Safe to keep RC equipment in a hot car while at work?
 

Question - do you keep your RC stuff in your car while at work? What temp outside do you start to worry about damage?

The local track is a 2min drive from my work so I have been bringing my RC cars and equipment to work and leaving them in my car (except for the lipos they are in a bag I always bring with me inside just in case). It has been cool so far this year (low 70s F) but it for sure will heat up soon. If you crack the windows and use a windshield cover, at what outside temp do you think is too much?

I would bring it inside but I always get mixed reactions from people and it can become a distraction. I guess I could keep the cars in something so they are not visible..

I am not worried about theft during the day, our lot has a parking attendant.

I would think that you should be OK with everything except batteries. I wouldn't want to risk leaving Lipo's in a hot car.

Wow - that is crazy the body melted. Thanks for the info. I am sure it is fine today - I think the max temp is 80F and my car is in partial shade.

Will have to rethink it later on as it gets to 95F+

cover with a large cloth... like used for taking a shower.... the sun melts stuff.. so COVER it...

fyi bodies can deform at about 150 degrees... so keep body out of the sun.

id never expose Rc gear batteries esc to excessive car temps.. if I need my gear after work then I go get it from safe temperature controlled pole barn..

My stuff is in the garage and has been for years
closed garage in Tx. It's 93 outside and 10-15 degrees hotter in the garage.
Never had aproblem.
I keep tires, battery and chargers in house.

Valley California weather here so gets into the triple digits often enough in the summer

I park in a spot that gets shady in the afternoon so at least in the peak heat its not getting as much influence from radiant heating from the sun. I also just crack the windows to help the inside of the car normalize.

Otherwise I just bring the batteries into work with me. On a really hot day I would also take the transmitter battery out to.....i think after that the electronics are generally able to cope with getting 125 or so. I used to be concerned about the LCD screens on the transmitter and charger but never have had a problem.

The suggestion to use a large towel to cover your gear from direct sunlight is a good idea too.

Never leave lipos and eletronics closed on a sunny day closed on a 1:1 car.

I lefted my remote one day in the begining, maybe 8 years ago and was dead when i was going to use it.

So never lefted anymore RC gear at sun on a closed car, after that. I learned the lesson the hard way. Not the worst, cause lipos could ignite and fire the 1:1...but a dead tx...was enough...

You have been warned!! Seriously. Even last year eard on the news...a baby was left on a hot sunny day car and 2 hours later was not alive anymore....... :(

I've done it for 1 year now, no problem so far in L.A, Ca.

The club in my area has a Wed night program that starts at 6pm prompt... just enough time for me to get there when I leave straight from work. Here in Texas we see heat up to 115°F in the summer so I make sure to park under a tree.

I always remove the batteries from my cars and will bring my charger + packs in a carry case into the building and will charge my packs an hour before I leave work at my desk.

It's very important to minimize the time packs are charged in a nice cool office and then exposed to extreme heat because heat will cause voltage to spike which can effect IR and packs can swell.

Dfw area checking in.

I leave my stuff in the car but not in direct sunlight and no batteries. I carry them inside with me.