Off topic but food for thought ;) + my Gofundme - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2021, 01:08:57 pm
content: I follow the adventures of Alex at NorthridgeFIX on YouTube and he is a firm believer in working efficiently and using thermal imaging to aid him in his repair work.Today he posted a video about the value of knowledge and his experience of such as a 16 year old approaching a professional business seeking help.https://youtu.be/4lELSPWkPL0Now let me just say that I do not agree with the actions of the Shop owner in Alex’s story. We are talking about a New York Shop though and New York has a reputation for being quite a hard nosed city. I personally would have either sold 16 year old Alex the correct cable at retail cost and explained why he needed it, or I would have just told him that two cable types existed and let Alex decide whether he wanted to buy the correct cable from me…. That may not have been the best business decision but Alex may have then given me repeat custom without fear of being charge a lot of money. $40 in 1996 was a lot of money !I regularly share my knowledge on this forum without any expectation of reward. A simple “Thank you” is often enough and I get the satisfaction that I helped another person in their journey through life. There have been occasions when I felt very “Used” or was disappointed to be “Ghosted” as soon as I provided the required information but I have learned to accept such behaviour. I do object to being used like a human Google however as some people seem to use me as a short cut to knowledge and put no effort into research. I no longer provide knowledge to such individuals as you have to be cruel to be kind sometimes and they need to learn to research a topic of interest. If that means reading 300 pages of information on this forum, so be it.The story that Alex shared did get me thinking though. All my life I have been a “giver” who tried to help others where able. It is just my personality type. I joined the Civil Service to help and serve my Country and there is a saying….to come out of the Civil Service Rich you need to enter it Very Rich !In the UK this can be very true and I know I would have earned far more money working in Industry. I look back and wonder whether I should have “chased the money” instead of taking a job that I considered a Vocation in the Civil Service. Too late now though and at least my life lead to me seeing the world and meeting my Wife. Some things are worth more than money ! Money does help lubricate the journey through life though !So back to Alex and his business. He repairs equipment that would otherwise end up as scrap but he also reunites people with their data, repairs their beloved laptops etc that have sentimental value and even restores peoples access to their cars through the repair of car key fobs. He is a good man but also a businessman. He charges a fair fee for a repair, no matter how simple or challenging it may be. He also declares some faulty equipments beyond economic repair as they contain rabbit holes of unknown depth and as a business you have to be sensible on time taken to repair something. I still feel sorry for the 16 year Old Alex who entered that computer shop in 1996, asked for help, the help was provided BUT the store owner then demanded significant payment with no warning that such would be due. Not how I would operate ! That said, this experience may have helped Alex in his business life.So what has all this to do with the thermal imaging forum ? Well I ask that those who request information on this forum consider that they are actually asking someone to share knowledge that has possibly taken many years and much research to gain. They are asking for free sharing of knowledge which, from Alex’s example is quite an ask ! I regularly receive requests to share my knowledge or to help with advice or repair information relating to thermal cameras. I do still help where able but some would say I am foolish as I could charge a fee for much of the knowledge I share. So am I a fool ?I have just returned to work in the civil Service after a 6 year absence due to ill health. I work part time on a fee paid basis and I get paid for every minute that I share my knowledge in written or verbal form. I receive payment to compensate me for my time and I am employed because of what I know. I will never be rich in the Civil Service, but at least I know I am doing a good job that aids others. The ideology that “knowledge is power” is frowned upon in my World.I am fast approaching retirement age so maybe I should have had a better business head on my shoulders when I first started contributing to the creation of what is now the best technical forum on thermal imaging technology in the World. Others, such as Bill_W have helped me to increase my knowledge of thermal imaging technology, without an expectation of reward, so I think this forum should be a free exchange of knowledge within the limitations of legal constraints applicable to this specialist topic. The membership are hopefully aware of how fortunate they are to have this knowledge resource though ! My only warning is…. Do not abuse the kindness and generosity of others and “free” does not mean “at no cost” to the provider of the knowledge or help.I think Dave Jones is great to have hosted this amazing knowledge repository but I expect he earns money from it as well so it is a symbiotic relationship.Fraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2021, 01:51:29 pm
content: Further to my last message. It would have been interesting to see who would have been willing to pay me for the knowledge that I have shared on this forum. This is the age of people earning income from Forums such as this, YouTube, Instagram and Gofundme pages.Knowledge does have value, but who outside industry would be willing to actually pay for that I wonder ? Maybe I should start a GoFundme page

