I have a van and left all my kites permanently in them - last 5 years. Never had an issue - but Sydney is not that hot compared to some places.

teabaggin said...

I have heard that the heat can effect the glue that sticks the valves to the leading edge ,and cause leaking valves .Thats probably the only damage it could possibly do.

I think your right i bought a kite of someone who left it in there car all the time and i have almost replaced every valve now because of the glue unsticking its a pain every time you set up another one goes its my light winda 16m so lots of valves.

teabaggin said...

I have heard that the heat can effect the glue that sticks the valves to the leading edge ,and cause leaking valves .Thats probably the only damage it could possibly do.

Yes, the heat can 'unstick' the valves. I learnt this around the time I had seven (7) valves come unstuck (from 3 kites) in one afternoon...

heat can kill any fabric it just depends how much heat. Had a bloke fix a valve under our shade on the beach the other day but for 10 min left the first strut in the sand out of the wind sure enough that valve peeled off. Also leave a kite near the roof of a shed over summer and the canopy just disintegrates.( I am talking about a lot more heat than you would get in Sydney)

Had a guy lose all the bladders on his kites in Saudi because he left them in the car for one day. It was in the shade in 40 degree heat. High temps melt the glue on the kite bladders.

Kiting said...

A few years ago you would lose all of your valves if you left kites in your car on a hot summer day in Perth. However nowadays I dont have the same issues, current kites live in my car, 3 years and counting..

They must use different glue, when you have to peel valves off my fuels, solid contact with boiling water is required to make the glue release.

BE careful using boiling water you can melt the bladder i would say hot water from the tap