V1 and heat = going in for service.

I just got back from a long road trip and discovered a problem with my V1...

When it's not hot (driving at night, for instance) it is amazing. It picked up forward facing 35.5 from between 1/4 and 1/2 mile. It picked up over the hill Ka very well in general, and my favorite;

It picked up instant on, forward facing, over-the-hill 34.7!:eek:

That's the good news on how it does when it's not hot.

Here's the bad news;

It sucks when it gets hot.

I called V1 today and was a little nervous because the lady I spoke with said running two detectors on the same car was "not a valid test." I tried to explain that The SRX is a remote-mount unit with it's antenna located outside of the car and I have ran them in the past with no problems but she seemed unconvinced.

With that in mind, here is the long letter I sent to V1 with my unit....

Hi. My name is Mike and my new V1 (about three months old) seems to have a problem operating at full sensitivity when hot.

Here is the background;

My V1 was purchased for a car that I seldom drive. Both the car and the V1 spend most of their life in my garage, in the dark.

Shortly after buying the V1 I had the opportunity to test it, head-to-head against my wife’s three year old, remote-mount Escort SRX in her Dodge Magnum RT. (Not the car I bought it for) I was a little concerned about running two radar detectors on the same car, but did some research on radardetector.net and found another owner that runs his V1 and Escort SR7+ (also a remote-mount setup, with the radar antenna mounted outside the car, under the front bumper.) on his Corvette with no problems.

The “test” was a road trip of about 1000 miles with most of the driving done at night.

The SRX performed as it always has. (Good detection, and “ok” over-the-hill protection with Ka) The V1, however, did better than any radar detector I have ever owned! (And I have owned many, high-end Bel and Escort products dating back to the late 90’s) I was very impressed, and wrote a lengthy review on the website mentioned above.

I hardwired the V1 in my 350Z and used it on another road trip of about 2000 miles. It performed as well as it had in tandem with my wife’s SRX and I was again impressed with its capabilities. This trip, however, was done mostly daylight hours and I was concerned about how hot the V1 got in the sunlight. (It’s mounted on the windshield, just below my rear-view mirror.) The cabin was, of course, air-conditioned the whole trip but the V1 still got very warm in the sunlight. The temperature of the metal case concerned me enough to run my AC in “defrost” mode for much of the trip to send cool air up the windshield and to the V1. This worked well to keep the V1 cool and as I mentioned above, it performed great.

I was concerned that my hardwire-install had something to do with the V1’s high operating temperature so I used the cigarette-lighter cord a few days after we got home and it only took about 10-20 minutes (in the same air-conditioned car, but mounted in the same direct-sunlight location) to get up to the same approximate temperature that prompted me running my AC in “defrost” on the road trip.

I thought that maybe the unit felt “hot” because it had a metal case that transferred heat from internal components better than other plastic-cased radar detectors. I did a little research and read that many V1 veterans say the V1 does feel hot when operating and they have no problems with their V1’s performance or reliability. Some even mentioned that they leave their units baking on the windshield when the car is parked for long periods in the sun, and their units power up and run fine when they get back in the car.

Now to the problem;

Thinking that my “defrost” AC approach was just being paranoid, I did another head-to-head with my wife’s SRX on a recent road trip that totaled just under 3K miles. This time, though the day / night driving was split up pretty evenly and the results seem to have exposed a problem with my V1. When the unit is relatively cool, such as nighttime driving, it outperforms the SRX handily.

But, when the sun is out and it is running hot, its performance is scary-bad.

On the first leg of the trip, at night, the V1 picked up forward-facing 35.5 (SRX in SPEC mode) from a FL. DOT car that already had a customer, between ¼ and ½ mile away! The SRX alerted about 500 feet away. (It outperformed the SRX on all other encounters too, but that was the best one.)

We spent a few days in Alabama where my V1 sat on my nightstand in the room.

