lcd display freezing temperature brands

LCD stands for “liquid crystal display,” but this is a bit of a misnomer. In reality, the technology has no liquid components, so it isn’t susceptible to freezing and expansion in extreme cold. (Remember, many vehicles nowadays have LCD displays on their in-dash radios and CD players, and these have not been known to crack in freezing climates.)

An LED (light-emitting diode) TV is nothing more than an LCD TV that uses LED backlighting. Compared to the LCD’s fluorescent-style backlighting, LEDs are more energy-efficient, but they don’t respond to cold temperatures much differently. One exception is that LED lights may actually shine brighter in cooler temperatures, as long as it is not too cold. But what is too cold?

When it comes to durability in cold temperatures, there is no real difference between LCD and LED TVs. An LCD or LED TV may not perform well under extreme temperature conditions. In the cold, the response time of an HDTV picture may lag. For this reason, many LCD and LED television manuals will specify a safe-operating-temperature range. In most HDTVs, this range is about 50–90°F.

The temperature range for safe storage is typically even wider. Most LCD and LED sets are rated for storage in temps as low as -4°F. Always refer to your television’s manual for actual safe-temperature ranges.

If your cabin gets colder than this in the winter, you may want to consider erring on the side of caution. Cover the set in a soft blanket to protect it from dust and direct sunlight, and then store it in a dry place with above-freezing temperatures for the season, or for however long you plan to be away.

If you decide to leave the TV at the cabin for impromptu winter visits, exercise caution when turning it on in a cold room. Allow time for the cabin to warm up before turning on the TV, otherwise the extreme change in temperature may result in condensation inside the set and subsequent damage to the screen.

So, when you arrive at the cottage and fire up the woodstove, fireplace or heater, wait at least an hour (longer is better) for the screen to reach a temperature within the safe operating range. Sounds like a long time to wait, we know. But just think – you’ll have more time for card games and conversation!

Every new motorhome and most new 5th wheel and travel trailers have at least one LCD TV. Many have 2 or more.  The bigger LCD TVs on board RVs and motorhomes have 40-inch screens (or larger).

Today’s technology has come to the point where, for the most part, you will find LCD (or Liquid Crystal Display televisions) being installed almost exclusively in new recreational vehicles.

LCDs are a great choice inside RVs for a number of reasons.  For one, the picture quality is very good.  Plus, they’re not big and bulky like the TVs of yesterday. In fact, some are so thin you can actually mount them on the wall like a picture. LCD flat-screen TVs are even being mounted on motorized bases that retract up flush to the ceiling when not in use.

There is a liquid-based material within the screen of LCD TVs.  Will it be damaged overnight in freezing weather?  Worse yet, if left in storage through the winter in the northern states where temperatures can get bitterly cold, will an LCD flat-screen TV survive?

This means that if your LCD TV is kept in an environment below this range, you must allow it at least 24 hours to acclimate to the proper operating range before you plug it in or turn it on.

When something cold is brought into a warm environment, condensation (or moisture) will be present throughout the device.  Plugging it in or turning it on could result in short circuits, shock, or other catastrophic failure of the unit. If the LCD screen is chilled, even though not frozen, it could fail as well.

Manufacturer limitations on cold storage of their LCD TVs varies all over the map.  Some are rated to handle temps as low as -15F to -20F below zero, while others are barely rated to be stored anywhere near the zero mark.

I was unable to find a single supplier of LCD televisions that would stand behind their product when stored in temperatures lower then the -20F below zero mark.

I live in Minnesota. International Falls, MN is well known as “the ice box of the nation.”  During the very long winter months, temperatures drop to a -40F below quite often. I’ve personally experienced -60F below temperatures, though admittedly only once in my lifetime.

You can remove your LCD televisions from the RV (and I would consider removing VCRs, DVDs, and satellite receivers too), and store them indoors in warmer temperatures.

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.

Cold weather LCD, such as the TFT display are a popular options for products that require a bright color graphical display. This includes laptops, medical equipment, ruggedized electronic devices, cell phones and GPS devices. This is because the majority of TFT displays can operate as low as -30C (-22F). If your product will be operating in a harsh, cold environment where temperatures fall below -30C you may need to add a LCD heater to your TFT display.

First, most TFT heaters are custom, which means there is a one-time tooling fee that can start around $5,000 on up. This tooling cost includes the redesign of the PCB and bezel. Click here for more information on our custom LCD heater solutions.

Many times adding a layer of insulation to your TFT will allow it to operate without a heater. One major improvement is to reduce the amount of wind that blows across the display. Install the TFT inside a sealed case.

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.

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.

You’ve left your TV in your unheated garage this winter, and temperatures reached below zero. When you finally return, you’re about to turn on the TV, but something stops you.

If you live in a place with cold, icy winters, it’s best to store your TV inside your heated home, rather than leaving it in your humid, below-freezing garage or basement.

If you’re thinking of mounting your TV in your garage, it’s best to monitor the temperature and humidity levels to make sure it’s a safe environment for your TV.

This Haozee Smart WiFi Temperature and Humidity Monitor connects to an app on your phone, so you can monitor how cold and humid your garage gets at night without having to get out of bed and check it yourself.

