lcd display freezing temperature quotation

The use of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) in user interface assemblies is widespread across nearly all industries, locations, and operating environments. Over the last 20 years, the cost of LCD displays has significantly dropped, allowing for this technology to be incorporated into many of the everyday devices we rely on.

The odds are high you are reading this blog post on a laptop or tablet, and it’s likely the actual screen uses LCD technology to render the image onto a low-profile pane of glass. Reach into your pocket. Yes, that smartphone likely uses LCD technology for the screen. As you enter your car, does your dashboard come alive with a complex user interface? What about the menu at your favorite local drive-thru restaurant? These are some everyday examples of the widespread use of LCD technology.

But did you know that the U.S. military is using LCD displays to improve the ability of our warfighters to interact with their equipment? In hospitals around the world, lifesaving medical devices are monitored and controlled by an LCD touchscreen interface. Maritime GPS and navigation systems provide real-time location, heading, and speed information to captains while on the high seas. It’s clear that people’s lives depend on these devices operating in a range of environments.

As the use of LCDs continues to expand, and larger screen sizes become even less expensive, one inherent flaw of LCDs remains: LCD pixels behave poorly at low temperatures. For some applications, LCD displays will not operate whatsoever at low temperatures. This is important because for mil-aero applications, outdoor consumer products, automobiles, or anywhere the temperature is below freezing, the LCD crystal’s performance will begin to deteriorate. If the LCD display exhibits poor color viewing, sluggish resolution, or even worse, permanently damaged pixels, this will limit the ability to use LCD technologies in frigid environments. To address this, there are several design measures that can be explored to minimize the impact of low temperatures on LCDs.

Most LCD displays utilize pixels known as TFT (Thin-Film-Transistor) Color Liquid Crystals, which are the backbone to the billions of LCD screens in use today. Since the individual pixels utilize a fluid-like crystal material as the ambient temperature is reduced, this fluid will become more viscous compromising performance. For many LCD displays, temperatures below 0°C represent the point where performance degrades.

Have you tried to use your smartphone while skiing or ice fishing? What about those of you living in the northern latitudes - have you accidently left your phone in your car overnight where the temperatures drop well below freezing? You may have noticed a sluggish screen response, poor contrast with certain colors, or even worse permanent damage to your screen. While this is normal, it’s certainly a nuisance. As a design engineer, the goal is to select an LCD technology that offers the best performance at the desired temperature range. If your LCD display is required to operate at temperatures below freezing, review the manufacturer’s data sheets for both the operating and storage temperature ranges. Listed below are two different off-the-shelf LCD displays, each with different temperature ratings. It should be noted that there are limited options for off-the-shelf displays with resilience to extreme low temperatures.

For many military applications, in order to comply with the various mil standards a product must be rated for -30°C operational temperature and -51°C storage temperature. The question remains: how can you operate an LCD display at -30°C if the product is only rated for -20°C operating temperature? The answer is to use a heat source to raise the display temperature to an acceptable range. If there is an adjacent motor or another device that generates heat, this alone may be enough to warm the display. If not, a dedicated low-profile heater is an excellent option to consider.

Made of an etched layer of steel and enveloped in an electrically insulating material, a flat flexible polyimide heater is an excellent option where space and power are limited. These devices behave as resistive heaters and can operate off a wide range of voltages all the way up to 120V. These heaters can also function with both AC and DC power sources. Their heat output is typically characterized by watts per unit area and must be sized to the product specifications. These heaters can also be affixed with a pressure sensitive adhesive on the rear, allowing them to be “glued” to any surface. The flying leads off the heater can be further customized to support any type of custom interconnect. A full-service manufacturing partner like Epec can help develop a custom solution for any LCD application that requires a custom low-profile heater.

With no thermal mass to dissipate the heat, polyimide heaters can reach temperatures in excess of 100°C in less than a few minutes of operation. Incorporating a heater by itself is not enough to manage the low temperature effects on an LCD display. What if the heater is improperly sized and damages the LCD display? What happens if the heater remains on too long and damages other components in your system? Just like the thermostat in your home, it’s important to incorporate a real-temp temperature sensing feedback loop to control the on/off function of the heater.

