cold computer
 

When its cold out, about 45*F and under, the screen on the computer goes half blank.Its about 6 mos old .Is this normal?

What kind is it, make, model? I have a specialized Sportzone and it acts fine at those temps--in fact it acted fine when I rode in 27ºF. What does the manual state in the troubleshooting section?

That is not normal.
Mine has turned black at 120 degrees here in Arizona.

When I was using Avocets, the screen would go black at around minus 10 deg C (about 14 deg F). My current Sigma has been just fine (been using them for years), but the coldest I've ridden with them so far has been minus 5 deg C (22 deg F). I would say your computer is toast.

L.

Your making me do my own homework. Yuck!Its a cateye strada, looked up the range.32*F to 104*F.Also says it might act up before that exact temp.I don't need no stinking computer! I usually know how fast I'm going.And really just need to know milage when on a new route.

Half blank, as in half the display doesn't work? I'd call a hairline crack in a trace on the electronics - the computer is toast.

Or it might be condensation inside the computer that has interfered with the display. Take it inside, let it stand to let whatever moisture is in there to dry out, test it again. I know that some sealed bearings have an issue with vapour being drawn in past the seals when being stored in a warmer place, then being taken outside into cold temps with high humidity. The same may have applied in this case.

So would I

If it is LCD it is normal for the screen to start having display problems as the ambient temperature decreases. On the devices I own some start giving problems in the low 40's and some will display down to the mid-20's. All go blank by the time winter temperatures are encountered.

A good way to check if the display problem is temperature or malfunction is to cover the computer display with your hand. If it recovers with the additional warmth then temperature is probably the cause. If going back to normal doesn't happen when it is warmed then you probably have a defective display that needs replacing.

The mid 20s aren't Winter temps?!? Wow, it must really get cold where you are.

I've run my cateye enduro 8 at -20c. It gets a bit slow to refresh, at that temperature I'm slow as well.

My Garmin Edge 500 display is good to at least 12 °F - the lowest temperature I've used it thus far this winter. I have noted that the temperature reading becomes inaccurate below maybe 20 °F - it reads consistently high by a few degrees as compared to nearby weather stations at the same time (checked after the ride). I have a theory that this is a small amount of waste heat coming from the unit, but I"m not sure (It's not the sun - the effect is also observed at night). But the unit is rated down to 5 °F, if I recall correctly, and the display is fine when cold.

Changing contrast or getting lighter ordarker over temperature extremes is normal. Blank is not normal, and half blank is wack.

If it's had water intrusion sufficient to blank half the display in 6 months, I'd still call it a defect. Take it back and see if you can get a warranty replacement.

As HawkOwl said, it may be a normal response to colder temperatures. I've seen screens on electronic devices that were blank or only partially functional when they were cold (for example, a mobile radio in my vehicle when it was below zero F overnight). Or perhaps you have a battery that is marginal and unable to provide the display with the proper voltage as the temperature drops.

The solution, of course, is to dial it up to 400 watts and warm the computer with your radiant energy.

I would think, maybe below freezing, but above freezing should be OK. I've had computers sit on bicycles that were below freezing all winter, and the displays were fine in the spring.... Pop the computer off the bike, take it somewhere warm, and see if it recovers. What I have seen is batteries give trouble at certain temperatures, if the battery is supposed to put out 1.5v and is only putting out 1.3v then it might not have enough power to drive the display.

LCD should work at 45 degrees.

I used to commute in Maine and my Planet Bike Protege 9.0 would work down to very cold temps, but below 0F, the screen took a long time to update. 45F was no problem. If I were you, I'd change the battery, and if that doesn't help, send the computer back where it came from.

I've got a cheapie Bell computer that only displays half the screen half the time. It's not the cold. I think it's the vibration. It starts out OK then the right side, where my current speed is, fades out. That's OK. It still calculates distance and time just fine.

This also is a distinct possibility. A change to a new battery might be one of the solutions in the process of elimination.