The next leg of the trip was to the Corvette plant in Bowling Green Kentucky, during the day and I put the V1 on the windshield for the trip. This time, when my V1 got hot in the sun I did not change the AC settings to “defrost” and try to cool it down. (The kids in the back seat would have probably protested anyway) The V1, on this leg of the trip, got spanked by the SRX on every encounter. On one encounter, I picked up 35.5 on the SRX, from a patrol car that was pointed in my direction. The SRX alerted before the parked patrol car came in view and started going nuts as we approached. The V1 was completely silent until we were right on top of the patrol car! I cycled power on the V1 to “reset” it and noticed it was hot. (Like a car-stereo amp that’s working hard. Not going to burn you, but not something you want to keep your hand on either.) We took the tour of the plant, where the V1 got a break in the glove compartment. We then continued on to just south of Cincinnati Ohio, with the V1 back on the windshield. The second leg of this daytime trip went bad for the V1 also. There were a few 34.7 encounters and the V1 lagged way behind the SRX in alerting. It was still better on the K-band door openers near the highway but that was about the only thing it did better than the SRX for this portion of our vacation.

On this leg of the trip, I knew my V1 needed service. The V1 sat in our room for a few days again until it was time to make the trip home to SW Fl.

With the V1 mounted on the windshield from 7:30am and through the last 1k miles of our trip. I saw the performance start strong in the morning, fade badly in the heat of the day, and improve to stellar in the evening.


While I am not a radar expert, I do have over a decade’s experience in the field of electronics as Ground Radio Repairman for the USMC from 91-95 and a commercial electronics tech with a civilian company for over 11 years. I have said “Intermittent problems make technicians look bad.” for years, and that’s why I wrote this lengthy description of the problem. Please understand that I expect the unit to work fine if it is connected to a test bench in an air-conditioned building. It isn’t heating up from the operation of its internal components. It’s getting hot from direct sunlight (even though the car(s) are air-conditioned) and only then having issues. I am sure that the heat caused by life on a windshield was considered when the unit was designed, so I am guessing that a component or group of components that should be able to operate under these temperatures is failing or drifting out of tolerance.

As a technician myself, I appreciate the difficulty in fixing an intermittent problem and hope my lengthy description assists in troubleshooting and repairing the problem.


In case this letter and my V1 ever get separated the Serial number for my unit is XXXXXXXXXX.

Thank you,

Michael

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Z1NONLY

I just got back from a long road trip and discovered a problem with my V1...

When it's not hot (driving at night, for instance) it is amazing. It picked up forward facing 35.5 from between 1/4 and 1/2 mile. It picked up over the hill Ka very well in general, and my favorite;

It picked up instant on, forward facing, over-the-hill 34.7!:eek:

That's the good news on how it does when it's not hot.

Here's the bad news;

It sucks when it gets hot.

I called V1 today and was a little nervous because the lady I spoke with said running two detectors on the same car was "not a valid test." I tried to explain that The SRX is a remote-mount unit with it's antenna located outside of the car and I have ran them in the past with no problems but she seemed unconvinced.

With that in mind, here is the long letter I sent to V1 with my unit....

Hi. My name is Mike and my new V1 (about three months old) seems to have a problem operating at full sensitivity when hot.

Here is the background;

My V1 was purchased for a car that I seldom drive. Both the car and the V1 spend most of their life in my garage, in the dark.

Shortly after buying the V1 I had the opportunity to test it, head-to-head against my wife’s three year old, remote-mount Escort SRX in her Dodge Magnum RT. (Not the car I bought it for) I was a little concerned about running two radar detectors on the same car, but did some research on radardetector.net and found another owner that runs his V1 and Escort SR7+ (also a remote-mount setup, with the radar antenna mounted outside the car, under the front bumper.) on his Corvette with no problems.

The “test” was a road trip of about 1000 miles with most of the driving done at night.

The SRX performed as it always has. (Good detection, and “ok” over-the-hill protection with Ka) The V1, however, did better than any radar detector I have ever owned! (And I have owned many, high-end Bel and Escort products dating back to the late 90’s) I was very impressed, and wrote a lengthy review on the website mentioned above.

I hardwired the V1 in my 350Z and used it on another road trip of about 2000 miles. It performed as well as it had in tandem with my wife’s SRX and I was again impressed with its capabilities. This trip, however, was done mostly daylight hours and I was concerned about how hot the V1 got in the sunlight. (It’s mounted on the windshield, just below my rear-view mirror.) The cabin was, of course, air-conditioned the whole trip but the V1 still got very warm in the sunlight. The temperature of the metal case concerned me enough to run my AC in “defrost” mode for much of the trip to send cool air up the windshield and to the V1. This worked well to keep the V1 cool and as I mentioned above, it performed great.

