Using an Argus 3 for analyzing electronics ...

[stynx]

Hi, im intereste to buy a 320x240px thermal camera to use it mainly for analyzing old (retro) pcbs to get defective parts or broken traces. There is a seller on eBay who offers Argus 2 and 3 for around 500-600€. My limit for a thermal camera is around 600€ at the moment.

Has anyone experience with this?

-Jonas

[forum_admin]

They are easy to refocus once inside, which is just a case of undoing a whole load of screws. It must be upwards of 20 to get at the chassis inside.

Then it is just undo the lock screw and you have an adjustable focus lens. For real thermo-microscope work you could put a matching lens 'front to front' and create a focal plane identical to the sensor itself

Where are you ?
You could consider getting the internal chassis or even core and building your own box. I've got a few of those but can only ship in the EU.

regards
Bill

[stynx]

Im in Germany. I would be interested to build a custom rig based on the Argus.

-Jonas

[forum_admin]

OK Jonas,

I will check and see what option looks easiest to set up and use.

An Argus 3 camera chassis is straightforward, volts in and video out on a simple connector. That however relies on the Argus camera Control PCB to set up the thermal core so makes it bigger than necessary. Some versions of the boards had the ability to run the core on its' own with potientiometers for image gain / offset but it is a long while since I last tried that.

Will find some photos too

regards
Bill

[stynx]

As long as it is possible to connect something to the core like a monitor or serial interface, im good.

I have actually bough a complete Argus 3 from eBay (fully working as promised by the seller). But I would like to start with a incomplete unit first... since I don't want to destroy a good unit.

-Jonas