Forum Discussion

Deraldjr's avatar
Deraldjr
Explorer
Mar 09, 2018

Cant see GPS in sun

I have a Rand McNalley 7" RV GPS unit. I have it at brightest setting and an accessory hood shade sold by Rand. The sun still washes out the screen making it near impossible or day time driving. Anyone found a DIY solution?
  • garry1p wrote:
    Sounds crazy but try this (if you are using polarized sunglasses).

    Looking through your glasses and rotate them to the right then rotate to the left.
    One direction will black out the screen the other will lighten the screen up.

    The GPS screen is polarized in a different direction than your sunglasses than the GPS.


    Yes, wasn't that a bright idea, or not?

    I have to keep mine turned almost 45 degrees to see it.

    Try it and I think you will be surprised.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    GordonThree wrote:
    Build a bigger, longer hood for it. Use card stock, sprayed flat black on the inside.


    Second that.
  • garry1p wrote:
    Sounds crazy but try this (if you are using polarized sunglasses).

    Looking through your glasses and rotate them to the right then rotate to the left.
    One direction will black out the screen the other will lighten the screen up.

    The GPS screen is polarized in a different direction than your sunglasses than the GPS.


    I have worked with electronic surveying equipment with LCD screens and wearing polarized sunglasses. They are not a good mix. At first I thought there was a problem with the screen until I removed my sunglasses.

    You may possibly have a defective screen also.
  • I tried everything to be able to see in the daylight.
    This is how I fixed the problem.

    Donut dash mount with bendable holder.

    I can bend that attachment all the way down to the mount and move it side to side, where ever I want so I can see it with out the glare. And I can move the whole thing anywhere on the dash also.





    What became a bonus of this set up is all I have to do is unplug the GPS and grab the whole donut/GPS mount and I can move it to my toad or any other car in a snap.
  • i have the same gps,use it in the semi all the time
    if your getting sun glare from teh dash panel coming back up on to the screen of the gps(even with the sun shade) it will wash out the picture.

    try putting something dark on the dash in front of the gps unit(but it has to be something that wont reflect sunlight)

    black cloth works for me,and i angle the screen slightly towards the cloth on the dash
  • garry1p wrote:
    Sounds crazy but try this (if you are using polarized sunglasses).

    Looking through your glasses and rotate them to the right then rotate to the left.
    One direction will black out the screen the other will lighten the screen up.

    The GPS screen is polarized in a different direction than your sunglasses than the GPS.


    Ooh good catch on this one. Definitely could be sunglasses causing it.
  • Build a bigger, longer hood for it. Use card stock, sprayed flat black on the inside.
  • Sounds crazy but try this (if you are using polarized sunglasses).

    Looking through your glasses and rotate them to the right then rotate to the left.
    One direction will black out the screen the other will lighten the screen up.

    The GPS screen is polarized in a different direction than your sunglasses than the GPS.
  • I have the GS/Rand McNally 7" and use a suction cup mount on my driver's door window with the added clip on shade with much better results then placing it on my dash. Just need to remember to pop it off the window when I need to open it.

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