Thermal Imaging on reviews

[MiniKnight]

STH writers and Patrick

What if you guys started using a thermal imaging on reviews. I would like to see how motherboards deal with heat. Puget systems does it and I think that it is super cool. Except that I want to know in servers not desktops. Different airflow requirements.

 

[dba]

STH writers and Patrick

What if you guys started using a thermal imaging on reviews. I would like to see how motherboards deal with heat. Puget systems does it and I think that it is super cool. Except that I want to know in servers not desktops. Different airflow requirements.

It would be nice supplemental info, and definitely some really cool-looking photos. The only thermal cameras that I'm familiar with start at $2K each, however.

 

[MiniKnight]

It would be nice supplemental info, and definitely some really cool-looking photos. The only thermal cameras that I'm familiar with start at $2K each, however.

Sub $1000 - Extech i5 Thermal Imaging Camera Part IRC40 | eBay

I know Patrick uses expensive Extech stuff for sound and power testing. Seems in-line pricing.

 

[Patrick]

Sub $1000 - Extech i5 Thermal Imaging Camera Part IRC40 | eBay

I know Patrick uses expensive Extech stuff for sound and power testing. Seems in-line pricing.

They are somewhat expensive. The seller counter-offered me at basically the ask price. A bit too pricey for something that I cannot really defer the cost on.

 

[Patrick]

Ok have been looking into this. If we find an i5 or i7 in good shape and for $800-900 I might get one.

 

[MiniKnight]

How has this been working for you?

 

[Patrick]

OK ordered a FLIR. More to come.

 

[mrkrad]

man i've always wanted one. tips on getting a good deal on a usable model?

I heard there was a price breakthrough about to happen? not sure if its slow scan based or what.

It would be fun to have a quad rotor with voX recorder fly around the house/roof looking for leaks or creatures

 

[Patrick]

man i've always wanted one. tips on getting a good deal on a usable model?

I heard there was a price breakthrough about to happen? not sure if its slow scan based or what.

It would be fun to have a quad rotor with voX recorder fly around the house/roof looking for leaks or creatures

When I get to something bigger than my phone will post a few links. Since this is for a review site I am not getting one of those homebrew versions. Ended up ordering a new FLIR unit. Pretty excited.

 

[dba]

I wonder if this oft-delayed Indiegogo thermal imager project will ever ship: Mu Optics
The first versions were offered at $125, but the final price will probably be around $400 for a 160x120 resolution device.

Which FLIR did you get Patrick? I'm about to buy a FLIR MS-324 handheld imager (320x240 resolution), but it is tuned for boating as opposed to imaging electronics.

 

[Patrick]

I wonder if this oft-delayed Indiegogo thermal imager project will ever ship: Mu Optics
The first versions were offered at $125, but the final price will probably be around $400 for a 160x120 resolution device.

Which FLIR did you get Patrick? I'm about to buy a FLIR MS-324 handheld imager (320x240 resolution), but it is tuned for boating as opposed to imaging electronics.

I got the E4 with MSX but you can update it easily to make it think it is an E8 to make it 320x240 using a simple firmware upgrade. Same internals but no Wifi.

Maybe better for email but if you wanted to borrow/ rent it once I get and flash let me know. Would save a bundle.

If people really want these maybe I can buy a second and rent them out. For the site I will likely use it often but guessing many people will not. Fun to see this stuff every so often though.

 

[dba]

I got the E4 with MSX but you can update it easily to make it think it is an E8 to make it 320x240 using a simple firmware upgrade. Same internals but no Wifi.
...

Well that's interesting, annoying, a bit frustrating... no, I'm actually a bit pissed off. This means that FLIR could make money selling the E8 at $1K but they sell it at $6K instead. It means that that there is simply too much profit margin in FLIR cameras right now. We need an overseas manufacturer to release some low-cost IR imagers to the market in order to drive the margins down to something reasonable.

 

[Patrick]

Well apparently the new E series sensors are the same as the ones the car manufacturers are using.

Did you see the teardown of the E4 on YouTube? I'm atop a mountain we just hiked in Vermont but can send from airports tomorrow.

 

[mrkrad]

bmw and cadillac sell FLIR units cheap. they are designed for night vision but i'm sure a hacker could tweak it.

I was thinking the gigapan - if you had like a dozen pixels (1 pixel IR thermometer) you could just slow scan and pan to get a thermal readout (locate hot areas slowly/locate leaks slowly).

Ebay has the FLIR unit from cadillac pretty often

 

[Patrick]

bmw and cadillac sell FLIR units cheap. they are designed for night vision but i'm sure a hacker could tweak it.

I was thinking the gigapan - if you had like a dozen pixels (1 pixel IR thermometer) you could just slow scan and pan to get a thermal readout (locate hot areas slowly/locate leaks slowly).

Ebay has the FLIR unit from cadillac pretty often

Here is the info on the new FLIR E-series: Manufacturer-Crippled Flir E4 Thermal Camera Hacked to Perform as High-End Model

 

[Jeggs101]

I might be interested. Maybe $100 for a week with the camera? I just want to be able to check the rack. I'd be interested to see any overly hot spots and leaks in cases.

My question is what are you going to start using the camera on first?

 

[TangoWhiskey9]

I dunno how you're going to pull this off. I'm assuming you have a plan on all this stuff but questions I have:

How are you going to take images of server parts? Run them bare or in a chassis? If in a chassis, how will you ensure proper airflow? What to do with ducts?

Are you going to heat soak first?

How to ensure consistent mounting?

 

[Patrick]

Hello Rangeley: Image #7 (yes the first one I had the lens cover on):

Still a bit of a learning curve, much moreso than a DSLR. The above was with a Supermicro A1SRi-2758F. I think the MSX enhancement is going to be useful.

 

[MiniKnight]

Since this was my suggestion very cool you guys are actually doing it.

 

[pgh5278]

Patrick, I can a whole new artform kicking off here..PGH