extreme cold is bad. I would not leave it in the car, and would find some way to find a more suitable environment for your stuff.

I suppose if you have no choice, sunshades will help, and if you have a moon roof, open it slightly along with the windows. Park in the shade or a garage...do the best you can to keep the interior cool. All rather obvious, but other than that, maybe someone else has a suggestion

Sometimes there is no avoiding it. I have to do it myself at times. When I do I try to make sure there is no direct sunlight on it, and cover it with a reflective windshield shade to make sure.

I know that it can't be good for rubber key contacts which will eventually perish from the heat. All I can do is try to minimize the problem.

I find that if I have to have the kb in a hot car for a period of time, I'll try and go out every few hours and run the a/c on high for about 5 minutes. Usually these instruments are in decently insulated cases, which keeps a lot of the heat out. If you run your a/c every couple hours, it makes the maximum temperature inside the car much lower than if you just let it bake in their for 8 hours or so...

Is it at all possible to take the KB into where you work?

Hi Paul, Welcome back to the good ol USA buddy.
It was nice to receive your telephone call yesterday.
Congratulations on your recent home purchase.
I assume it includes a room specifically dedicated as the music studio?
Have a great time on your upcoming visit with your parents in S.California.
Man, If the distance wasn't so far, I'd drive down and meet you there.

In the meantime, here's a link to more feedback and advice regarding storing keyboard gear in a hot car:

MusicPlayer Forum- Keyboard In Hot Car

Larry,

Move to the UK and help me pay my gas bill in winter!

Sell the gear and buy a harmonica.

Buy a dog, leave it in the car with the windows open.


The USA is nice but those high temperatures, WOW!


Regards

Tony

I NEVER allow my equipment to stay in my car during our really hot times of the year. Occasionally I will drop off my equipment at the gig site and go about my daily routine and return later to play the gig. When we have really hot weather like it is now when I drive to a gig I lower the back seats of my car so the trunk can get cool air from my A/C and that has worked well.

Unless you can afford to pay for a replacement keyboard I just wouldn't do it.

Deane

Never leave your gear in a car exposed to direct sunlight during the summer months! Keep i mind that temperatures in your car can exceed 160 degrees when the air temperature is 90 and the car is exposed to direct sunlight. These temperatures can be damaging to a number of components, especially the display and keypads.

Good Luck,

Gary

Funny, there's no posts from Canada. ;-)

That's because they only have two seasons--Winter and the August Civic Holiday, which is the first Monday in August!

Gary

Almost right, Gary. It's actually Winter and Road Construction.:-)

That is because the igloo's last long into the summer

I have two old Solton (Ketron) MS-60's from the mid-90's. They are my "junker" keyboards...used for outside jobs and when there is a possibility of damage.

Thing is, they are TANKS....made of metal and heavy as hell. I keep one in the back seat of my CR-V the entire summer season. The other, newer one is the back-up, and the first one simply won't die!

The newer SD-5 is the "grandchild" of the MS-60's and built the same way; metal case and all.

Like I say: Ketron make some good products, but everything else, from business ethics to product support pretty much sucks.

And that's a damn shame!


Russ

Well guys, yesterday I played a gig and the outside temp reached 109!. When I packed up my car to go home the temp in my car, even with the windows cracked about an inch, was 122! I was partially parked in the shade too. No way I would leave my gear in the car here in Dallas during the summer.

Deane

I'm at the job on the patio right now. Temp is still 106. No customers out here yet. I must admit I've been leaving gear in the truck some.
No damage except velcro came undone from the sticky side. Everything is in heavy bags and I park in the shade.
I have a few days off after tonight so will put everything in the garage tonight.
DonM

I would leave my equipment in extreme cold - but never in extreme heat. You could easily melt the circuits.

When you leave it in extreme cold just make sure you defrost - you can snap cables and bust tweeters if you don't.