I was concerned that my hardwire-install had something to do with the V1’s high operating temperature so I used the cigarette-lighter cord a few days after we got home and it only took about 10-20 minutes (in the same air-conditioned car, but mounted in the same direct-sunlight location) to get up to the same approximate temperature that prompted me running my AC in “defrost” on the road trip.

I thought that maybe the unit felt “hot” because it had a metal case that transferred heat from internal components better than other plastic-cased radar detectors. I did a little research and read that many V1 veterans say the V1 does feel hot when operating and they have no problems with their V1’s performance or reliability. Some even mentioned that they leave their units baking on the windshield when the car is parked for long periods in the sun, and their units power up and run fine when they get back in the car.

Now to the problem;

Thinking that my “defrost” AC approach was just being paranoid, I did another head-to-head with my wife’s SRX on a recent road trip that totaled just under 3K miles. This time, though the day / night driving was split up pretty evenly and the results seem to have exposed a problem with my V1. When the unit is relatively cool, such as nighttime driving, it outperforms the SRX handily.

But, when the sun is out and it is running hot, its performance is scary-bad.

On the first leg of the trip, at night, the V1 picked up forward-facing 35.5 (SRX in SPEC mode) from a FL. DOT car that already had a customer, between ¼ and ½ mile away! The SRX alerted about 500 feet away. (It outperformed the SRX on all other encounters too, but that was the best one.)

We spent a few days in Alabama where my V1 sat on my nightstand in the room.

The next leg of the trip was to the Corvette plant in Bowling Green Kentucky, during the day and I put the V1 on the windshield for the trip. This time, when my V1 got hot in the sun I did not change the AC settings to “defrost” and try to cool it down. (The kids in the back seat would have probably protested anyway) The V1, on this leg of the trip, got spanked by the SRX on every encounter. On one encounter, I picked up 35.5 on the SRX, from a patrol car that was pointed in my direction. The SRX alerted before the parked patrol car came in view and started going nuts as we approached. The V1 was completely silent until we were right on top of the patrol car! I cycled power on the V1 to “reset” it and noticed it was hot. (Like a car-stereo amp that’s working hard. Not going to burn you, but not something you want to keep your hand on either.) We took the tour of the plant, where the V1 got a break in the glove compartment. We then continued on to just south of Cincinnati Ohio, with the V1 back on the windshield. The second leg of this daytime trip went bad for the V1 also. There were a few 34.7 encounters and the V1 lagged way behind the SRX in alerting. It was still better on the K-band door openers near the highway but that was about the only thing it did better than the SRX for this portion of our vacation.

On this leg of the trip, I knew my V1 needed service. The V1 sat in our room for a few days again until it was time to make the trip home to SW Fl.

With the V1 mounted on the windshield from 7:30am and through the last 1k miles of our trip. I saw the performance start strong in the morning, fade badly in the heat of the day, and improve to stellar in the evening.


While I am not a radar expert, I do have over a decade’s experience in the field of electronics as Ground Radio Repairman for the USMC from 91-95 and a commercial electronics tech with a civilian company for over 11 years. I have said “Intermittent problems make technicians look bad.” for years, and that’s why I wrote this lengthy description of the problem. Please understand that I expect the unit to work fine if it is connected to a test bench in an air-conditioned building. It isn’t heating up from the operation of its internal components. It’s getting hot from direct sunlight (even though the car(s) are air-conditioned) and only then having issues. I am sure that the heat caused by life on a windshield was considered when the unit was designed, so I am guessing that a component or group of components that should be able to operate under these temperatures is failing or drifting out of tolerance.

As a technician myself, I appreciate the difficulty in fixing an intermittent problem and hope my lengthy description assists in troubleshooting and repairing the problem.


In case this letter and my V1 ever get separated the Serial number for my unit is XXXXXXXXXX.

Thank you,

Michael

---

do you happend to know how long it takes them to send the units back once they receive them? also do they call you to let you know they received it or if its on its way back to you etc?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bobbyd

do you happend to know how long it takes them to send the units back once they receive them? also do they call you to let you know they received it or if its on its way back to you etc?

