diy solar

diy solar

Thermal cam, best purchase I've ever made....

I use a Pulsar XP38 Thermion scope. It will detect a mouse at over 100 yards, and a person at almost a mile.

I can even see the temperature difference left behind a duck swimming in a pond, or the heat signatures left by someone pushing keys on a keyboard. (by the way, they can use these at ATM machines to figure out your pin code so always put your warm palm over the keypad for a few seconds when you're done)

Last year, I was trying to put a nail into a stud and my stud finder wouldn't work because the kitchen wall was an "outside wall" with insulation behind it. Pulled out the Thermion scope and I could easily see the studs by the temperature difference.

Of course, a Thermion XP is far more expensive than one of these phone gadgets, but thermal scopes are amazing.
 
LithiumCanuck said:
WoW!

I just love it…. Just received it, a week before estimated delivery. Very simple to use, the image is clear, connection with my iPhone completed in 20 seconds. Temperature reading seems to be good (I will confirm next time I go to my chalet), I can easily see warm spots on everything so any issue with my wiring will be obvious for sure…. Really exactly what I was looking for and for less $$ than expected. Very happy…

(Now I have to find out how to capture an image without the onscreen information ?)

View attachment 122655
Click to expand...
I checked today and mine hasn't even shipped yet. :cry:
 
LithiumCanuck said:
(Now I have to find out how to capture an image without the onscreen information ?)
Click to expand...
You can switch off the temperature display in the device (max, min, cen) and the associated crosses. But what remains are the lower data and the temp scale.

If you download the "Hikmicro Analyzer" PC software from their website (www.hikmicrotech.com) you can import the photo there: Only the pure thermal data is then available without on-screen data. You can then also change the palette or the level span in there afterwards.

Also make sure your firmware is up to date: Hikmicro recently made some changes that improved the thermal resolution in a narrow span and the sharpness of the image to be able to resolve finer details better. No major effects but helpful in certain borderline situations.

MurphyGuy said:
Of course, a Thermion XP is far more expensive than one of these phone gadgets, but thermal scopes are amazing.
Click to expand...
The Thermion XP38 has the same NetD as the Hikmicro devices as the lens aperture on the Thermion is only f1.2, reducing the stated NetD (which is always measured at f1.0). Both devices should be about equally sensitive. You just see further because of the high magnification and a higher resolution. The Pocket 2 has a wide-angle lens.

OzSolar said:
I checked today and mine hasn't even shipped yet. :cry:
Click to expand...
Looks like the 2-3 weeks came true... ?
 
katzenhai2 said:
The Thermion XP38 has the same NetD as the Hikmicro devices as the lens aperture on the Thermion is only f1.2, reducing the stated NetD (which is always measured at f1.0). Both devices should be about equally sensitive. You just see further because of the high magnification and a higher resolution. The Pocket 2 has a wide-angle lens.
?
Click to expand...

Hikmicro makes thermoscopes, handheld devices, android devices, monoculars, and all kinds of stuff.

Thermal imaging quality is mostly centered around the size of the germanium glass, the microbolometer (that's the sensor), and its sensitivity. The germanium glass up front is the biggest variable as it is said to represent over 40% of the cost of most thermal devices. Apparently, germanium glass is stupidly expensive. As for the bolometers inside, only a few companies in the world make them so regardless of the brand name, its going to have just one of a few names inside.

Beyond that, the rest is application design. Most thermal devices can't take the shock delivered from a 12ga shotgun. Drop them or bump them hard enough and many are likely to stop working. Try to use them in the rain, they stop working, try to use them in extreme temperatures, they stop working.

You really do get what you pay for. If you want sensitivity, you're not going to get any range. If you want range, you're not going to get anything that's very sensitive. And if you want both, then be prepared to do what I did and open your wallet. There's a big difference between a $400 device and a $4500 device.
 
MurphyGuy said:
You really do get what you pay for. If you want sensitivity, you're not going to get any range. If you want range, you're not going to get anything that's very sensitive. And if you want both, then be prepared to do what I did and open your wallet. There's a big difference between a $400 device and a $4500 device.
Click to expand...
The area of application of the device for a shot gun is completely different from checking solar panels for functionality. ;)

The sensitivity is almost the same between top-outdoor devices and hikmicros measurement devices. The difference lies in the software since no accurate temperature measurement is neccessary in the outdoor devices: You can use sharpness filters exaggeratedly and AI support for visible identification.

With my posting I just wanted to refute your statement that your Thermion XP is more sensitive than for example the Pocket 2. That's not the case. With a Pocket 2 you can also see "heat signatures left by someone pushing keys on a keyboard". But both devices have their right to exist for very different applications. And they are not "gadgets". Of course your Thermion XP has a higher price because it has a bigger lens and sensor resolution and obviously a lot was invested in the software to make such a flawless optical view possible.
 
Last edited:
MurphyGuy said:
I use a Pulsar XP38 Thermion scope. It will detect a mouse at over 100 yards, and a person at almost a mile.

