Is a cooler an acceptable insulator from the heat?

[kylebacc]

So I live in Florida. And I have a black 4R. And I'm 20.

Living in Florida means it's hot. Very hot. Having a black 4Runner means cabin temperature is even hotter than very hot. Being 20 means I have a lot of electronic gizmos and gadgets.

Here's my problem, I have to take all these little devices out of my car every time I get in and out of it, because I am afraid to fry them in the sun. My stock radio even went crazy on me one hot day, and that's meant to be in the truck! Luckily, it went back to normal the next day.

I carry around a lot a beer in this cooler that I have because my friends and I like to frequent different pools depending on the day, where people are at that day, etc etc. But when I get home, I'm always to lazy to take the cooler out of the truck, and it usually sits there for 2 or 3 days in the trunk. When I finally get to taking it out, the ice has melted, but the water is still very cold. This must mean that the cooler is acting as a pretty good insulator for the water not to be as hot as the bottle I left in the cupholder right?

So if I were to get a small, good quality cooler, do you think putting my little electronics in it would be an acceptable way to keep them from getting killed? Obviously without the ice that accompanies the beer in the other cooler.

Thoughts? :reddance:

 

[fourwd1]

Yes.

 

[techno]

No.
.

 

[MikesToy]

I have a mink blanket i keep in the back. That's where i tuck in my PSP and Nintendo DS. On top of that i always close my tonneau cover. They haven't broken/melted yet. It does get upto 90 degrees in CO but inside the vehicle it could be more.

 

[kylebacc]

Yes.

No.
.

I feel as if I may be getting conflicting answers here. Anyone care to elaborate? :ybrick: LOL

 

[RonMAIDEN]

The water in the cooler is only cold becasue it's the residual coolness from the ice that had melted and if you had started with say room temp water the water would increase if sitting in a truck with temps over 100f.

The cooler would insulate a little from getting as hot but the air in the cooler will still increase in temps as temps rise in the cabin.

 

[kylebacc]

The water in the cooler is only cold becasue it's the residual coolness from the ice that had melted and if you had started with say room temp water the water would increase if sitting in a truck with temps over 100f.

The cooler would insulate a little from getting as hot but the air in the cooler will still increase in temps as temps rise in the cabin.

I realize that but do you suppose that it would increase past the safe temperature for most electronics?

 

[techno]

It all depends on time and actual temps. The cooler will help a little as long as it is out of direct sunlight and not left in the car for longer than a few hours.

 

[fourwd1]

If your that worried get yourself one of those 12VDC cooler/warmers. Small ones are like $30-40.

I have a mink blanket i keep in the back. That's where i tuck in my PSP and Nintendo DS

Or do like he said.

 

[b.abe825]

I'm from Texas, and it's gets pretty hot here too. 90 is cool and comfortable during the summer...

Technically a cooler could be used to insulate from heat and cold depending on what you want to acheive. I think for your application it wouldn't be best. I think the heat is not as big an issue for you as the humidity. The heat plus moisture is likely to make electronics go crazy at lower temperatures than they would otherwise.

Just theory, no proof.

So I'd just keep them in the shade and leave a window cracked for circulation.

 

[Cole McGinnis]

I'm from Texas, and it's gets pretty hot here too. 90 is cool and comfortable during the summer...

Technically a cooler could be used to insulate from heat and cold depending on what you want to acheive. I think for your application it wouldn't be best. I think the heat is not as big an issue for you as the humidity. The heat plus moisture is likely to make electronics go crazy at lower temperatures than they would otherwise.

Just theory, no proof.

So I'd just keep them in the shade and leave a window cracked for circulation.

Ok I also live in texas on the coast near galveston. and I had an i pod freak out on me to... so I baught one of those cheap lunch coolers I keep my gps and ipod in there and I leave it in there all day wen im at school and I get out and they are as cool to the touch as they were that mornin. I havnt had a problem yet.

 

[li_runner]

I say yes, the cooler should keep the temp's down on the devices. Past 120 all bets are off for devices with no cooling solutions built in. A cooler would keep temps below that point.

Guys from Arizona should chime in, you think you have it hot in FL? lol. Last August when I was in Phoenix people still had jeans on in 120 degree heat, I was amazed. They have to know how to handle this kind of problem, I thought I had gotten into an oven by mistake when I got into my rental car there.

 

[Will_4R]

Last August when I was in Phoenix people still had jeans on in 120 degree heat, I was amazed.

I saw the same thing last year in Tucsan. Temps in the 120's and people walking around in jeans!

I think the cooler would work. It won't heat up as fast as the sounding air within the truck. It will definitely be better than nothing at all. Why not test it by sticking a thermometer inside a cooler left in your truck on a hot sunny day for several hours?

 

[chaz]

i had problems when i left my ipod on the console during the summer, i wrapped it in bubble wrap & stashed it in the glove, no more problems, so yes, i think a cooler might work fine.