Uni-t UTi260B

[mzzj]

Hi all!

So I just got for Christmas a UNIT 260B camera. This is my first thermal camera so Im not sure what to expect, and thats why I ask for advice here.
My camera shows a 'pattern' when I aim at objects or surfaces that should be at the same temperature all around. The pattern is always the same as below and does not improve after leaving the camera on for hours and after many FFC events.

Is this expected? The temperature range is small I know, around 2C, but I expected the screen to look all the same color, with no fixed pattern like this. Maybe Im expecting too much from such a low end device? Or is this a problem?

I just wanna make sure I did not get a defective unit.

I did recalibration based on https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/uni-t-uti260b/msg4544261/#msg4544261

It looks? like you can do the RMVC_CAL to even out the thermal imager field. Mine improved from 2.5 degree gradient to less than 1 degree gradient and made the camera lot more usable.
DON'T touch the RMVC_RESET or the other calibration points.

I used room-temperature brick wall as target for RMVC_CAL.

[Silicium81]

Which ZnSe lens you can recommend for PCB thermal analysis?

See: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/uni-t-uti260-3d-printed-accessories/msg4135633/#msg4135633

[whc]

Just got the UNi690B variant today. Unfortunately it does not work properly, just got a white screen and showing 900+ degrees Celsius.

Wondering if there is a way other than factory reset in setting, to do a complete hardware reset?

[Marconi]

Hello
I have had this same problem. I am new to this, could you please tell me what and where to buy what I need to fix it?.
Thanks in advance

Hi all

I also opened my uti690b and has the same board as in the picture below.
I destroyed my unit by a usb a to micro-usb > usb -c  and/or a quick charge charger. (some how)
I saw on the display 9v 4a! when unplugged it was already done. Not comming on. So be aware off that !
After opening / smelling and seeing with the a flir one cam, the mosfet was gone, next to d5 on the picture of keenox.
It was a 01ah replaced it with a 01A (7 something) and it is working again.
When sensor is disconnected I also get loading 100% and then nothing. after all connected up and running ( so far )
so maybe this can help people.
battery is a pnas 26650 3.6v 5000mah

br
Jeroen

I also opened the UTi260B. Tip: use a small suction cap (like the ones used to remove phone screens) to remove the screen shield in order to avoid scratches instead of using tweezers. Also, don't pull hard on the face because there is a small ribbon cable that connects the buttons to the main PCB. I almost ripped mine.
I also attached a script that will enable the USB console. (thanks optotester for the initial script)
Just unzip to the SD card root, press right for 3 seconds, hold and press left.
You will see a new COM in the device manager. Connect using putty (or your preferred terminal client) with baud rate 115200.

Use ftpadmin/ftpadmin (no write rigths, safer to just look around) or root/uti160e (careful! you can mess stuff up if you don't know what you're doing.

Full dump of the 1.2.6 firmware: https://mega.nz/file/2EZXAKJC#L_ROicWxl96tmm10NZP_TM9PELJHTVqmL0C8l_ZAYGQ

[Algoma]

I really wonder about that USB-C connector on these, when its really only safe to charge from 5V only.

Charge only with the included USB-A to USB-C cable!

Connecting it to USB-C or fast-charger will likely dammage more than just that mosfet. Others have lost the camera modules, I lost the NTC termperature compensation in mine. The higher voltage supplied from a USB fast charger goes right thorugh the whole thing, Not certain why its requesting the fast charger to step up to a higher voltage it can't handle.

[Veteran68]

A properly functioning USB-C PD charger should not damage any device. Anything higher than 5V requires a negotiation between the charger and the device. The connection starts with a default 5V unless/until the device tells the charger it wants more voltage. Using adapters should not cause excess voltage either, if anything they break the negotiation protocol which prevents a voltage greater than 5V.

I charge my UTi690B from a generic USB-C cable connected to a smart charger on my desk. Same cable and charger I use for all of my USB-C devices. Never had a problem.

Of course it's possible to make a charger with a USB-C plug that is not compliant, and there have been some reported cases (like the prototype chargers shipped with the Rigol DHO scopes), but they are the exception not the rule. So know what you have and don't use stupid chargers from stupid suppliers. It should be a crime for companies to make USB-C chargers that output anything other than 5V without negotiation.

