Overheating issues in CarDock?

[mr_brady]

I don't think this is necessarily a Liberty ROM issue but more of a Gingerbread or Droid X in general issue.

I've noticed since running leaks of Gingerbread (including the .596 release) when I have my phone in the Motorola CarDock, charging with the Motorola car charger and running Google Maps, the battery will not hold a 100% charge and will slowly discharge, even though it's plugged in. I'm even underclocked and very undervolted, which should make the phone run cooler.

From what I've read this is the phone's built-in "cool down mode" - when it gets too hot it turns off certain features of the phone. I've only read about it turning off the GPS, not to turn off the battery charging. They also reporting the phone showing an "overheat / cool down mode" notice, which mine has never shown.

The hottest I've seen the battery in the CarDock, running Google Maps & Pandora while in the sun on my dashboard is 118 degrees. Once I turn off all the GPS apps and run just music, it cools down a bit and charges normally.

Anybody else having this issue as well?

 

[bigfootjumpsuit]

I don't know if this helps or not, but my phone has run pretty hot since being on gingerbread. I rarely if ever got to 100 on froyo and now it seems as tho I'm over 100 most of the day.

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums

 

[berto1014]

I think it is normal. It gets pretty hot up there in the sun, not to mention running the GPS makes it run hotter. I have a motorola GPS and it also gets very hot. I wouldn't worry.

 

[busterbluth]

Do you have your car dock attached to the windshield? If so I would suggest getting one of those beanbag things that you can stick the suction cup to. This is what I do and it has several advantages. I think mine is a Gomadic beanbag.

First off, it's just closer to your eyes and your hands than being on the windshield. I pull my beanbag up the edge of dash and I can touch it comfortably while my back is still up against my car seat.

Second (and here's where it can help you out) is that I have the arm of the dock hanging just over a vent. I point the vent up and now I have a nice cool air conditioned breeze blowing on it. The phone stays cool as hell.

That said, I have seen exactly what you are talking about on long trips in my wife's car where I don't have quite the same sweet ventilation setup. One thing I noticed is that it had no trouble holding a charge for the first hour or so but it did fall off after that. I think it is a combination of heat, plus added radio strain when in areas where 3G isn't as strong. The radio eats a ton of power when if it cycles between 3G & 1x frequently. Also, Google Maps is constantly hitting the cloud so it's doing more than just looking pretty while you drive.

I don't know if you have satellite overlay turned on in Navigation while you drive, but if you do, you may want to turn it off and see how much that helps.

Good luck!

 

[mr_brady]

Thanks for all the feedback!

It's not something I'm necessarily worried about but it's a major inconvenience. I mean driving for 20 minutes or more in 72+ degree weather and it won't even charge the battery as planned. So you get to where you're going and have an 80% charge vs 100.

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums

 

[mr_brady]

Quick Update - I did a test on the 30 minute drive to work today. Outside temp was 70 degrees. Had music playing and Google Nav turned on, but on the "traffic" view which doesn't pull as much data because it's just a look-down view instead of a street view.

In the 30 minute drive to work the battery rose from 86 degrees to 107 degrees, but still charged from 90-100%. I'll try using nav directions on the way home and see if it still holds charge.

 

[jonwgee]

What's your screen brightness set to? I have to have mine cranked pretty high to see it well in the car. That may contribute to y0ur battery woes as well.....

 

[mr_brady]

What's your screen brightness set to? I have to have mine cranked pretty high to see it well in the car. That may contribute to y0ur battery woes as well.....

Mine is set to automatic brightness during the day and the lowest brightness at night (through Tasker). Today was cloudy and the screen was unusually dim - perhaps that's why the phone actually charged.

 

[mrtoto54660]

Mine does it as well. If air blows on it no problems charges. If its hot it wont charge figure its a safety thing.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[whojabacod]

Mine hit 149 while navigation was on for 30min usually is below a 100

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums

 

[wazzelby]

I noticed the same thing with the temp. I had it docked but wasn't running anything except the cardock app. Temps went sky high and the phone is really hot. I didn't have this issue with Froyo at all. If I run the nav without putting it in the car dock it doesn't get hot at all (any more than usual). Strange..

 

[wyld]

I don't know what the temp is in your area but here its been in the 90's and the usaual car dock is on the dash! Just a thought! Lol

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums

 

[Sweettreat]

The DX runs hot in the car dock, it had since day one, so its not a liberty or GB issue. I noticed alot of threads generated this time last year about this subject, and they died out during winter, and now that its summer they are popping back up. The sun on the dash puts the phone over the edge.

DX on LGBv.6

 

[mr_brady]

Did and interesting test this morning. It was a bit cooler than normal 68 vs 72 and cloudy on the 40 minute drive to work.

I disabled CarDock (app) but had my car in the Motorola Car Dock. Was streaming Pandora the whole time with Google Nav running in "Nav" view (not the "above" view) and Bluetooth connected.

The phone continued to charge just fine and didn't seem to overheat. Charge went from 40% to 60% during the commute.

I'm starting to wonder if it's the CarDock app.

 

[wyld]

Car dock works just fine for me I don't use mine in the car dock on those really sunny hot days!!!!

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums