I spent $300 on a thermal camera for board-level repair and it was a total waste for my shop.

Everyone talks about them like they're a magic wand for finding shorts. I got a basic one, used it on maybe five devices over six months. For most consumer stuff, my multimeter and a careful visual check under the microscope got me the same answer faster. The thermal image just showed me the whole board was warming up, which I already knew. It sits in the drawer now. For the kind of work I do, it was an expensive toy. Has anyone else bought a tool that just didn't fit their actual workflow?

2 comments

2 Comments

rowan3891mo ago

Man, that's a real bummer and I totally get the feeling.

linda_kelly171mo ago

Remember my friend who got his car towed from his own driveway? Yeah, that was a whole new level of bad day.