How cold is to cold?

[DennisExit100]

Here in Jersey it's been somedays below 0 with the wind chill. The other day we went out and my head phones started to " crackle " We dress for the cold to detect but how cold would it have to be to interfear with the detector to make it not work right or do damage???? Just wondering

 

[GeorgeinSC]

Dont know how cold it would be to cause the detector/headphone a problem but Cold and Batteries do not play well together. Battery output tends to drop drastically the colder it becomes.

 

[TrpnBils]

I was out in 5* with -10* windchill last weekend and everything was working just like it does in the summer. One thing I have heard though is not to heat it up too fast when you bring it in so that you avoid condensation in the control box and a possible short.

 

[ironsight]

A lot would depend on what grade the IC chips and other components are rated at.

Some typical electronic component ambient temperature ratings (without thermal derating):
-Commercial, 0 to 85 deg.C (+32 to 185 deg F) which includes most home applications
-Industrial, -40 to 125 deg C (-40 to 257 deg F)
-Mil Spec, -55 to 125 deg C (-67 to 257 deg F)

The components and design the detector's mfg'er used can be reflected in the detector's advertised ambient operating temperature.

GeorgeSC is right about the batteries dependent on the batteries used.
Most off the shelf batteries are most efficient around 70 degF. Below 0 degF, most batteries discharge rate is severly degraded or stops functioning.
NiCad and specially designed Lithium batteries can function down to -40C but at a reduced discharge rate.
Some high end alkaline batteries can be rated from -20 to 54 degC such as the Duracell Ultra.

In addition, there can be a lot of electrical spring and other contacts used in a typical detector design such as battery contacts, marginal/cold solder connections, chip sockets, cable connectors etc. Metal contracts when cold as will any electrical contact used in the design.

As a rule of thumb, the more electrical contacts are used in a product's design, the less the reliability of that product.

 

[airscapes]

I have had trouble in cold weather with the sensitive of the MD. When below 40 I can not set the sensitively to max without overload. This is due the fact (according one of whites engineers) that the CM GT is a firmware based MD and does not have a lot of user adjustments. The build it right on the edge with the maximum sensitive but still stable for a temperature rang and when you go beyond that range Resistance values in the components and coil change. I measured the resistance of my coils at room temp and refrigerator temp and they in fact do change. Higher end units with sufficient user control will obviously have less trouble. LCD screens are another area of concern since they Liquid Crystal Display do not perform well in extreme temp be it high or low. As already stated batteries have less capacity the colder they get. They do not "Loose" power, the chemical reaction that produce electricity is just less efficient in the cold so the seem to be going dead. Once brought back to normal temp they will then work as expected.. To me too cold is when I am uncomfortable .. and it is toooo cold right now!
Hope that helps.

 

[Mega]

As i am a fair weather detectorist i cannot see the fun of detecting in the rain and ultra cold weather,i have not noticed any problems with detectors working in the cold,one thing is batteries dont seem to be happy in that type of enviroment and also plastic can get very brittle and snap say like coil lugs that type of thing due to the extreme cold.

 

[ironsight]

I have had trouble in cold weather with the sensitive of the MD. When below 40 I can not set the sensitively to max without overload. This is due the fact (according one of whites engineers) that the CM GT is a firmware based MD and does not have a lot of user adjustments. The build it right on the edge with the maximum sensitive but still stable for a temperature rang and when you go beyond that range Resistance values in the components and coil change. I measured the resistance of my coils at room temp and refrigerator temp and they in fact do change. Higher end units with sufficient user control will obviously have less trouble. LCD screens are another area of concern since they Liquid Crystal Display do not perform well in extreme temp be it high or low. As already stated batteries have less capacity the colder they get. They do not "Loose" power, the chemical reaction that produce electricity is just less efficient in the cold so the seem to be going dead. Once brought back to normal temp they will then work as expected.. To me too cold is when I am uncomfortable .. and it is toooo cold right now!
Hope that helps.

Yeah, if the firmware is that rigid and it was calibrated in the lab at room temperature, that could be an issue.
Well written flexable firmware will adjust itself to ambient temps using a simple temp sensor in order for the software to change important compensating variables.
Modern automotive computer systems do this all the time.
Detector companies design for the average user vs. cost effectiveness... counting on the fact no one is gonna detect in zero degree weather. Geuss they haven't been reading this forum!

I'm with you, its too dam cold out not to mention frozen ground to detect.

 

[DennisExit100]

Thanks all .. a lot of GOOD information here, learned a lot. About the cold, Living in the north all my life you get used to it. Just got to dress right plus I'm not one that can sit indoors all day. I go nuts. Plus another advantage is that there's no crowds and you have the beaches to yourself.

 

[bootyhoundpa]

The salt water in Delaware bay is freezing causing ferry delays....THAT is TOO COLD....