The first step is to select temperature sensors that can be affixed to the display while being small enough to fit within a restricted envelope. Thermistors, thermocouples, or RTDs are all options to consider since they represent relatively low-cost and high-reliability ways to measure the display’s surface temperature. These types of sensors also provide an electrical output that can be calibrated for the desired temperature range.

The next step is to determine the number of temperature sensors and their approximate location on the display. It’s recommended that a minimum of two temperature sensors be used to control the heater. By using multiple sensors, this provides the circuit redundancy and allows for a weighted average of the temperature measurement to mitigate non-uniform heating. Depending on the temperature sensors location, and the thermal mass of the materials involved, the control loop can be optimized to properly control the on/off function of the heater.

Another important consideration when selecting a temperature sensor is how to mount the individual sensors onto the display. Most LCD displays are designed with a sheet metal backer that serves as an ideal surface to mount the temperature sensors. There are several types of thermally conductive epoxies that provide a robust and cost-effective way to affix the delicate items onto the display. Since there are several types of epoxies to choose from, it’s important to use a compound with the appropriate working life and cure time.

For example, if you are kitting 20 LCD displays and the working life of the thermal epoxy is 8 minutes, you may find yourself struggling to complete the project before the epoxy begins to harden.

Before building any type of prototype LCD heater assembly, it’s important to carefully study the heat transfer of the system. Heat will be generated by the flexible polyimide heater and then will transfer to the LCD display and other parts of the system. Although heat will radiate, convect, and be conducted away from the heater, the primary type of heat transfer will be through conduction. This is important because if your heater is touching a large heat sink (ex. aluminum chassis), this will impact the ability of the heater to warm your LCD display as heat will be drawn toward the heat sink.

Insulating materials, air gaps, or other means can be incorporated in the design to manage the way heat travels throughout your system on the way toward an eventual “steady state” condition. During development, prototypes can be built with numerous temperature sensors to map the heat transfer, allowing for the optimal placement of temperature sensors, an adequately sized heater, and a properly controlled feedback loop.

Before freezing the design (no pun intended) on any project that requires an LCD display to operate at low temperatures, it’s critical to perform low temperature first. This type of testing usually involves a thermal chamber, a way to operate the system, and a means to measure the temperature vs time. Most thermal chambers provide an access port or other means to snake wires into the chamber without compromising performance. This way, power can be supplied to the heater and display, while data can be captured from the temperature sensors.

The first objective of the low-temperature testing is to determine the actual effects of cold exposure on the LCD display itself. Does the LCD display function at cold? Are certain colors more impacted by the cold than others? How sluggish is the screen? Does the LCD display performance improve once the system is returned to ambient conditions? These are all significant and appropriate questions and nearly impossible to answer without actual testing.

As LCD displays continue to be a critical part of our society, their use will become even more widespread. Costs will continue to decrease with larger and larger screens being launched into production every year. This means there will be more applications that require their operation in extreme environments, including the low-temperature regions of the world. By incorporating design measures to mitigate the effects of cold on LCD displays, they can be used virtually anywhere. But this doesn’t come easy. Engineers must understand the design limitations and ways to address the overarching design challenges.

A full-service manufacturing partner like Epec offers a high-value solution to be able to design, develop, and manufacture systems that push the limits of off-the-shelf hardware like LCD displays. This fact helps lower the effective program cost and decreases the time to market for any high-risk development project.

To understand what happens to the LCD in cold temperatures, we"ll need to go back to the basics of LCD technology. Liquid crystal displays are just like their name suggests... they contain a liquid that is housed between two layers of glass. Liquids begin to freeze as the temperature drops. As the liquid in the display freezes the response time slows down. In other words, it takes longer for the numbers and letters on the display to change (Turn ON or Turn OFF).

The best way I can think to explain the response time of the LCD in cold temperatures is a ceiling fan. When you turn OFF the ceiling fan the blades continue to turn for a few minutes, even though the power if OFF. When you turn ON a ceiling fan the blades will be at full speed in a shorter period of time. At most the blades will be at their max speed within 30 seconds. When talking about an LCD, we talk about when the display is ON (the characters can be seen) or OFF (the characters cannot be seen).

Line ‘A’ (image above) displays the amount of time it takes for a character or segment on the display to turn OFF. That is, once you turn OFF the segment, how long does it take before it disappears? The graph above shows that the character actually ‘disappears’ 3500 milliseconds (3.5 seconds) after the display is turned OFF.