---

They said the "turnaround time" is only a few days. I shipped it ensured and have the post office "tracking it.

I think they only call me if they have questions about my problem.

I have always had trouble with my V1 and heat but its too good cold to give up

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bobbyd

do you happend to know how long it takes them to send the units back once they receive them? also do they call you to let you know they received it or if its on its way back to you etc?

---

I sent my V1 in for an upgrade on a Saturday and had it back on the following Friday. It was shipped 2 day FedEx both ways. I knew they had worked on it because I saw a pending charge on my credit card that Wednesday. So I called them up and they gave me a tracking number for the return shipping.

They will not call you just to say that they've received your detector, probably only if they need to do more work than you previously authorized or something like that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by crazyVOLVOrob

I have always had trouble with my V1 and heat but its too good cold to give up

---

I need my RD to work all the time with no babysitting.

I am sure Valentine will make it right. I can't imagine they designed it to only work when cool. Life on a windshiled is hot and that's where radar detectors live.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Z1NONLY

I need my RD to work all the time with no babysitting.

I am sure Valentine will make it right. I can't imagine they designed it to only work when cool. Life on a windshiled is hot and that's where radar detectors live.

---

Well goodluck. my v1 is not even two months old. pretty much did the same thing.
performance was down, especially during the day. my bel 985 was kicking the crap out of it, seemed like it picked up w/rear antenna farther then the front antenna. I sent it in two weeks ago. they got it on a thur. called me on friday said there was nothing wrong with it. got it back the following wed. now it get's a dedicated 2 ac vents on it, when running it during the day. and I never leave it mounted when Im not in the car. it sits in the console. I have a country joe mirror mount I run it on.

Now since I have ac vents directly on it when I do run during the day, the performance has been great....:)

Next time, break out the video camera to tape the SRX vs V1. (Similar to happy's ghosting videos.) Then get one of those IR temp readers and shoot the outside of the V1.

I just know Mike V is wondering "Well...what is hot?" The specs say like 186*F MAX I think.

So far, I have had no heat issues with my V1 (1 month), in Texas summer heat. But if I leave my Stalker in the windshield while parked in the heat long enough for lunch, it won't work for half an hour after I come back, until it cools off. I've had problems with other radar guns doing the same thing in the past.

Looks like the digital temperature compensation isn't working all that well. The V1 should not heat up enough to affect the sensitivity when it's in an air conditioned vehicle. That just doesn't make sense to me.

I'm running a 3.826 in my goat and I never have had heat issues with it. I don't need to aim AC vents at it either. The AC in the goat can achieve meat locker temperatures very quickly.

GTO_04

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GTO_04

Looks like the digital temperature compensation isn't working all that well. The V1 should not heat up enough to affect the sensitivity when it's in an air conditioned vehicle. That just doesn't make sense to me.

I'm running a 3.826 in my goat and I never have had heat issues with it. I don't need to aim AC vents at it either. The AC in the goat can achieve meat locker temperatures very quickly.

GTO_04

---

Even though my cars are well air-conditioned, The V1 is metal, black, and sitting in direct sunlight. So, like my letter to Valentine said, it gets about as hot as a car-stereo amp. Car stereo amps operate just fine at those temps and I expect my V1 to do the same.

I am sure they will take care of the problem. I have another road trip in just a couple weeks so whatever they do will be tested right after I get it.

Z1, why mount it under direct sunlight? I always mount my RD's behind blue tint area of the windshield with one of the vents pointing towards it. My rule of thumb when mounting RD's is, I don't mount my RD's under direct sunlight, don't mount it in any other areas where a vent cannot be pointed towards the RD unit specially when using RD's with magnesium cases like the V1 and the STi. I've learned a lesson 2 years ago were the V1 never made a chirp at point blank range from a LEO cruiser due to overheating.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Azonehits

Z1, why mount it under direct sunlight? I always mount my RD's behind blue tint area of the windshield with one of the vents pointing towards it. My rule of thumb when mounting RD's is, I don't mount my RD's under direct sunlight, don't mount it in any other areas where a vent cannot be pointed towards the RD unit specially when using RD's with magnesium cases like the V1 and the STi. I've learned a lesson 2 years ago were the V1 never made a chirp at point blank range from a LEO cruiser due to overheating.