[EV.geny]

Hello. I recently became the owner of this device. In the calibration settings, the NTC value is also 0.0. Perhaps in this version (2.0.20) it is not needed for thermal compensation? Please check who has the opportunity to go to the calibration menu,(https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/infiray-c210-thermal-camera-review/msg4336675/#msg4336675) the NTC value. P.S. Sorry for the translation, English is not my native language

[novafoxan]

I bought this camera and noticed that the image freezes, especially when switching between low gain and high gain.The strange thing is that I can move the arrows and enter the menu in the camera. Only the temperature image is frozen. I have to turn the camera off and then turn it on  to work normally.
But the malfunction does not happen all the time. It may have happened to me five times at most
this is vedio shows the proplem

Is it possible that the camera is defective?

I contacted the seller and he told me that this is normal, especially since it is made in China. Is what he said true? Has anyone had this defect? ​​If this defect is not normal, then I will return the camera and get my money back.

[sergk]

Is it possible that the camera is defective?

I contacted the seller and he told me that this is normal, especially since it is made in China. Is what he said true? Has anyone had this defect? ​​If this defect is not normal, then I will return the camera and get my money back.

No It's not normal, my works without such freezes (only periodically for few seconds, when calibrating)

[novafoxan]

Is it possible that the camera is defective?

I contacted the seller and he told me that this is normal, especially since it is made in China. Is what he said true? Has anyone had this defect? ​​If this defect is not normal, then I will return the camera and get my money back.

No It's not normal, my works without such freezes (only periodically for few seconds, when calibrating)

thank you ....
This freeze does not happen now. I do not know the reason. Whether it will happen again in the future or not.
Note that this freeze has only occurred six times so far.Something strange about this camera

[digant]

Please, can someone share the latest firmware for UTi260B?

[Brad808]

Does anyone know why my device will sometimes revert to Chinese language when I turn it on? It's not the end of the world as the device still works and I can easily change it back, but it's a bit annoying. UTi260B, v1.2.32 firmware. Thanks

[Brad808]

Does anyone know why my device will sometimes revert to Chinese language when I turn it on? It's not the end of the world as the device still works and I can easily change it back, but it's a bit annoying. UTi260B, v1.2.32 firmware. Thanks

This is what my unit is doing. According to Uni-T it is totally normal for the unit to freeze trying to turn on and not maintain settings.

Changing language and settings to default:
https://youtu.be/-aACVWQMOCk

Freezing:
https://youtu.be/rogNkhPt68s

[Grunema2]

Is it possible set the temperature scale to a fix value? Guide IR PC260 call it "M" Mode.
Thanks

[Brexei]

So, after a few months of trying to fix my 260B camera i must say that everything failed!!   

I replaced the mosfet twice, but the camera is still dead!
It all happened when i charged it with a different charger and cable. Now the battery is full, but the camera does not start at all.

There is no support from UNiT at all, no info, so i cannot do anything else! There is no one in Europe that can repair it.

Dear Fraser, if you would like to take a look in my camera, i could send it to you. Please tell me if you are interested in this.

[Fraser]

I currently have the UT260B belonging to Brexei on my workbench.

I have reverse engineered the power supply circuits on the main PCB in order to test them after the over-voltage event from a USB-C charger. I may upload the schematics when I have completed my investigation on the camera. In the mean time I can advise that the over-voltage event destroyed the TPS630250 DC-DC converter that produces the 3.3V supply. The 3.3V power rail supplies the DC-DC converters that generate the 1.2V, 1.35V and 5V power rails. These DC-DC converters are effectively protected from over voltage behind the 3.3V DC-DC converter and a MOSFET switch. The USB input is connected to the 3.3V DC-DC converter and the TP5000 Li-Ion charger IC. Neither IC is designed to cope with a 9V or higher input so both can easily be damaged by a USB-C charger that accidentally delivers more than the usual 5V output. Ancillary circuits (MOSFETS) involved in power routing can also be damaged, as we already know.

The UT-260B should not be capable of activating the higher voltage modes of a USB-C charger so these over-voltage events are unusual. The camera has no built in over-voltage protection that is effective against such an event, hence the damage we are witnessing.

Fraser

[Fraser]

The faulty UT260B belonging to Brexei was able to complete boot after I worked on it today. It displayed a normal thermal and visible light image.