Instead, bring your TV inside your home and let it come back down to room temperature. This will give the metal components time to expand back to their original size. It will also allow any condensation to evaporate.

Extremely cold temperatures could severely damage your TV, leading to hundreds of dollars worth of repairs. In the worst-case scenario, you may even have to purchase a replacement.

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.

- Please be advised that the recommended storage temperature should be between -20 Celsius and +60 Celsius. However,thetelevision cannot be plugged in until the television"s internal temperature is 0-40 degrees Celsius. Please ensure that you unplug the television prior to storing it, and that the television is well warmed-up before plugging it in after the storage period. Regards, Panasonic Canada Inc. - Customer Care Centre - bg

- Thank you for submitting your inquiry to Samsung.For all 3 different technologies, LCD, DLP or PLASMA, the manufacturer recommends a storage temperature (TV off mode) between -4°F to 113°F (-20°C to 45°C). Same storage temperatures for all. We also recommend that regardless of what type you buy, that you unplug the TV from the wall socket when not in use for a very long period and to let TV warm up by just plugging it for 12 hours before operating the next time. - Samsung Limitless Support

- I"m glad to provide you the information regarding the operating temperature and storage temperature of the Sony TV. The television can be placed in storage with environmental temperatures between -4 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (F) and 20-90% Relative Humidity (RH). The recommended temperature for proper operation is between 41°F to 96°F. Proper operation outside of this temperature range cannot be guaranteed. Thank you for your time. Sony of Canada, Ltd. C6EL Jason

Everything I have read about them says their operating temperature is between +40*F and 100*F. Anything below 40 and the picture can become pixilated due to the slow response of the LED"s or LCD"s. Nowhere have I seen any warnings about the screen literally freezing and cracking. On the other hand every manufacturer I"ve checked out says they don"t gaurantee units placed in temperatures below -20*F.

Does anyone have any experience with an LED or LCD TV failing due to being left in sub zreo temperatures? We have 3 in our new Adventurer and I"d hate to see them damaged due to the cold weather.

Putting infested items in a freezer can kill bed bugs if some particular conditions are met. Freezing causes ice to form inside the bed bug, causing injury or death. Freezing bed bugs is easy to do. All it requires is:

If you are worried about ensuring that temperatures are low enough, use a remote thermometer and monitor the temperature inside the items you are freezing.

Unfortunately, no. It is unlikely that it will be cold enough for long enough to kill bed bugs. Sunlight, humidity, temperature variations during the day increase the risk that bed bugs will survive. DO NOT attempt to freeze your apartment or house by opening the windows and turning off the heat. There is a major risk that structural damage will occur and you will not kill the bed bugs.

For additional information on using freezing conditions to kill bed bugs please see this paper: Cold Tolerance of Bed Bugs and Practical Recommendations for Control

Our favorite gadgets can endure cold temperatures much better than hot, but that doesn’t make them unbreakable. Apple says its iPhones can be used only in temperatures between 32 degrees to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. On the other hand, Samsung guarantees its phones to function in temperatures between -4F and 122F. HTC and Nokia do not mention any temperature guidelines in their user manuals or on their websites.

According to tests made by PCWorld.com, most smartphones couldn’t handle temperatures ranging from 5F down to -4F. Even if the phones managed to stay powered up, most died when put to actual use. The breaking point of all smartphones is at -40F, when smartphones of all types can cease all their functionalities.

Leaving your smartphone in the cold can drain the battery much faster, and the device can shut down spontaneously. If the smartphone battery is exposed to cold temperatures over an extended period of time, the battery can end up dying all together. When tested, an iPhone 4s battery died and shut down at 14F.

Our smartphones have LCD displays that are more fragile in the cold than AMOLED displays. All phones with LCD displays in PCWorld’s tests experienced difficulties when the temperature dropped below 14F, while those with AMOLED displays were able to keep working at that temperature.

If you notice that the touchscreen has delayed reactions, and the text and colors are smudging and ghosting, this means the smartphone has been subjected to cold temperatures. The display panel also becomes more sensitive to cracks when dropped because the cold makes the panel rigid.

Smartphones may have a hard time reading the SIM card because of extreme cold temperatures. A number of functionalities may also fail to process. As an example, the iPhone 4s started reporting a SIM card error at 23F after testing.

The extreme cold makes the internal and external components rigid, making them susceptible to spontaneous screen shattering. Simple drops and movements can lead to a cracked screen or damage the internal components. When devices are left in ‘sleep mode’ in freezing temperatures, they can be facing real permanent damage that they cannot turn on anymore.

Liquid damage can occur even if you don’t literally drop your smartphone in water because of liquid condensation. This happens when the device has been left in the cold for a long period of time, and used immediately after bringing it into a warm area. Liquid condensation appears underneath the display, which can cause liquid damage and make the screen unreadable.

If this article came to you late and your smartphone has already been exposed to subfreezing temperatures, you can still do something about it. Don’t try to use the phone right away. Let it warm back up to room temperature before turning it on again. This prevents condensation and other damage that might occur to the device.