---

My RVM gets in the way of the rear horn on the V1 if I go high enough to get under the "dot-matrix" shade. If I go to the side of my RVM the RD is aiming to one side or the other.

On my Z, I could use a custom mount to get my V1 mounted to the RVM. This would put it in the shade and I could get an AC vent on it. But I can't do that trick in the wife's magnum, and I don't think I should have to.

I will do some testing for this on my V1, it's about a year old. Thinking off the top of my head, the best range encounters I can remember with the V1 have all been at night which has provoked me to test this out for myself.

This summer has been pretty brutal here in NC, so it's the perfect time to test. While I have never had the V1 refuse to work 'seemingly' properly from the heat or leaving it out in the sun (rarely but I have before for quick trips inside), but I have had an x50 do that to me before, had to cool it in front of AC vents for 5 minutes before it would work again.

The Civic's windshield is very, very sloped and the windshield reveals a lot of the cabin (from a top-down or slight angle-in), so this should be the perfect car to test this in. Many times if I get in my car (it's black on black, to add insult to injury) the shifter knob (which is aluminum) will be scorching hot and leave me with a 6-speed tattoo if I am not careful. :p

I'm parked in the shade at work right now (with the V1 mounted at RVM level to the left, on driver side), but the shade seems to move quite a bit throughout the day here, so I'll see how it is when I get in and how it runs. Z1, you said that K door openers seem to have the same performance while running hot? I'm not sure if you have X on, but if so, does X seem to be the same performance too? If so, I can only hope for Ka alert on the way home to test this with, which is more than likely not going to happen today. :(

However, I will keep my eyes open and test this theory out. Perhaps if I buy the 9500ix to test it out this coming Thursday, I can run them side by side and really see how this changes using a similar test with SPEC + V1.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RanEnRui

Z1, you said that K door openers seem to have the same performance while running hot? I'm not sure if you have X on, but if so, does X seem to be the same performance too? If so, I can only hope for Ka alert on the way home to test this with, which is more than likely not going to happen today. :(

However, I will keep my eyes open and test this theory out. Perhaps if I buy the 9500ix to test it out this coming Thursday, I can run them side by side and really see how this changes using a similar test with SPEC + V1.

---

K band was always better than the SRX hot or cold. But I have X defeated on the V1 so I don't know about that.

Also K band seems very easy for every high-end detector I have ever owned, so "better than my SRX" means that it "super-duper great" instead of just "great" on K.

BTW: Running two RD's inside the same car will most likely cause them to interfere with each though.

I hope that your V1 doesn't have this problem. I hope my V1 is broken and can therefore be "fixed". If this is just how life is with a V1, then that would be very, very bad.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Z1NONLY

I hope that your V1 doesn't have this problem. I hope my V1 is broken and can therefore be "fixed". If this is just how life is with a V1, then that would be very, very bad.

---

It very well could be a weak point in the design. I haven't heard anything of anybody going to such detail about this issue. So, you may think that you are the only one, but it could be every V1 owner, if our equipment was subject to the exact conditions. I have taken a particular interest in this topic of yours because I took the AC out of the Supra. If the V1 needs supplemental cooling...well, I don't know.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FoolishOne

If the V1 needs supplemental cooling...well, I don't know.

---

I hope to have an answer for you, and everyone else, soon.

I keep mine behind my window tint and it still gets hot. I think this is one of the reasons why VR doesn't charge for re-tunes.

Doesn't matter to me since I don't mind just dropping it off at VR once a year.

mine gets super hot. I have never had a problem with its range because of how hot it was.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sajin

I have never had a problem with its range because of how hot it was.

---

This is what I expect from a high end detector like the V1.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by noTe

I keep mine behind my window tint and it still gets hot. I think this is one of the reasons why VR doesn't charge for re-tunes.

Doesn't matter to me since I don't mind just dropping it off at VR once a year.

---

I don't think it should need a "re-tune" unless a component fails or it is otherwise damaged by something outside it's expected operating perameters.

I've had my V1 since 1998 or 99, a V1.7 Software rev v2.909.

It regularly bakes in the sun with no performance loss during the hot NJ summer days.