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2021, 02:39:55 pm
content: Well I have gone and done it !If you want to read the story of my challenging last 6 years battling Myalgic encephalomyelitis and make a small donation, please visit my Gofundme pagehttps://gofund.me/c86b0a2cFraser

author: svgurus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2021, 02:57:39 pm
content: I read this forum for about a year, you are indeed very active contributor and your info on flir tau/scouts helped me, though i almost tore screen ribbon cable because you didnt mention exact way of opening flir 324 case) There are right-to repair movements and sites like ifixit where disassembly info is placed free of charge, but thermals are a bit less convenient hardware than laptops so your choice of being secretive can be respected) I think you can make a patreon page, there are tiers of support - say, for 2-5$ a month you put some more detailed repair manuals, for 5-10$ a month you can answer some questions about simple equipment, etc. Maybe one day I'll make thermal-imaging themed patreon myself

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2021, 03:12:46 pm
content: Svgurus,If I did not mention how to dismantle a particular thermal camera, it was an oversight I can assure you. I only withhold information that could land me in trouble with the authorities. On other topics, I am an open bookAs I said, I believe in sharing knowledge and do not subscribe to “knowledge is power” As an example, many people have contacted me over the years with a specific weird problem with their AGEMA/FLIR PM5xx and PM6xx series cameras. I could have offered to repair them for a hefty fee but instead I told them to change the Dallas/Maxim RTC+RAM battery Powercap at a cost of £9.50 from Farnell and all would correct itself on the next boot sequence ! I will not go into the detail here as to exactly what causes the fault condition but it relates to the camera firmware reverting to a safe factory defaults condition when the RTC memory is corrupted or does not contain the correct data. That is the sort of bread and butter job that repairers love as it takes minutes to do, is easy, yet they can charge a hefty standard repair fee. The fault looks nasty enough to the user for them to not question the fee either ! That is just not me though. I will never be rich, that is for certain.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2021, 05:58:38 pm
content: Update,I have received my first donation via Gofundme. Thank you DjilaliIt is nice to see that some people really do appreciate my efforts and want to help me financially. Your donation is very much appreciated, I can assure youI have never detailed the hardships of my illness over the past 6 years but it has been no fun. I still tried to assist others via this forum as that seemed the right thing to do, even if I was personally not in a great place.Fraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2021, 06:00:42 pm
content: Thanks go out to Wrapper as well for his kind donationFraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2021, 07:37:10 pm
content: My thanks to Wim and Mark for their generous donations.I had quite expected to receive nothing as everyone has their life challenges and money is tight in many households.I am SO grateful for all of the donations. They are very much appreciated and will help me.Thank youFraser