This camera suffered damage to its power management, DC-DC converters and TP5000 lithium ion charger IC as a direct result of an over-voltage event at the USB-C charging socket. The investigation of this cameras faults took significant time and sadly would likely be uneconomic for a commercial repair centre that has no prior knowledge of the design.

Be very careful what charger you use with these cameras as accidental application of 9V or higher will kill it and repair will be expensive if you cannot do the work yourself.

I will consider uploading the schematics that I created of the power supply side of the UT260B design at some point in the future. These would greatly simplify investigation of power rail related faults.

Fraser

[Veteran68]

Great work, as always Fraser!

Do you have any idea where the fault lies with regards to the bad USB-C voltage applied?

It's possible but seems unlikely that the UTi260B's PD circuit would fail and negotiate an over-voltage PD profile. Without knowing specifics, I'm more inclined to believe a faulty or non-compliant USB-C power supply was used. This is exactly why there was a such an outcry when the preview samples of the Rigol DHO800/900 scopes shipped with a fixed 12V USB-C supply. It's a highly irresponsible move to manufacture such a supply in the first place.

[Fraser]

The UT260B USB-C socket is dumb with no data communications ability with a charger over the configuration channel pin. There is no PD modem present in the camera. The USB-C socket is configured as a simple 5V USB charging port. This suggests that the smart charger that damaged the camera suffered an anomaly that triggered the higher output voltage mode. This should not happen but it clearly did in this case.

Fraser

[Algoma]

I wonder if there is room to mod in some protection across that USB input.

[Fraser]

The UT260B does have a TVS diode across the charging input but Uni-Trend elected to use the SMBJ28CA and that does not start to act until around 31V Totally useless considering the maximum permissible input is only 7.0V ! I have dug out the charger input circuit I drew of the FLIR iX series cameras and it will be noted that the TVS diode used across the charger input is the SMAJ5.0A. The SMAJ5.0A begins to act when the voltage across it reaches 6.1V to 7.07V.  I attach the iX input schematic and SMBJ/SMAJ series TVS diode datasheets. Brexei has asked me about improving the protection on the charger input and I have recommended fitting a fuse or polyfuse and a SMAJ5.0A in place of the SMBJ28CA TVS diode. This is the minimum level of input protection that I would expect to find on a USB charger input.

For those willing to open their camera, I recommend changing the charger input protection TVS diode (D10) to something more suited to a nominal 5V input. I might add that the same daft choice of TVS diode is present on the the Li-Ion battery input ! Tat said, it is less important on that input due to the battery being a built-in type.

Fraser

[Fraser]

A sketch of the UT260B/UT690B USB-C power input circuit.

[Fraser]

A correction to a previous post (that I have now amended).

Whilst I was correct in stating that the USB-C socket is operated in a dumb mode, with no PD modem for voltage negotiation, the two resistors I initially thought to be 5.1K passive 5V mode programming components were in fact just 10 Ohm data line resistors. The camera does not have 5.1K resistors on the smart charger mode programming line.

I note from the UTi260B user manual that it states a 5V 1A or 5V 2A charger should be used. It does not, however, prohibit the use of multi voltage smart chargers. I have not found a reason for the over voltage event that damaged the UTi260B that I just repaired. I can only assume that the charger was at fault but wonder if the issue would have occurred if the usual 5.1K passive mode programming resistors had been present on the cameras USB-C socket. I have installed a 5V TVS diode across the charger input of the repaired UTi260B as an additional protective measure against voltage excursions damaging the TPS630250 DC-DC converter and TP5000 charger IC. The owner will be using a dedicated 5V USB charger to avoid future issues.

The camera was repaired and carefully tested. For those facing a similar failure I can advise that the challenge was in sourcing the required parts in the UK. I had to order a TP5000 charger module PCB from China, to harvest the TP5000 from it, and ordered the TPS630250 adjustable DC-DC converter (set to 3.3V) from Digikey. These parts were not available to buy in the UK.

The UTi260B operating time from a full charge impressed me. It has managed 10 hours of continuous operation during testing  The specification states “greater than 6 hours”.

Fraser

[Fraser]

Forum member “Sakis” who is asking for UTi260B repair assistance…. Your PM inbox is reporting that it is full. Please delete its contents and I will provide the details that you requested.

Fraser

[digant]

Please, can someone share a link with the latest firmware for UTi260B?