I keep mine just below to the left of the rear view mirror, but I've had CD cases warp and the V1 just keeps on humming. Hopefully when they swap the parts it fixes your problem.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Z1NONLY

I don't think it should need a "re-tune" unless a component fails or it is otherwise damaged by something outside it's expected operating perameters.

---

You'd be surprised.

I dropped mine off two weeks ago and after they did a quick 10 minute test they told me it needed retuned so I left it there and picked it up a few days later.

That's why I have it re-tuned once a year now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ScottNJ

I've had my V1 since 1998 or 99, a V1.7 Software rev v2.909.

It regularly bakes in the sun with no performance loss during the hot NJ summer days.

I keep mine just below to the left of the rear view mirror, but I've had CD cases warp and the V1 just keeps on humming. Hopefully when they swap the parts it fixes your problem.

---

I have had the same experience with my 1.7, never a heat issue. It could be the 1.8 is more susceptible to heat issues. I have not had heat issues with my 1.8 (3.826) either, but then again I don't have the digital temperature compensation. I won't be upgrading any time soon unless there is a major upgrade!

GTO_04

I just wanted to say that mine also has been having exactly the same problems. It has now gone into VR hands 4 times. I had a older model which I had for 3-4 years and it never gave me a problem. After it got stolen at the dealership, I had to order this replacement. And this year alone I had to send it in twice. They have it right now and I am waiting to hear back from them.

I sent them a LONG letter regarding the problems just like you described. The front signals are weak, but the rears are strong and seem to be picking up everything. The front wouldn't go off sometimes for road signs but the rear would start to pick them up before I got there and then go nuts when I pass them.

They always say it needed a retune. I told them that I expect it to be fixed this time not just a retune.

I am starting to get to the point I can't trust it anymore and I need to purchase another brand.

Or I might sell it on Ebay, and purchase a new one.

I just got my V1 back today. We leave for a roadtrip monday, but I will be running it solo in our new car. We are leaving the Mothership (and the SRX) in the garage for this trip.

But the V1 will be tested....

Please report your findings. I am sure I speak for the group when I say we are all interested in the results.

First and foremost, have a safe trip.

I just got mine back yesterday and was able to run it through a test today while driving. Even though they said they didn't do anything, I can already tell it is working better. Seems they did something!

It looks like she's 100%! now. Even when she's hot.:)

The 800 mile trip up had a few encounters, including two over-the-hill Ka saves, in the heat of the day!:D

Is it by chance the 3.871?

Yes. Please tell us is it a 3.871?

I have never had this heat problem and was in Arizona for a month and it was super hot.However,i think if the radr is in the car and the AC kicks in for a bit it cools it down.

It's a 3.864.

We just got back today and it kicked @$$ again!

3.2 mile Ka warning!:eek: (probably 34.7)

And one forward-facing 1/4 mile warning from a Fl DOT car that was probably 35.5.

I ran a test here in Charlotte yesterday, 08/06/2008, it was 99 degrees F outside :eek:, thought it might be appropriate to measure the V1 temperature and the dashboard.

To preface, ’02 Camry, silver, sat in the sunlight till I drove my better half to work in the afternoon at about 1:30 PM. The V1 was in the house till I mounted it on the suction cup mount low on the windshield in direct sunlight. I know, I know, arrrgh, mount high! It’s my wife’s car, no hardwire and no speeding, I just like the company of the V1! I have no other comments, LOL! Well, on the return trip I did take advantage of the big hill on Providence Rd, hammer down!! :D

Still warm inside the car, get home, dash is still pretty warm to the touch and so is the V1. I leave the V1 on the windshield to cook. Run inside the house, get the temperature gauge and run a temperature check and catch a 15 minute phone call. The gauge is good from 0 degrees F to 220 degrees F. Head back out to the car. It’s been about 30 minutes, it’s hot in the car!

I check the center of the dash board, 138 degrees F, :eek: how do you want your eggs? V1, checking the top of the metal case, 138 degrees F also. Me, I’m sweating bullets and want to get out of the car, doors and windows are closed to keep the heat in just like in a parked car. Son calls, needs some help, I’ve got to go, end-o-test, I thank my son!! :p

So for 30 minutes with direct sunlight at 99 degrees F outside, doors and windows closed, it’s 138 degrees on the dash and so is the V1 case. I can’t tell you how hot it is in the case, but the outside case temperature was 138 degrees F. The V1 operating temperature is -4 degrees F to 158 degrees F. That is only 20 degrees left and you’re out of the operating zone.