author: Vipitis
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2021, 08:32:51 pm
content: I can understand the viewpoint and have my very own opinion too. But I would simply like to add some of my stories to give a broader perspective.I was initially introduced into this forum by the app developer for the better FLIR One app. And I have had a tab open in this forum basically for the past 5 years, checking a few times a week for where. If there is a topic I can contribute too or have some opinion I do. If I don't, I mostly ignore it. Multiple members of the forum have helped me with my endeavors, even if I still didn't reach some of the goals set a while ago. It's a hobby and perhaps an entry into electrical engineering which I still haven't picked up. I have received information as replies, documents, instructions, contact information, even software and firmware; found good deals and been adviced against scams; discussed about artistic visions; and very importantly for me I have been exposed to new topics that shaped my own interests. Over the years I made a few threads myself, some simply about seeking help and others to give back and provide a collection of names and references that I spent time to find.We almost life in a world were access to information is free and everybody with a few basic tools can find answers to any questions there are. You can find whole university courses for free online and find a really large body of knowledge on YouTube. Forums seem to be going really deep on specific topics and that's something I enjoy. Before a forum was a website in the internet - it was a place to meet and discuss.There are two Discords(essentially chatrooms) that became my daily social outlet and I am providing tech support for a software I barely use myself on the daily. All because I got to enjoy helping people. Just last month I started my first real job as a tutor in university, preparing material and helping others learn. I developed a somewhat arrogant approach during my schooltime but I think I have gotten a lot better.The actual message I want to share here, is from my class teach (year 1 throughwhich they shared with us during the graduation (year 13). You can lose everything in life: your money, your livelihood, your family, your country but there is one thing you can hold onto and that is invaluable: knowledge.No matter how difficult the world was for their parents and grandparents the most crucial task they saw for their children was to provide them with a great education. Because no matter what the future would bring - they won't lose their knowledge and experience. That is something everyone carries with them.To me that is a really strong message and something I feel very fortunate about so far in my life. I can essentially study anything at university or look it up online without needing to be wealthy. I am already privileged by living in this part of the planet.My advice from doing the voluntary tech support in a chat room to avoid being a one on one mentoring. Is to compile your knowledge in something like a website or document, do record video tutorials on YouTube. It's just a shortcut saying the same stuff over and over again, because that will feel tiring - so the interesting problems are left over. Those that also bring yourself further.While I will not send a monetary donation, there is a few forum members that I will send a print of my initial thermal zine (once I get it printed).Thank you!

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2021, 09:56:33 pm
content: Vipitis,Knowledge can be free when the holder of such decides to make it available at no cost. Google is an amazing search engine but it can only present you with what it’s Spiders discover on the Internet. There is much knowledge that is not public domain and is beyond the reach of Google’s Spiders or even reference booksProtected knowledge is often not free.Fraser

author: bdunham7
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2021, 10:22:26 pm
content: Knowledge is even more valuable when timely, such as your post about the very good deal on the Multicomp thermal imager now sitting on my bench. So consider my donation as a commission!

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2021, 10:32:51 pm
content: Bdunham7,Thank you so much for your amazing donation. It has left me speechless !These very kind and generous donations leave me feeling very humble. Thank you all.Fraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2021, 11:35:42 am
content: Zucca, Paul, Jonathan, Yau and A******,Thank you so much for your very kind and generous donations. It is lovely to feel that fellow forum members want to help me. I do my best to help others and believe in Good Karma. To receive such kindness and generosity from fellow forum members is more important to me than you can imagine. It is a real boost to my morale. Donations have come from forum members that I did not even know I had helped. Thank you one and all.Be assured that every penny received is going to be spent on life’s necessities and will not be squandered on ‘toys’ etc. I will also be trying to dig myself out of this hole that I am in by selling equipment on eBay and this forum. Sadly I have found that selling and properly packing equipment, especially bulky equipment, can be a real challenge to my energy levels and can even be quite stressfulI must pace myself and get on with it though.My sincerest thanks and Best Wishes to allFraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2021, 12:29:18 pm
content: A little story from me on an event in the not too distant past for your interest and amusement.Some time ago I was contacted by a Personal Assistant to a very well known Tech millionaire ! I was very impressed that this person knew I even existed. The PA explained that her boss had a faulty thermal camera and would I be willing to assess it with a view to repair. I agreed to take a look at it.The camera arrived and I was surprised to discover that it was one of the somewhat lower quality units that were coming out of China at the time and was fitted with a ULIS microbolometer. This unit was still £3K though ! The camera would boot, operate its FFC shutter, but did not produce a thermal image.I placed the patient on the ‘operating table’ and began disassembly. As soon as I was inside the casing I could see that the unit was somewhat challenged in the design and build quality departments. I spent several days reverse engineering the camera in order to determine useful test points for my diagnostics. After several hours of work on the unit I had proven every stage to be working except the microbolometer. After further testing I proved that the microbolometer has failed and that it had all required inputs, was producing a viable output, but the output contained no image data. The ULIS microbolometer used in the unit was the old gold module design that uses glass seals on the leads and if these crack, the module loses its vacuum and becomes scrap.I had kept the PA and her boss advised of progress and the time spent on the investigation so that they knew what was happening. I reported my findings and the boss wanted me to replace the microbolometer. I advised that sadly this was not a viable repair for me as any replacement microbolometer would require the camera to be calibrated using factory software. The PA came back to me with a request that I return the camera to them so that someone else can look at it. Fair enough. I reassembled the camera and sent it back to the Millionaires company as requested with a written summary of what I had done to diagnose the cameras fault and how I had concluded that it had a failed microbolometer. From that summary it was clear how many hours I had spent on this chaps camera to diagnose the fault.A question for you all…….. when a Millionaire sees that you have spent a lot of time working on his faulty thermal camera and declared it beyond economic repair through quality diagnostics…. How much do you think the Millionaire pays the tech who spent that time on his equipment ? I will let you guessIt was my fault for not sending a diagnostic time bill for payment as that might have pricked the chaps conscience.You put these events to the back of your mind and move forward. They hurt at the time but life goes onFraserAddition : I must add that the Millionaire in this story was NOT the most excellent Mr Dyson ! I suspect he would have behaved very differently in the same situation as he is a kind and generous person

