Indianrock2020 Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Played an outdoor gig yesterday and my friend didn't keep his HD500x in the shade. At one point he was getting very little output on a patch he's used without problems in the past. This guy hasn't really dug into the unit and spent the time to understand it all, but just wondered if heat has caused issues for others. There really wasn't time for me to dig in and make sure he had the amp and mixer levels where they should be, but like I said, he's used this patch many times before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb7170 Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Quick note -- I had an POD X3Live that acted up in sunlight -- heat didn't seem to bother it. The bright sunlight would cause me issues with the pedal -- I always assign it to volume... Anyway the pedal uses an optical sensor, and the foam rubber sleeve that shades it under the pedal apparently was not right or got worn, but the effect on mine was that I could not roll back to zero volume at the heel. I took to shading it from the sun, and if I couldn't, I cut a piece of cardboard and placed it in front of the unit to shade it. It was fine at night gigs, but a PITA on outside bright sunlit days.... I could tell it was light-related, because if when it was happening, I would have my foot off the pedal and shade the pedal opening with my foot, the volume would change.... Fast forward -- I've had both the 500 and now the 500X -- they also use optical sensor expression pedals -- I continue to always use it as a volume pedal, but have not had the sunlight issue like I had with my X3L, so either they did the light shielding better, or the shading has not worn to a point of being a problem yet. As far as heat, I've been using the 500 or 500X since 2011, and have played some hot ones in the summer with no issues so far. I am in Iowa with typically hot 90F+ & humid summers, but not the 110F days like say, the southwest has.... Don't know what kind of heat you're experiencing. I also do not like playing in hot direct sunlight and always seek shade on hot daylight gigs, not because of the gear as much as for me.... With sweating while playing anyway, any relief in hot conditions is something you need to avoid dehydration everyone should keep in mind... If none of the above is similar to your situation -- it is conceivable that a component could react badly to hot temperatures, but I've not had that happen. It could be an indicator of a part going out of spec due to heat, and may need repair or replacement. The trouble is tracking it down.... The unit being black will absorb more heat and definitely be hotter than the ambient temperature if it has the sunshine beating down on it -- like wearing a black shirt on a hot sunny day is not a good thing to do... Just some thoughts.... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palico Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Quick note -- I had an POD X3Live that acted up in sunlight -- heat didn't seem to bother it. The bright sunlight would cause me issues with the pedal -- I always assign it to volume... Anyway the pedal uses an optical sensor, and the foam rubber sleeve that shades it under the pedal apparently was not right or got worn, but the effect on mine was that I could not roll back to zero volume at the heel. I took to shading it from the sun, and if I couldn't, I cut a piece of cardboard and placed it in front of the unit to shade it. It was fine at night gigs, but a PITA on outside bright sunlit days.... I could tell it was light-related, because if when it was happening, I would have my foot off the pedal and shade the pedal opening with my foot, the volume would change.... Dang I had the same issue on my X3 as well. I never figured out what caused it. I always thought it was voltage issue as most of the outdoor shows always seem to have crappy wiring jobs. But that makes perfect sense as it only occurred every once in a while. As for the orginal poster, I have never had a issue with heat on the HD but I've most of the venues I play now are inside at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pianoguyy Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Heat and sunlight shouldn't cause any issue, other than heat and sunlight that would damage other electronics. So, if it is so hot that you can fry an egg on the pavement --- don't sit your Pod on the ground. But it would change the entire unit, not just one specific patch. HOWEVER, it is possible that there is a minor issue with the Pod and some heat helped to bring it out, whereas it wouldn't have affected a normally functioning unit. Think of your car. A small oil leak isn't a problem. But when you redline for an hour, the hole in the metal expands causing it to be more than just a slow drip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indianrock2020 Posted July 30, 2015 Author Share Posted July 30, 2015 I don't know that it was with one patch, probably not as he was working ok earlier. 80 Farenheit, late afternoon sun but his was the only pod sitting right on asphalt. Report this morning: pod is fine at home. Another possibility is that this was a situation where a portable pa/mixer system was being used by a sound tech not completely familiar with it -- he might have had the volume down on the wrong fader, but I still suspect the pod as we spent several minutes trying various cables and DI boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Another consideration is condensation. While this is not likely the cause of the symptom reported here, it is a related condition so I'll mention it here. After using the device in high heat and humidity outdoors, condensation inside the device can occur when you move the device indoors into an air conditioned environment. Make sure you allow time for that condensation to evaporate normally before turning the device back on. If there is internal moisture when it is turned on it can cause short circuiting, frying some components. The same thing can happen during cold weather when you play an outdoor event. Moving the device from the warmth of room temperature to the cold outside can also cause the same condensation. Allow time in the cold before turning the device on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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