IPad Cooling

MD11Pilot

MD11Pilot

Line Up and Wait
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MD11Pilot
Does anyone use one of the XNaut IPad cases with the built in fans? Curious as to how you like it etc. I use a leg strap to hold my IPad Mini on my leg and also have the Apple cover but I have noticed that it is dimming and gets fairly hot. I have my overheard AC vent blowing near it but not on it.

Recommendations for anything else you might use. I do not have any place to put a RAM mount unless I put it on the copilot yoke.
 
I use it. The contraption sits in a perfect greenhouse in the Sierra. Summer sun and heat hasn't stopped the iPad with the x-naut working. In comparison, even winter sun would get the iPad too hot during some flights.

I have it usb'd to the aircraft cigar power port which is on the hot battery buss. The fans keep running while the iPad sleeps during the cheeseburger or pie pickup. Haven't had an overheat since getting the x-naut. Also, haven't tried the on board battery set up yet but that's a cool option.

I suggest one. Post pics of how it all works o in your aeroplane.
 
MD11Pilot said:
Does anyone use one of the XNaut IPad cases with the built in fans? Curious as to how you like it etc. I use a leg strap to hold my IPad Mini on my leg and also have the Apple cover but I have noticed that it is dimming and gets fairly hot. I have my overheard AC vent blowing near it but not on it.

Recommendations for anything else you might use. I do not have any place to put a RAM mount unless I put it on the copilot yoke.
Click to expand...

I use it as well, but not on my knee. It is on a suction cup on the window, flew +- 45 hours with it in Arizona last month. Never had any issues with overheating. If you connect a powerbank to it, it will not be heavy and works like a charm. Beside that, I do think the device is overpriced... I bought it last year thinking it was expensive but the price increased a lot (+- $60) since then.

Oh and by the way, if you connect the RAM round bullet thing to it to mount it anywhere, it will be fixed with screws and this will make it not fit in most flight bags.
 
I have flown with an iPad since 2011. Early on I read about overheating when left in the direct Sunlight. Learning that, I have avoided the chance for it to be in direct sunlight, and have never experienced problems due to overheating. That is with two different iPads over the years.
 
I use an Xnaut for my Mini and love it. I have never had one shut down in 5+ years of flying with it in direct sunlight with Beech and Mooney aircraft. I have had it shut down on me when flying with just a basic Ram mount however. I wasn't going to build my own, so bought one when they were on sale and haven't looked back. Had one for the larger iPad's and liked that as well. I run mine off ships power so no batteries required.

Cheers,
Brian
 
I've never had my overheat, but I also do not have my iPad mounted anywhere nor leave it on anymore than necessary. I only use it for reference when I need it then stow it. Less cockpit clutter.
 
Thanks all. In my airline flying we used the Pivot and when the sun shined directly on it, we would occasionally “lose” one. In my personal airplane, air conditioned but sitting on my leg I am afraid it is getting a bit warm. I tend to keep it on constantly despite the 530 and an Aera 796. There is no room for a yoke mount.
 
So after several dimming/shutdowns in a C172 with iPad 10.5 on my lap after 45-60 mins on, I got the x naut with high hopes. But today using the x naut flying eastbound with the sun shining directly onto my lap, approx. 80 F in the cockpit, It started dimming after about 45 mins even with the x naut on (didn’t shutdown though). I put it on the floor for about 10 mins and got it back just in time for the approach, but I was very disappointed. I prefer to keep it on because it gives me ADSB aircraft data for the surrounding area and that was one of the main reasons I got the iPad. Very disappointed. I’m wondering as I sit here if the vents are somehow being blocked the way it is sitting, even though the vents are not flat on the bottom of the device.

On the return flight 60 mins going in the opposite direction, I had no problem. So it is definitely an issue with direct sunlight.
 
I wonder about high wing vs low wing overheating issues. I’ve only flown high wing airplanes (because they’re soooooo much cooler than low wing pavement pounders) and never had my iPad overheat in any of them.
 
I run three iOS devices in my plane not a single one has overheated in flight. All are white faced, one is on the yoke, usually in some fashion of direct light. I prefer the black faced iDevice but buy white knowing it stops up heat.

Only one time has it overheated..... sitting on the ramp, left on yoke, in sunlight for an hour or so.
 
Well mine is black so maybe that is a contributor. The general lack of overheating issues in high wing airplanes makes me think it is something specific to my use. I mean it wasn’t like it was 120 deg. It was definitely warm in the cockpit but I was still in a high wing airplane and there was only a limited amount of sun getting to it. It felt warm to touch but I wouldn’t say it was burning up either. It’s brand new so I don’t think it is an iPad defect either.
 
I fly my drones with a black iPad and it is definitely a major issue in the summer since there is rarely shade I can stand under while maintaining VLOS during an inspection...
 
I have the PIVOT cooling case on mine and haven't had it overheat since using that.
 
I had one overheat shortly after takeoff. C-172, it sat in the sun while I had lunch. It eventually came back- until then I was flying to intercept the Platte river, follow it to I-80, thence to KMLE.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
I had one overheat shortly after takeoff. C-172, it sat in the sun while I had lunch. It eventually came back- until then I was flying to intercept the Platte river, follow it to I-80, thence to KMLE.
Click to expand...


Take it off and slide it under your thigh. Thermodynamics are a great thing....
 
I added a couple of small CPU fans to the back of a RAM iPod mount for a friend. It seems to work OK or him.
He plug it into the 12v outlet.
Sorry, I didn't take any pictures.
 
Last edited:
Unit74 said:
Take it off and slide it under your thigh. Thermodynamics are a great thing....
Click to expand...
Huh? Take it off what? After we got to altitude, I opened the window and got cooler air in the plane. After 10-15 minutes, it worked again.
 
Your IToy is performing in accordance with it's published specs.
 
C182 with yoke mount. Had my Mini overheat a few times.

I put a Ram mount the back and swap out the regular iPad cradle for the Xnaut on the warmer summer days and works great.

I don't need it all that often so I just battery up as needed.

...and no, I did not need to scrub the flight cuz my iPad shut down so just shush...I had my G430 still providing my magenta line.
 
If you keep it out of the sun and remove from a insulating case, you won’t have any issues.


Tom
 
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