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2021, 04:31:13 pm
content: There was just recently a quick article published here about a known local millionaire, who does his shopping at Walmart. Those guys are often cheaper than one might think.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2021, 04:55:00 pm
content: I did not want to generalise but I have previously heard it said that some Millionaires become such through being very careful with their money ! That is a somewhat unfair statement to make in general though as many Milionaires are just good business people and can be wonderful philanthropists as well. Mr Dyson is a prime example of such a Millionaire. He does much good work with his money and believes in Apprenticeship schemes to help youngsters get a trade and a start in life

author: amwales
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2021, 05:02:39 pm
content: Thankyou Fraser, take care.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2021, 06:26:30 pm
content: My thanks to Angelo for his very kind donationFraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2021, 07:43:38 pm
content: My thanks to Mike and R****** for your very generous donations. Thank you also to R****** for his words of encouragementFraser

author: bdunham7
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2021, 09:55:25 pm
content: Quote from: Fraser on November 22, 2021, 12:29:18 pmI don't know your millionaire, but look at it from his possible point of view. Some repair shops charge for their time, as if they are consultants. If that is the game, everyone needs to know up front. Others charge if they are successful and can offer the customer some value, otherwise they view the cost of their time as a preliminary expense for which they bear the risk. I typically have chosen the latter principle. That doesn't mean I wouldn't charge for diagnostic time if that were discussed up front, but I would only charge for that time if either a) the customer was offered a repair solution and declined b) they had the repair done, in which case the charge is a combination of diagnosis and repair (note that often it is 99% diagnosis and 1% repair since for some things the 'repair' part is very simple) or c) the customer has an unusual or difficult issue that they want determined and they understand the possibility that at the end of the process there might not be a repair option and they are OK with that. What I have never done is take a job in with only an agreed upon diagnostic fee and then return it saying "I can't fix this and you owe me $xxx.xx.So if your millionaire presumes that you operate like that and you didn't ask for money, he may not be such a terrible person. Myself, if I knew that you spent two days on it, I might offer to pay you even if you didn't ask. But in my (former) circles that would be seen as almost disrespectful on the customer's part--the presumption is that a business owner sets their own rates and the customer's obligation is to pay the bill promptly without complaining. Tips are for the lowest economic classes, waitstaff and parking valets.In my case I won't accept money for repairing stuff, simply because I don't want that end of the business and I'm mostly a buy/fix/sell hobby anyway, not trying to earn a living. I will accept wine, single-malt (although I'm not offended by the uneducated that might bring me a blend) and interesting junk electronics as payment. You should set rates and stick to them--people that balk at paying you, including friends that know you are trying to earn a living, aren't people who you need to be working for.