Line ‘B’ (image above) displays the amount of time it takes for the character or segment to turn ON. In the above graph the segment is only 55% ‘ON’ at 8000 milliseconds (8 seconds). That means the character is only ½ (half) ON. It will look grey and not very dark. It requires more time for the display to turn ON than to turn OFF… just the opposite of a ceiling fan.

We do not recommend operating our wide temperature (extended temperature) displays below -20°C (-4°F). This is true for all segment displays (static displays or glass displays), 7 (seven) segment, 14 (fourteen) segment, and 16 (sixteen) segment LCD’s.

Alphanumeric LCD displays such as: 8x1 LCD display, 8x2 LCD display, 16x1 LCD display, 16x2 LCD display, 16x4 LCD display, 20x2 LCD display, 20x4 LCD display, 24x2 LCD display, 40x1 LCD display, 40x2 LCD display, and 40x4 LCD display will react the same way.

All the major cell phone manufacturers warn about using their products in cold temperatures and offer operational temperature guidelines. For instance, Apple provides a temperature range of 0 to 35 degree Celsius for their devices and are not covered under warranty if you use it in conditions that are any colder or warmer. A little more lenient, Nokia offers an operational temperature range of -10 to 55 degrees Celsius while Samsung suggests -20 to 50 degrees Celsius.

The test was conducted within a “weather room” to monitor the performance of different cell phones. The initial temperature of the room was 32 degrees Fahrenheit and was lowered 9 degrees at each stage.

Failure 1.    iPhone 4S and Nokia N9:These were the first phones to show symptoms at 23 degrees Fahrenheit with the iPhone displaying a SIM card error and empty battery for N9. At 14 degrees, the iPhone shut down with a low battery error.

Failure 2.    Smartphone:Most of the Smartphone devices exhausted within a temperature range of -4 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the Samsung Galaxy SIIkept running comfortably as low as a temperature of -22 degrees Fahrenheit (shut down at -31 degrees).

LCD screens use liquid crystal molecules for display and these molecules align to give the desired display pattern. However, exposure to lower temperatures can create bubbles or aggregate liquid molecules (meaning disturbed molecule order), hence leading to permanent damage to the display. It is quite common to observe dimming and screen blackouts at lower temperatures. So, the next time your display turns sluggish, try keeping it in your pockets!

Remember your chemistry lessons back in high school? Cell phone batteries produce current because of a chemical reaction that allows electrons to flow from one terminal to another, thus creating a current stream. However, low temperatures slow down the chemical reaction and batteries tend to output more power to keep the needed energy supply sufficient to your device.

Cold weather can also cause damage to the circuit board, similar to how a paved road cracks over time when exposed to hot and cold temperatures (because the concrete expands and contracts with the fluctuations in temperature). The same can happen with your cell phone, which causes poor circuit connections over time.

Mobile devices aren’t meant to last forever. However, cold temperature damage is often overlooked as the resulting damage doesn’t happen immediately. It’s still a good idea to consider the impact it might have as device costs are increasing and you’ll want to preserve the resale value of your phone or tablet when the time comes to upgrade.

LCD"s freezing is BS I think. Has anyone actually personally seen it? I think it"s one of those old wives tales that somebody made up and lots of people just blindly believed.

I live in Minnesota and UPS or Fedex or the semi truck drivers that deliver stuff to me do not treat LCDs any different than anything else when delivering them to me during the coldest parts of the winter in MN. The back of their trucks are not heated. I have never had any problem with the computer monitors or LCD TVs I have had delivered in very cold temperatures (well below zero F). And I run a computer store so I get that stuff in all the time during the winter.

I have a GPS in my van that has an LCD screen. Lots of cars do. My van sometimes sits outside overnight when it has gotten down to 20 below or so. Never any problems with the LCD except for very slow response time when it"s really cold.

Just like when your glasses will fog up when you come in from cold weather, moisture will build on surfaces inside the plant when temperatures go from very cold to very warm. Electronics that suffer this build-up of moisture can have failures related to corrosion. One way to prevent a moisture related failure is waiting a few hours before powering on electronics that have been kept in cold weather after a warm up has occurred. This will allow any condensation to dry before electricity is conducted.

