Contents
Cooling picks at a glance
Our current selection first. Heat, power supply and safe operation follow further down.
Waterproof and airtight are not the same thing
A sealed cover can keep rain out, but it can also trap the waste heat from your phone, encoder, modems and batteries. So always plan weather protection together with enough ventilation.
1. Protecting your phone and encoder from heat
- avoid direct sun and shade your gear, ideally with a light color
- keep air paths clear and don't stack warm components
- reduce display brightness, unnecessary apps and charging power
- take temperature warnings seriously and pause when in doubt
- don't put ice-cold objects directly on warm electronics
2. Active phone cooling for long streams
An active cooler can keep a heavily loaded phone from cutting display brightness, charging power or performance because of high temperature. IRL4YOU and other streamers use the REDMAGIC 6 Pro in practice. The REDMAGIC 8 Pro is the newer, more powerful version.
3. Keeping rain out without trapping heat
A fitting rain cover protects the outside of the backpack. Ports should face down, and cables get a drip loop so water doesn't run straight to the connector. Keep electronics raised and don't set them down on wet ground.
4. Batteries and devices in the cold
In the cold, a battery delivers less and sudden shutdowns are possible. Carry spares close to your body, dry and apart from metal objects. Stick to the manufacturer's limits for operation and charging. Don't charge a very cold battery at full power right away.
5. Condensation when the temperature changes
If you come in from outside into a warm, humid room, water can condense on and inside your devices. Let your gear warm up slowly, switched off, in the closed bag. Only when everything is dry do you plug it back in.
6. Safe cable routing and when to stop
- relieve strain on connectors and route cables close to your body or backpack
- don't connect wet ports while they're live
- take damaged batteries and cables out of the setup right away
- stop in a thunderstorm, when water gets in or when gear overheats
7. Weather at a glance
These are the weather situations with their risks and what you can do about them:
| Situation | Risk | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Heat | The phone builds up heat and throttles | Move into the shade, keep air paths clear, lower brightness and charging power, pause when in doubt |
| Rain | Water gets into connectors and ports | Use a rain cover, point ports down, build a drip loop, carry gear raised, don't pack it airtight |
| Cold | The battery delivers less, devices shut off | Carry spares close to your body and dry, respect manufacturer limits, don't charge cold batteries at full power right away |
| Temperature change | Water condenses on and inside devices | Let gear warm up switched off in the bag, plug it back in only when dry |
| Thunderstorm, water ingress, overheating | This is dangerous for your gear and for you | End the stream and pause somewhere safe |
8. Weather protection FAQ
Is a waterproof cover enough for my gear?
Not automatically. A sealed cover keeps the rain out, but it also traps the waste heat from your phone, encoder, modems and batteries. So plan for ventilation from the start.
What do I do if my phone gets too hot during the stream?
Get out of direct sun and give the air paths some room. Turn the display brightness down, close unnecessary apps and charge more slowly. Take temperature warnings seriously, and when in doubt, take a break. An active cooler helps, but it doesn't replace any of that.
Why is condensation a problem when I come indoors?
Cold devices fog up in warm, humid air, inside as well. Leave your gear switched off in the closed bag until it has adjusted. Only when everything is dry do you plug it back in.
How do I handle batteries in the cold?
A cold battery delivers less and sometimes shuts off suddenly. Carry spares close to your body and dry. Stick to the manufacturer's limits for operation and charging, and don't charge a very cold battery at full power right away.
When do I end the stream?
In a thunderstorm, when water gets in or when gear overheats. Take damaged batteries and cables out right away. You'll find more on preparing in the emergency and outage plan and under power supply.