Plasma TVs work well in the cold, capable of better handling below-freezing temperatures than other LED models of similar price and quality. Consulting the TV’s manual will help you understand the proper storage and handling techniques necessary to get the most out of your TV no matter the weather.

A plasma screen should function as expected in colder climes, as long as the environment where the screen sits doesn’t dip below freezing. Even in scenarios where that’s the case, plasma TVs tend to hold up pretty well in storage.

Be aware of any sudden temperature changes, and reintroduce the screen to your home slowly to avoid potential permanent damage. Allow some time for the unit to acclimate to room temperature, ideally letting it sit for six hours to a day before attempting to turn it on. This delay ensures that there will be less of a chance of water damage to electrical functioning due to condensation.

It’s good to do a little research beforehand, as different brands will have varying temperature limits that their devices can withstand. The owner’s manual of your TV should give instructions as to proper operating and storage conditions.

Samsung, for instance, specifies that their plasma TVs have a broad operating range of 50 °F to 104 °F (10 °C to 40 °C). The company advises against installing their plasma units in areas outside of that temperature range due to the potential negative impact on the overall quality and longevity of the TV’s operation.

Samsung does not recommend storing their products in conditions of excessive heat or cold, with a safe temperature ranging between 4 °F and 113 °F (-20 °C to 45 °C).

LG—another popular plasma producer—advertises units that seem to fare a little better in frigid weather, with an operating range between 32 °F and 104 °F (0 °C and 40 °C). LG asserts their products function best at room temperature in terms of maximizing the unit’s lifespan.

Some say they store their plasma and LCD TVs in a cooler place over the winter with minimal issues, while others claim that this kind of climate irregularity is detrimental to the TV’s condition.

In online forums, many users from continental climates say they have had their plasma TVs stored in garages or shops for prolonged periods and experience little to no operational issues. LCD owners state that they experience few problems with their TVs during the winter, aside from slower initial boot up and response times.

It’s not an impossible feat to keep a plasma or LCD TV working in the cold, and some report little-to-no changes in their TV’s functionality despite wildly vacillating weather conditions. Here are some pointers to keep in mind between storing and operating your TV in colder weather conditions:

TVs are far more flexible temperature-wise regarding storage versus active use, with most LCD and plasma sets able to endure temperatures as low as 4 °F (about -16 °C). However, be forewarned that damage to your TV can still ensue if temperatures drop below this range. Particularly with an HD TV set, the image quality may be compromised and delayed in response to overexposure to the cold.

If you’re not planning on using your TV for a while, it’s best to keep it in a dry, covered place that will prevent it from gathering dust and from being exposed to direct sunlight. The sun’s heat can potentially create condensation in the unit, with the possibility of freezing overnight.

Equinox seasons are particularly risky, as the marked difference between daytime highs and nighttime lows can permanently damage the screen and create potential condensation with repeated freezing and unfreezing. It’s better if the area has an arid cold climate versus a humid cold, as there is a slimmer chance of condensation occurring.

When gearing up to use your TV again in March after a winter’s hiatus, make sure to heat the space to room temperature before attempting to turn the TV on. Most recommend waiting anywhere from one hour to one day before turning on the TV after a prolonged dormancy. The longer it’s been since its last use—and the colder it’s been since its last use—the longer you should wait.

An extreme shift in temperature can cause permanent damage to your TV, with the contrast between the residual cold and sudden heat forming condensation inside the TV set. Waiting at least 24 hours before turning the TV should allow enough time for any condensation inside the TV to evaporate and hopefully avoid any severe electrical issues.

If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative that still can handle some fluctuations in temperature, a plasma or LCD TV might be your choice. Plasma screens seem to be the more popular choice in a garage or seasonal home, but LCDs aren’t far behind. LCDs seem to be more temperature-sensitive: an LCD screen will freeze if stored below -4 °F (-20 °C), whereas a plasma can handle temperatures down to -40 °F (-40 °C).

Maybe, Maybe Not Liquid when allowed to freeze expands, distorts, and even cracks. There is a liquid-based material within the screen of LCD TVs. Will it be damaged overnight in freezing weather? Worse yet, if left in storage through the winter in the northern states where temperatures can get bitterly cold, will an LCD flat-screen TV survive? Information available on the Internet indicates that, in most cases, the possibility of damage is a definite "Maybe". Not very reassuring. But the fact is, each manufacturer provides different guidelines for its products, and those guidelines don"t carry over to all other brands of televisions. Safe operating temperatures for LCD televisions generally range from +40F to well over +100F. This means that if your LCD TV is kept in an environment below this range, you must allow it at least 24 hours to acclimate to the proper operating range before you plug it in or turn it on. Why? When something cold is brought into a warm environment, condensation (or moisture) will be present throughout the device. Plugging it in or turning it on could result in short circuits, shock, or other catastrophic failure of the unit. If the LCD screen is chilled, even though not frozen, it could fail as well. Manufacturer limitations on cold storage of their LCD TVs varies all over the map. Some are rated to handle temps as low as -15F to -20F below zero, while others are barely rated to be stored anywhere near the zero mark. So in the end find the TV you want and consult the owners manual for the TVs recommended operating range.