Mini Tripletek overheating

[Peter Kovari]

I recently invested in a Mini Tripletek tablet running TopHat.

This is a really nice and much smaller tablet, highly sunlight readable and more manageable in size than the 7" or 8" tablets.

The problems I had encountered is a pesky overheating warning on hot or even warm days, and even at higher altitudes where it is cooler, but as the unit is still exposed to direct sun.

I have it connected to a ClerNav xc vario/flight computer which feeds data and 5v via a IOIO device. Also, and despite the large internal battery the 5v external charge can't keep up with the power drain. 

I would be interested in any comments and advise.

[Soartech]

I did not think TopHat (version 2 ?) would run on a new version of Android. What versions is this tablet running?

Does the Mini have it's own GPS chip? If you are feeding GPS data from a ClearNav then maybe you could turn off "Location" in the tablet and it would run a bit cooler. Probably not enough.

Maybe try covering the unit with shiny reflective metal tape. That should greatly reduce sun heating compared to a black case. This should be OK since you are not using the built-in GPS.

[son_of_flubber]

I have a T-mini.  It gets hot even when charging in the shade.  Maybe you could just run it off the internal battery when flying?  The screen is 1300 nits at max brightness, so it would probably work fine at 1000 nits.

On Monday, September 2, 2024 at 11:07:50 AM UTC-4 Peter Kovari wrote:

[Peter Kovari]

Thank you for your responses.

The mini like most smartphones has an internal GPS which works just fine, but I much prefer an external source for adjusted pressure altitudes, external gps, etc., a flight computer offers.

I have been always running all my tablet devices in airplane mode, otherwise it would really drain the battery.

Tripletek claims five hours battery time which maybe correct as I had a seven-hour flight a couple of months ago with about 25% capacity left showing.

IMO that's just not enough. My other devices I used prior, would still show about 60%+ with the 5v power supply after about seven hours.

I thought of a faster charging cable, if there is such thing, but that would just increase the overheating problems. Any thoughts on this?

Tripletek claims the overheating warning coming on at 122F. It has been nowhere near that hot unless they claim it to be in the shade?

The reflecting metal tape maybe on option, and I also thought of a small wet towel wrapped around the back of the cradle to help cooling it. Or even a micro electric fan, but I wouldn't know where to start. I wonder if this had been done by someone in the past? 

[Tom Seim]

It can easily get that hot if exposed to the sun, and it is hard to not have it exposed in a glider cockpit.

Tom 2G