I checked the Passport 9500i for its operating range under Specifications, I did not see any listed, but I may have missed it, anyone?

It gets a whole lot hotter in other parts of the country than Charlotte and I could have left the V1 in the sun all day and really cooked its butt. Wonder how hot it would have gotten over 138 degrees F during most of the day on the dash like in a business parking lot?

Knock on wood my V1 has held together, but I do put it up in it’s case and lock it in the glove box so it is NOT in sunlight and NOT as hot as the rest of the car in the summer, YMMV.

BC ;)

Thanks Bridge. That gives us a very rough I idea was to how hot it actually gets, and where we are within the temperature tolerance.

How did you measure the temperature?

I used a stem type gauge with an indicator on top, forgot the manufacturer. To verify the accuracy get crushed ice and water, mix and run the stem down in it. It should read 32 degrees F so if any adjustment is needed you can recalibrate the gauge.

Obviously it is not as good as a digital unit that is on the market, I’ll be the first to admit that, but it should be very close. I had not seen anyone do a reading on the interior temperatures and knew it was of consideration especially with this thread. Although I could have missed a thread with that info in it. I was a district manager in the parts division for many a year with the current largest automotive manufacturer around. The service rep’s used to use those devices to test A/C vent temperatures in customer relations cases and other areas where temperature readings were needed. They seemed to hold up as far as accuracy.

If someone has a digital device that can be calibrated and can sweat out the test in an enclosed vehicle, man it was hot!!!, :eek: I would like to see those results too. The V1 was being baked on top by the sun and on the bottom by the 138 degree F dashboard. That would hold true for any RD mounted in that position. On my other Camry that my son is borrowing I have the V1 mounted just below the passenger side visor behind the tint band where the V1 laser band is positioned just below the tint band, "slightly" cooler area.

It just looks on the surface that the inside parked vehicle temperatures, engine and A/C off, parked for a couple hours, V1 in direct sunlight, is getting close to the maximum range of the V1 during these really hot 100 degree F + summer days. At least I was about 20 degrees F shy of the 158 degrees F V1 maximum.

I also began to question what the operating temperatures are on some of the other RD’s. As I said, I did not see any listings under Specifications for any of the Passport line up on their main page, maybe someone can spot that for me. Got lazy and didn’t check Whistler or the others, might be interesting.

BC ;)

Good thread, Thanks for the info. If it starts acting up please do mention it.

I live in Orlando,FL and have a black on black car where the AC vents can not point straight up soooo this thread is very important to my decision on which detector I buy in a couple months.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CobraSTylE

Good thread, Thanks for the info. If it starts acting up please do mention it.

I live in Orlando,FL and have a black on black car where the AC vents can not point straight up soooo this thread is very important to my decision on which detector I buy in a couple months.

---

It was 105+ in Vegas and the Hoover dam this weekend and my V1 never missed a beat on the windshield trip out to Vegas or back from Los Angeles.

I believe that I probably had a temperature issue back in June with my V1 (ver. 3.826). One day, it completely missed a strong oncoming Ka-band constant-on -- just displayed "A" the whole time and never made a peep. I know the radar was active because I used my STi in spec mode to check (about 34.7 GHz). For those who post in this thread, which versions of V1 hardware/firmware were you running (both before and after any repairs)? Mine is now upgraded to ver. 3.872, but I have not had enough hot weather to really test the new version.

On decoding the version number, I believe that any change in the hundredths digit indicates a hardware change, while any change in just the thousandths digit indicates just a firmware tweek. I would guess that raw susceptibility to heat would be purely a hardware issue, but that particular temperature limits could probably be adjusted in firmware.

Also, if one version of hardware turned out to be populated with sub-par components, it is possible that VR could have identified and replaced individual components when a unit went in for repair, rather than replacing the whole board. Thus, a repaired unit of one hardware type might not have had a version change, while unrepaired examples of that same hardware version might still have the sub-par components and resulting heat susceptibility issues.

I have a 3.826 and it does the same thing. When it's hot as hell out, the range drops pretty dramatically, even after it was "tuned up".