author: Bill W
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2021, 11:51:15 pm
content: Quote from: bdunham7 on November 22, 2021, 09:55:25 pmFor my 'commercial' Argus camera repairs I have sat it in the middle of that approach.I have set a base GBP150 to cover "inspect - report - test - return" that also includes any relatively trivial fixes. The customer knows that up front and saves the hassle both ways of individual pricing up and order processing for trivia.That way I can get the camera in, check it, do the simpler fixes and despatch test it all in one go, happy to know my £150 will be coming.Invoice and ship next day, no cameras lying around open.I also have two higher levels for replacing 'big stuff' and 'sensors', but ideally the middle 'big stuff' band (for PCB's or a full disassembly) would also be pre-approved, but some prefer not to go there.The hassle we had when Argus were in e2v was huge. Get camera, work out what is wrong, (so usually end up fixing it) then unfix it, get the quotes prepared, have the camera lying around in bits for weeks waiting for approvals and order placement, then when that is all through finally fix it again.There was a spreadsheet that even charged 41p per screw.Sometimes the repair would be declined but we'd still have to re-assemble broken to send back unrepaired but looking as it arrived - for no income.Bill

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2021, 12:06:32 am
content: Thanks for the excellent advice guys. I should clarify that I am not, and never have been a repair business, just a tech who repaired kit now and again for beer money. It was totally my fault that I did not get paid for my diagnostic time on the thermal camera as I should have agreed a minimum fee before accepting the job. I did learn my lesson though. It is just that if I know someone has spent time working on something for me for no charge, I would always say thank you with a bottle of good wine/Spirits, crate of Beer or Amazon Token if that is more appropriate. That is just me though and I should not expect such from others.Fraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2021, 04:17:57 pm
content: My thanks to N*** for the kind donation.I am touched that so many people have donated to my Gofundme page. Every donation, no matter the amount will help me.Best Wishes to allFraser

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2021, 06:17:55 pm
content: Quote from: Fraser on November 22, 2021, 12:29:18 pmZero.I've had dealings with several very rich people and the only time they're generous is when they need to be seen to be generous or they have some other ulterior motive.It saps your faith in mankind.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2021, 09:46:00 pm
content: Thank you for your very generous donation Dan

author: globoy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2021, 10:00:30 pm
content: Fraser, I'm mostly a lurker here and you and I have only had one  exchange but I appreciate your contributions to this forum and your expertise. Hopefully the few american bucks I threw over the pond are still accepted in the UK :-)Your slight lament is shared by contributors to the internet and developers of open-source software across the world. IMHO the advertisement supported web is to blame. People expect things they find online to be free. What I say isn't a complaint because I think the internet of today is truly amazing and useful, despite some ugly aspects. Alan Kay's Dynabook became a reality... I'm an engineer who has shared quite a number of my personal designs as open-source (including several thermal imaging camera designs) and I've come be believe that unless one puts a price on things a-priori, one shouldn't expect to be compensated. It's just the nature of the beast. We do it for the love of the thing or maybe fame. I guess sites like Patreon and youtube (and gofundme) are ways to monetize knowledge but then - I think - you have to become and entertainer as well and create an entertaining experience for those you are trying to reach. Maybe your future is on youtube. At least thermal imaging cameras make pretty pictures!Anyway, I hope you won't become discouraged. This forum is a treasure, thanks to you and many others.

