Leaving SSD in car

[Subbu68]

I had a Skoda Yeti from 2013 till recently. I was using WMA files on SD cards as the car had a SD card reader (in addition to 6 CD changer and BT) on the music system.

Got a Skoda Superb now and all it has is a USB-C and BT / Wifi. No more CDP. Can I leave a SSD with my music files in the car?

The ambient in summer is near 50 deg.C but mostly the car is parked in completely covered parking (read louvered building) at my office and basement parking at home. Winters are pretty cool to say.

 

[dafreaking]

You need to first check if the USB port supports the SSD.

Secondly I would advise a dock/holder of some sorts unless you have a longish cable. Basically, so that there is less stress on the port with something hanging of it.

 

[Subbu68]

You need to first check if the USB port supports the SSD.

Secondly I would advise a dock/holder of some sorts unless you have a longish cable. Basically, so that there is less stress on the port with something hanging of it.

It supports mass storage devices - no issues and all sorts of formats - MP3, WMA, FLAC, ADTA, OGG, RIFF etc. etc. Cable is not an issue.

My worry is only if SSD can live in the car if I have to park sometime outside in the open in the Gulf temperatures!

 

[sreejithsreedharan]

I’m not sure about SSDs, but I had a Zune 1st Gen, and it was completely damaged due to the high temperatures inside the car.

 

[Subbu68]

I’m not sure about SSDs, but I had a Zune 1st Gen, and it was completely damaged due to the high temperatures inside the car.

It is a complete music player with display and battery inside, right?

LCD's can get easily damaged in even elevated room temperatures. My radio Sangean ATS909 had it's display blackened after I left it in a steel cupboard in my apartment in Kerala during COVID times. Did not travel to India for nearly three years and it happened in that period. The polarizer gets damaged at high temperatures. Not difficult to replace the polarizer though.

 

[chander]

I have left pen drives for years in the car, hooked to the music system of my CRV in summers of Delhi - it just worked and those were the days of massive Pen Drives I think SSD should be fine - maybe keep it in a place that doesn't get sun directly. Lots of electronics in the car dashboard deal with that kind of heat, they work. I guess it should be fine, considering they are designed to be worked within PCs where internal temperature can get to 70 Deg C+ and they work for days on end tirelessly.

 

[Subbu68]

I have left pen drives for years in the car, hooked to the music system of my CRV in summers of Delhi - it just worked and those were the days of massive Pen Drives I think SSD should be fine - maybe keep it in a place that doesn't get sun directly. Lots of electronics in the car dashboard deal with that kind of heat, they work. I guess it should be fine, considering they are designed to be worked within PCs where internal temperature can get to 70 Deg C+ and they work for days on end tirelessly.

Yeah, I had SD cards in my old car for years and I used to take it to project sites in open desert. Nothing happened.

The car electronics must be made to withstand the heat of the region they are designed to sell. In the Gulf there is a separate GCC specifications for cars.

But SSDs with their enclosure can they?? If not have to use a USB C OTG cable and SD card reader and use my SD cards I had in my old car.

 

[surfatwork]

Most ssds can work fine at 50C. They sre rated for a bit higher (70C I think). They hit high temps even when working in an a/c environment.
So the caveat is to use them after the car has cooled down, so the ambient temp at which it "starts" working is not baking. You could keep it in the car and ensure it's plugged in after the csr had cooled down.

Using them continuously at high temp can wear out the memory faster.

 

[Subbu68]

Most ssds can work fine at 50C. They sre rated for a bit higher (70C I think). They hit high temps even when working in an a/c environment.
So the caveat is to use them after the car has cooled down, so the ambient temp at which it "starts" working is not baking. You could keep it in the car and ensure it's plugged in after the csr had cooled down.

Using them continuously at high temp can wear out the memory faster.

The center console is a cooled one. I will keep SSD inside it. And it has been my practice since 24 years I started driving here in the UAE, when starting a trip to open the windows, drive the car to exhaust the hot air and then switch the Aircon to cool the car. It cools the car faster.

In that practice I also had a silly accident in 2002, when a couple of wasps entered the car from rear windows, bit my finger causing the car to swerve and scrape the steel fencing of the median

 

[argho]

You can get USB-C thub drives easily. Why don't you consider using that ?

Something like this : https://amzn.in/d/bi72lqY

 

[Subbu68]

You can get USB-C thub drives easily. Why don't you consider using that ?

Something like this : https://amzn.in/d/bi72lq

True...

Too many of USB sticks, SD cards, Micro SD cards and a couple of SSDs lying in my drawer.

Until COVID we used to get submissions from the utilities we regulate on thumb-drives. You go to any conference they used to give one 4GB as a compliment or the presentation material on one.

With older phones every new phone a complimentary micro-SD - used to be 4GB, then 16GB and you buy one to compliment the internal memory. - I have a 256MB mini SD card too

Then with every camera they dole out one like 8GB or 16GB SD.

They have accumulated. Trying to put them to the best use.

The car has only one USB-C data / charging port and have to use it efficiently for Android Auto and music. Other ports are only for charging. So was thinking of a small hub and a SSD / SD with a reader and connect the phone also so it charges as well as connects with Android Auto. BT drains battery of the phone too quickly.

Or ditch the current Pixel 6 and get a new SONY XPERIA that comes with micro SD card slot too. everything solved. something to convince my wife

 

[argho]

Not sure a hub will work.
If you intend to use for Android auto, then you can only connect your phone.
Hence I switched to streaming music while driving.

Try it out. Your car head unit may behave differently.

 

[Subbu68]

Not sure a hub will work.
If you intend to use for Android auto, then you can only connect your phone.
Hence I switched to streaming music while driving.

Try it out. Your car head unit may behave differently.

I will try out.

As I wrote my Skoda Yeti had a SD card slot and a port (with an adaptor to be bought ) to use external HDD through it.

My daughter's Skoda Kamiq has two USB-C ports even. Don't know why they omitted the second one in my Superb.

Streaming is an expensive affair in the UAE.

 

[Kannan]

@Subbu68 Why not keep the SSD in the glove box permanently. It does not get hot in that area at all. In my last car audio journey, my 3.5mm SATA drive was in the glove box for over 2 years, it is by the way still in working condition.

 

[Subbu68]

@Subbu68 Why not keep the SSD in the glove box permanently. It does not get hot in that area at all. In my last car audio journey, my 3.5mm SATA drive was in the glove box for over 2 years, it is by the way still in working condition.

The temperature here touches 50deg.C. SD cards in my previous car bore it. The card slot was on the face of the head unit.

I had not tried an external drive option.

The new car has just one USB data cum charge port.

- if a hub would work to connect both SSD and phone?argho above expressed doubt on hubs in cars.
- if a hub works to use a HDD and phone together, if SSD will withstand the temperature even if it may be only a few times a year when I park outside for shopping or hospital visit etc.where covered parking is not available.

 

[Subbu68]

Explored the car manual again. There is a USB-A port with data capability in the center storage box. Tried a SD card reader as well as my SSD. Both worked.

Then I remembered the power only port in the storage box is in my daughter's Skoda Kamiq . Mixed up the two cars