I know that electronics don’t function well at high temperatures, but can exposure to high temps damage my MP3 player? Especially exposing it repeatedly, like leaving it in the car all summer.
Or will it be ok as long as I don’t power it on while it’s hot?
Most consumer electronic devices are tested for use in high and low temp environments… and they ususally have a fairly wide range. I doubt your car gets hot enough to damage it permanently. I bet the manufacturer publishing specs for temperature that tell you what it’s nominal operating range is.
If it has an LCD, those can be permanently damaged by high heat. The usual symptom is the LCD goes completely black.
The temperature inside a car can easily exceed a device’s “storage” or “non-operating” temperature. An iPod, for example, is listed as having a max temp of 113 degrees F. A closed-up car on an 80-degree day can go past that in under 30 minutes.
You really shouldn’t leave anything you care about in a parked car - that includes kids, dogs and electronics.
The spec sheet for your player should list the operating and non-operating temperature ranges. The iPod spec sheet says:
A car parked in direct sunlight can easily reach those temperatures.
I have a third generation iPod (the one with the row of buttons above the wheel) and it was damaged in the car. The metallic part must have heated faster than the white part, which caused it to sort of break open. It stilll works, but it’s permanentlu deformed.
YMMV.
I checked the online manual (Creative Zen) and it lists a storage temp up to 60C, or 140F.
I’m thinking the inside of the car gets hotter than that, sitting in a parking lot in direct sun. The metal part of the seatbelt certainly gets too hot to touch.
According to this site, high temperatures are not good for the battery. I know that my player has a lithium ion battery.