I've started flying a lot of FPV recently, and I noticed that my Fat Shark Base glasses were getting quite hot after just minutes of use. Using my lab's handheld thermal infrared camera, I took some photos of the goggles and my quad after a few minutes in the air partially to try and troubleshoot the heat problem but mostly just for fun.
The goggles appear to have melted in one spot and "heat shrunk" (see above)
IR image confirms the source of heat is in the same place:
Has anyone else experienced this? I assume it's a voltage regulator in there but haven't opened them yet.
Here are some thermal snaps of my quad:
The bright white in the front / center is a 900mhz video transmitter and HoryzonHD camera circuit board (camera itself is below decks)
Comments
I have the the same version as you do. It gets hot, but not really much - I can fly for 1 hour without any problems at all. *knocks on the wood*
I just bought some FS Predators and they came with a 2S (7.4V). No problems so far.
I run mine on 2S now - with 3S they were just cooking.
They still get warm though - I'm assuming there is a linear regulator in there like a 7805.
Does anyone know if they will work on 6V? Using a switching BEC set to 6V is probably the next step.
Greg, do you have the Base or the Dominators?
Oops. Somehow this is not the latest version of this blog post. I have one more picture and a little more text, must have hit publish on the wrong tab. Thanks for the tips Greg. I am powering off of a 3s lipo, which also powers the receiver. The text was going to say "Next step is to take the FLIR airborne... as soon I can convince my professor that quadcopters never crash."
They are easy to open. Only two screws, but they used molded latch clips the nose bridge area front and back. If you are careful you can work it free with out damage more damage. I broke one of my clips. I guess they couldn't put a screw there because the CB covers the entire area.
Your in luck. I just happen to have the lid off of my FatSharks. From your picture the heating is the power supply area of the main circuit board. There are several relatively large inductors there. Also a big diode and what looks like voltage regulator and/or a transistor. Looks like a switcher with those inductors.
1. Are they still working?
2. What kind of voltage are you powering them from?
3. Number 2 is very important.
4. I wouldn't use them any more, warranty?, are they new?
This post is misleading, we thought you meant flying with a flir :-)
WOW that is hot. I have some fatshark dominators and they dont really get hot :S yours are burning!