Roof console - 100 Series

Hi Peter,

I hear what you say about the temperature, but for 3 years now I have my Barrett 550 head unit, GME UHF and a DVD player mounted in my roof console and they have never missed a beat.

Having a roof console keeps the dash area uncluttered and original looking and simply makes good sense IMHO. Plus the fact that no holes need to be drilled makes removal down the track too easy.

Cheers

Captain

G'day Captain,

After I got your follow up, I rang my radio tech again and he told me the following.

"If a radio, or anyother piece of electronic equipment is operated outside of their design parameters it voids all warranty's. Furthermore, the manufacturer's specifications for the units will never be achieved if the unit is over heated, ie, no transceiver will operate at full output if it is overheating and performance may be cut by 60% or more. He suggested that if you returned to a vehicle that has been parked in the sun, open the windows and turn the A/C on until you are comfortable before operating any of the consumer electronics you have fitted".

Just trivial information I know, butworth knowing.

I know what you mean about drilling holes in a new vehicle. I ended up taking the double din radio/CD out of the dash and replaced it with a single din unit with the GME UHF under it in mine.

Cheers,

Peter

I'd expect that there are very similar temperatures in a roof console as the dash console.

G'day Andrew,

Apparently not. Hot air rises and sits at roof level. From what I worked most roof consoles I looked at do not have ventilation holes in them.

They look very neat in their installation and concept, perhaps mounting a small 12V computer type fan or 2 in there somewhere would resolve all the issues.

Cheers,

Peter

zero ventilation around the dash too - try putting your hands up there on a hot day!

Hi Peter,

While hot air does rise, the temperature gradient within a closed vehicle would be minimal. Also, because they are roof mounted, they never recieve direct sunshine unlike a dash mount on certain angles.

I have never had my radios feel hotter than the ambient temp in the car (which can be very hot in the sun with windows up) unlike my dash radio which has had buttons almost too hot to touch when direct sunshine has been on them.

But overall I don't think temperature is really a critical factor in roof mount vs wherever. Simply finding enough real estate in todays vehicles for HF, UHF and DVD makes a roof console the only practical way IMHO.

Cheers

Captain