I can even see the temperature difference left behind a duck swimming in a pond, or the heat signatures left by someone pushing keys on a keyboard. (by the way, they can use these at ATM machines to figure out your pin code so always put your warm palm over the keypad for a few seconds when you're done)

Last year, I was trying to put a nail into a stud and my stud finder wouldn't work because the kitchen wall was an "outside wall" with insulation behind it. Pulled out the Thermion scope and I could easily see the studs by the temperature difference.

Of course, a Thermion XP is far more expensive than one of these phone gadgets, but thermal scopes are amazing.
Click to expand...


I'm glad you posted this.

I had no idea thermal scopes could focus down to distance practical for electrical inspection.

However, they do!

The zoom is a little annoying, and there is no estimated temperature reading, but it works incredibly well. I mounted mine on a tripod to make the image/zoom have less potential for stomach emptying, but handheld would probably work if it's been a while since you've eaten...

You saved me some money.
 
ArkRob said:
I'm glad you posted this.

I had no idea thermal scopes could focus down to distance practical for electrical inspection.

However, they do!

The zoom is a little annoying, and there is no estimated temperature reading, but it works incredibly well. I mounted mine on a tripod to make the image/zoom have less potential for stomach emptying, but handheld would probably work if it's been a while since you've eaten...

You saved me some money.
Click to expand...

They don't focus to close range, I think my XP38 is 10 or 12 feet minimum. Finding the studs behind the drywall was done from the other side of the room.

I'm thinking about buying either a Flir Breach or a PVS14. Can't drive or walk around while looking through a rifle scope. That said, one very cool feature is that I can get a live view of what the scope is seeing on my tablet using bluetooth.

There's a video of some guys driving around with the scope mounted to the roof off their pickup on a motorized swivel base. They could drive down the road and see what's in the fields while viewing the image through their tablet.
 
my pocket2 finally arrived!

first impression: powers on quickly. infrequent calibration pauses. very easy to use interface. good resolution and refresh rate. love how similar to a point and shoot camera form factor it is.

will update with some example photos later after i figure out how to import them.

thanks again for the heads up y'all!!

super happy with this solar hardware diagnostic tool. ?
 
update: the hikmicro pocket2 seems to have no way on device to check how much space remains on the storage. alas!
 
curiouscarbon said:
my pocket2 finally arrived!

first impression: powers on quickly. infrequent calibration pauses. very easy to use interface. good resolution and refresh rate. love how similar to a point and shoot camera form factor it is.

will update with some example photos later after i figure out how to import them.

thanks again for the heads up y'all!!

super happy with this solar hardware diagnostic tool. ?
Click to expand...
Glad you got one, It's a very good thermal camera.
Absolutely amazing how the Chinese went from being so far behind Flir just a year ago to now being on Par with them in image quality and accuracy. They can thank DJI for that lol.

Enjoy
 
robby said:
Glad you got one, It's a very good thermal camera.
Absolutely amazing how the Chinese went from being so far behind Flir just a year ago to now being on Par with them in image quality and accuracy. They can thank DJI for that lol.

Enjoy
Click to expand...
Thank you!

It is very fun to use in every day type situations. Pretty easy to see variations in walls that are adjacent to outdoors. Quite responsive frame rate. Very easy to operate. A joy to see the world in a new way. Feels like having x-ray vision or something. Unsure anything from FLIR performs this well at the same or similar price; have not actually checked (that company has a reputation for very high prices, and I did not want my hopes dashed, ha).

Now I just need to actually design, fabricate enclosure, and assemble my cells into battery packs, lol ?‍♂??️
 
Great thread, thank you all for contributing. A thermal camera is next on my list of test equipment.

I'm a FLIR dealer through work, so will likely go that route, but thanks to this thread I'll definitely look at other options first!

(Note: I'm not hawking my wares, I'm not selling anything. We're not a retail business.)
 
robby said:
Glad you got one, It's a very good thermal camera.
Absolutely amazing how the Chinese went from being so far behind Flir just a year ago to now being on Par with them in image quality and accuracy. They can thank DJI for that lol.

Enjoy
Click to expand...
You can thank people like the current resident (no that’s not a typo) of the White House, his son and other scum from DC who’ve sold our tech for side deals, that’s who you can thank. DJI is a consumer of our tech, not inventor of it.
 
Jennifer said:
You can thank people like the current resident (no that’s not a typo) of the White House, his son and other scum from DC who’ve sold our tech for side deals, that’s who you can thank. DJI is a consumer of our tech, not inventor of it.
Click to expand...
Obviously you have no idea what Transpired. Biden was not even in power at the time, this was during Trumps tenor and even then it has nothing to do with him or the Government.
 
curiouscarbon said:
Thank you!

It is very fun to use in every day type situations. Pretty easy to see variations in walls that are adjacent to outdoors. Quite responsive frame rate. Very easy to operate. A joy to see the world in a new way. Feels like having x-ray vision or something. Unsure anything from FLIR performs this well at the same or similar price; have not actually checked (that company has a reputation for very high prices, and I did not want my hopes dashed, ha).

Now I just need to actually design, fabricate enclosure, and assemble my cells into battery packs, lol ?‍♂??️
Click to expand...
It's right on Par with Flir's $800 offerings so your not missing out on anything.:)
 
Just pulled the trigger on a FLIR Edge Pro. Will report back when I receive it, will be a few weeks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top