While normally a cool environment is preferable to a warm one when it comes to keeping your electronics up and running, if it gets too cold, certain components can suffer sudden failure. For instance, LCD screens contain fluid and at extreme temperatures can freeze. If you live in the extreme north where temperatures can get into the negatives, it is important to understand the failure limits of your devices which should be available in the manual when you purchase the device. In addition, any electronics that rely on movement such as motors, disk drives, servo valves etc., can suffer failure from the cold. As the temperature drops, metal contracts making moving parts run under higher load stress which can cause the part to fail.

Liquid crystal displays (LCD) have become an essential component to the industry of display technology. Involved in a variety of contexts beyond the indoors like LCD TVs and home/office automation devices, the LCD has expanded its usage to many environments, such as cars and digital signage, and, thus, many temperature variations as well.

As with any substance that requires a specific molecular characteristic or behavior, LCDs have an operating temperature range in which the device, if within, can continue to function properly and well. In addition to that, there is also an ideal storage temperature range to preserve the device until used.

This operating temperature range affects the electronic portion within the device, seen as falling outside the range can cause LCD technology to overheat in hot temperatures or slow down in the cold. As for the liquid crystal layer, it can deteriorate if put in high heat, rendering it and the display itself defective.

In order for the LCD panel to avoid defects, a standard commercial LCD’s operation range and storage range should be kept in mind. Without adaptive features, a typical LCD TV has an operating range from its cold limit of 0°C (32°F) to its heat limit of 50°C (122°F) (other LCD devices’ ranges may vary a bit from these numbers).

The storage range is a bit wider, from -20°C (-4°F) to 60°C (140°F). Though these ranges are quite reasonable for many indoor and even outdoor areas, there are also quite a few regions where temperatures can drop below 0°C or rise above 32°C, and in these conditions, LCDs must be adapted to ensure functionality.

Heat, can greatly affect the electronics and liquid crystals under an LCD screen. In consideration of heat, both external heat and internally generated heat must be taken into consideration.

Seen as the liquid crystals are manipulated in a device by altering their orientations and alignments, heat can disrupt this by randomizing what is meant to be controlled. If this happens, the LCD electronics cannot command a certain formation of the liquid crystal layer under a pixel, and the LED backlighting will not pass through as expected, which can often lead to dark spots, if not an entirely dark image. This inevitably disrupts the display’s readability.

Depending on the upper limit of the operation temperature range, LCD device can be permanently damaged by extreme heat. With long exposure to extreme heat, besides the destruction of the liquid crystals, battery life can shorten, hardware can crack or even melt, response time may slow to prevent even more heat generation from the device.

The LED backlight and the internal circuitry, typically TFT-based in the common TFT LCDs, are components that can generate heat that damages the device and its display. To address this concern with overheating, many devices use cooling fans paired with vents.

Some devices that are used in extremely high ambient temperatures may even require air conditioning. With air vents to carry the heat out, the device can expel it into the surroundings.

But this leads to another problem: how can moisture be prevented from entering through the vent? If moisture enters the device and high heat is present, condensation can occur, fogging the display from inside, and in some cases, short-circuiting may cause the device to turn off. In order to circumvent this issue, the shapes of the air vents are specific in a way that allows only for air movement, not forms of moisture.

In the opposite direction is extreme cold. What typically occurs in the cold is “ghosting” (the burning of an image in the screen through discoloration) and the gradual slowing and lagging of response times. Like heat-affected LCD modules, the extreme temperature can affect the liquid crystals. This layer is a medium between the liquid and solid state, so it is still susceptible to freezing.

An LCD device can be left in freezing temperatures because it will likely not be permanently damaged like in the heat, but it is important to understand the device’s limits and how to take precautions when storing the device. The standard and most common lower-bound storage range limit is -20°C, below freezing, but if possible, it would be best to keep it above that limit, or else there is still a risk of permanent damage.

If the device is not adapted for the cold, it would be good to keep it bundled up, trapping the heat within layers. However, this is only a temporary solution. Adapted, rugged devices have advantages such as screen enclosure insulation for heat level preservation and, in more extreme cases, heaters to generate extra heat to raise the internal temperature to a level above the minimum.

When selecting the appropriate module, it is necessary to understand the device’s expected primary application. The application will decide factors such as display type, environmental conditions, whether or not power consumption is a factor, and the balance between performance and cost. These factors can have an effect on the operation and storage temperature ranges for the device.

Display types have a lot of variation. Choices like alphanumeric or graphic LCD, human-machine interactive LCD modules and touchscreen panels capabilities, the width of the viewing angle, level of contrast ratios, types of backlighting, and liquid crystal alignment methods are often considered. For example, the twisted nematic LCD provides for the fastest response time at the lowest cost, but cannot offer the highest contrast ratio or widest viewing angle.

Environment-based factors must consider things besides the obvious temperature like UV exposure and humidity/moisture, as they all are necessary in finding the perfect fit extreme temperature LCD module.

Besides the LCD modules, recent new products have opened doors in wide temperature range displays, such as OLED displays. OLED displays offer better displays in regard to contrast, brightness, response times, viewing angles, and even power consumption in comparison to traditional LCD displays.

These benefits, in addition to its ability to achieve a wide temperature range, provide more options for consumers in search of high quality displays for extreme climates.

Just chipping in my two cents. The instructions of the LG 25UM65 LED model states that "the monitor may flicker in an area where the temperature is low. This is normal."

In my experience "Low temperature" means below 17 °C in room temperature. These models also turn of the screen if flickering occurs, so you will only see flickering shortly before a black screen. Image may or may not reappear, without turning monitor off and on again. As the temperature rises both in the room and the monitor, the problem gradually goes away.

I think Aqua and Jeff are on to something here.There are many LCD screens that are left in freezing temps all the time with no damage at all.Jeff has a point about condensation accumulating in the component and a resutling short when powered up.I"m doing some research on this one.

LCD monitors freeze at low temperatures: Well, at some point, everything will freeze! But the liquid-crystal paste used in LCD displays has a different specific gravity than water, and its freezing point is much lower as a result. I have left consumer and professional LCD monitors out in cars overnight when temperatures dropped into the low ‘teens with no adverse effects the next day. (Be nice to the monitor and let it warm up to room temperature before use.)

Keep in mind that many of the displays in today’s cars use LCD technology, in particular car radios and CD players. When was the last time you saw one of those crack when left out in cold weather?

I have a romte cabin which i run with generators. it is not used in winter months and it is not heated or insulated . will my lcd tv get damaged by the cold if i do not bring it home for the winter months. Does any body know?????

Contrary to popular belief, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) Technology does not involve any sort of liquid whatsoever. LCD panels use tiny microchips that "twist" open to allow light to pass through the display to your eyes. There is no risk of these Crystal "twisters" to freeze. They can get cold, and their "twisting" can be reduced however, but that"s about it. I do suggest allow the tv to warm up before use. The answer to your questions would be like asking if it is ok to leave a calculator in a cabin for the winter. Calculators use the same "LCD" technology, and of course, I"m sure the one you left at the cabin last year still works just fine. No worries. Don"t forget to rate me. Dan 15 Years Home theatre/Tv sales Management

On a side note, keep in mind, lcd technology has been around for over 50 years (invented by sharp) and the technology is used everywhere, like your car dashboard, boeing 747 airplane control panels, laptops. All these items can and will be exposed to freezing temperatures at some time in their lives, and they are still "Living"

If you’re moving during cold weather, the low temperature can take a toll on your TV and other electronics. Taking steps to secure and pack these items carefully can help ward off damage and ensure that your television and other gadgets work as intended. These devices are designed to remain at room temperature and have difficulty withstanding severe heat and cold.

First, consult your TV’s owner’s manual, which will provide valuable information about the correct operating and storage temperature for your TV. In many cases, the manufacturer may recommend waiting for the TV to warm up after cold exposure before you plug it in.

Even if this is not specified, you may want to wait several hours to plug in electronics after moving them in the cold.LCD TVsare particularly susceptible to this type of damage. If they are plugged in a while still cold, the liquid crystal screen can freeze and crack, potentially damaging other components of the television.

If you need to store electronics for a specific period, opt for a climate-controlled storage unit so you can easily adjust the temperature to manufacturer specifications. This also prevents damage caused by humidity and moisture accumulation.

Traditional tube-based TVs are susceptible to moisture in the air which causes condensation. Avoid the issue by giving the set time to adjust to the warmer indoor temperatures before you plug it in. Although these TVs may operate at colder temperatures, you might notice interference and other issues.

Even if you hire movers, they might not know the recommendations for your specific devices. For this reason, you should keep your owner’s manual handy and consult them whenever you’re moving your TV and other electronics in extreme temperatures.

Indoor televisions are ideally suited for climate-controlled environments, whilst some of the best outdoor TVsare designed to withstand harsh temperatures. So for outdoors look for a television which is water-proof, glare-resistant and multi-fan ventilation system to keep the internal components cool even when the temperature outside exceeds 100 degrees.

Outdoor televisions are all built to endure the weather. These TVs are water-resistant and built to withstand pollen and harsh temperatures. With this in mind, weatherproofing your outdoor television during the hottest and coldest months of the year is still a good idea. You’ll be glad you took the extra step because it will extend the life of your system.

In cold temperatures, the liquid crystal fluid, like all other fluids, can freeze. To prevent the liquid crystal fluid from freezing, maintain your LCD in a temperature range of 40 degrees to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. In colder weather, you can still store the television, but there are some guidelines to follow.

Yes, cold weather can damage a regular TV if kept outside. Let’s say you’ve left your TV out in the cold for a while. The battery will eventually run out, and the LCD/LED screen will begin to malfunction, if not completely fail. After all, in the cold, any electrical battery quickly depletes. TVs are known to incur damage and become pixellated if they are left outside in the cold.

The more your smart appliance’s temperature falls below freezing, the more probable your panels and monitors will stop working. The appliance, after being exposed to the cold tends to collect moisture when it is quickly warmed. So before asking the question “Can you leave a TV outside in the winter?” realize that it will definitely damage your TV.

On the other hand, until the temperature drops below freezing, plasma televisions are unaffected by cold. Cold has no effect on a plasma television, allowing it to be transported and stored in sub-zero temperatures.

It would be hard to say how cold will be ‘too cold’ for a TV outside but here are some facts and figures that can give substantial meaning to this. Most TV manufacturers recommend an operating outdoor TV temperature range of 40°F to 100°F (4°C to 37°C) and a relative humidity level of 80 percent or less.

Samsung advises avoiding keeping LCD televisions at outdoor TV temperature ranges below -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit) or above 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) (113 Fahrenheit).

To avoid freezing the liquid crystal fluid, it’s preferable to keep your LCD between 40 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. LCD televisions should never be kept below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

The operating temperature range for Samsung Plasma TVs is 50°F to 104°F (10°C to 40°C). I do not recommend mounting your TVs in areas where temperatures outside of the operating range (50° F to 104° F) are a problem, as temperatures outside of this range can harm the TV and prevent normal operation.

Plasma TVs perform well in the cold and may withstand temperatures below freezing better than other LED models of comparable price and quality. Consult the TV’s handbook to learn about the right storage and handling procedures for getting the most out of your TV, regardless of the weather

The temperature in your garage should not vary significantly over the course of a day, and the air is dryer in the winter, so you should be OK when you turn on the heater. However, if you do not have a heater in your garage and it is very cold there then it is definitely a bad idea to store your television there.

The temperature range over which television may be stored is generally greater than the temperature range over which it can be operated, yet the damage can occur if temperatures fall below this range. So, it is a bad idea to store a conventional TV outside in the cold. Plasma TVs on the other hand can withstand colder temperatures and can be stored and kept outside in the cold.

If you leave your TV in the cold, then wait for at least 24 hours for moisture on interior metal components to evaporate before increasing the temperature if temperatures fall below the recommended working range. Turning on the television when moisture accumulates on electronic components can permanently damage it.

While operating your television below the manufacturer’s recommended operating temperature will not cause it to break but sometimes, the image will become distorted and pixelated.

The AKCP Programmable Sensor Display plugs into any sensorProbe+ (SP2+, SPX+) base unit and can be programmed to display the data from any AKCP Intelligent or virtual sensor. Mount a single display on the end of an aisle for data center monitoring, or warehouse monitoring. Place on the door of every cabinet, or the wall of the room. LED indicators alert if a sensor is in critical condition, as well as the on-screen display of the critical or warning status.