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2021, 12:32:00 am
content: There is much of interest in your millionaire repair story. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the value you received from the time invested in that camera. It added to your store of expertise, and obviously from all of your various activities you get value from the mere act of working on these problems. Much the same way that less talented people get value from the pointless activity of assembling jig-saw puzzles.These kind of issues arise anytime an attempt is made to reduce human activity to a purely economic exercise. And most of the tension comes from people on both ends of the economic extremes. People on the low end because of a true need to get value for their time and people on the high end because of a perceived need to get more value out of every interaction than is felt by most people. Winning as our ex-president would say. And as is the case with our ex-president, absolutely no understanding that winning in their terms was losing big time in other dimensions.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2021, 12:41:44 am
content: CatalinaWOW,I certainly did learn something from the time I spent working on that camera….. never to buy any product made by that well known manufacturerThe unit was basically a ULIS development board design crammed into a camera body. A truly terrible piece of junk that still cost £3K to buy in the UK. I also learnt a valuable lesson from that experience. Do not expect others to reward your efforts as I would theirsIt is also worth remembering that I do not advertise doing commercial repair work and this person sought me out to help them. I did not invite their approach or the work that they were requesting that I undertake. Sadly with thermal cameras there is often a lot of reverse engineering of parts of the design so they can be time gobblers if you have a challenging fault. That is why I do not offer to do commercial work and do not repair cheap camera dongles …. There is no profit in it for me. I now do repairs for friends and myself and that works for me on many levelsFraser

author: Bill W
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2021, 11:11:03 am
content: Quote from: Fraser on November 24, 2021, 12:41:44 amIndeed, and why I am not repairing cameras that need reverse engineering. I stick to the ones where I did the FORWARD engineeringBill

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2021, 11:29:33 am
content: Bill-W,Ah yes but I bet those Raytheon Core kits still caused you angst ! I hate knowing a fault exists on a PCB yet I cannot track it down due to a lack of a schematic diagram. I realise that in the case of the Raytheon core based cameras, the solution would be to fit a new core…..but I would still wonder whether the actual fault was a simple fix or something much more challengingIt must be very interesting to work on your own ‘children’ when they suffer failures. If a particular component, such as a certain Tantalum capacitor commonly failed, it must make you want to delve into the root cause of such a failure in your ‘baby’. As you have highlighted in the past, a designer can only do so much in the selection of component specifications….components can still let you down in the real World due to unexpected circumstances. I would love to be in your position of seeing the birth, use and repair of a piece of equipment that I designed. It would be fascinating to me. On the reverse engineering front….. your designs are so well thought out, labelling so helpful,and topology so logical, that I love working on your camerasI wish All thermal camera designs were so easy to work on !Fraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2021, 03:21:46 pm
content: S******, thank you so much for the extremely generous donation

author: Bill W
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2021, 06:24:40 pm
content: Quote from: Fraser on November 24, 2021, 11:29:33 amAt the end user level, and with 'technicial' repaoir yes that was a core swap, but might be for a refurbished one. The Raytheon BST is a lot more accessible than a modern cube core or a 2000AS for that matter, and so are more repairable.The newer 'digital' core (205D) had more documentation for the OEM than with the 'analogue' 200 series. The 205D also have access by software that allows fixing a number of faults (calibration lost, sensor to air, settings lost, dead pixels) and several other common faults are easy component fixable (the cracked ferrites).However, yes I have a few 'burnt tant' that did not return to life with new tants, some that vapoursied the tracks, and some that are some kind of data bus fault so those are bin fodder. Gives me a float of (probably) working sensors to cover any damaged sensors in working 205D core sets.Bill

author: mnementh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2021, 06:40:39 pm
content: Quote from: bdunham7 on November 22, 2021, 09:55:25 pmThere is another consideration to your story; the fact you were dealing with said rich person's PA, not that person directly. PA might have found you as result of a random Gurrgle search after failing to get any desired response from the MFR, then all this went down without said millionaire even knowing that someone who actually knows something spent days on it, and said PA was either unwilling to take responsibility or not authorized to pay anything for said work.You never know.Having spent 40 years on/off "in the repair game", in a number of different disciplines, one thing I've learned is to be firm with the customer in one thing:"Diag work takes as long as it takes, period."My usual approach is to quote a minimum charge up front... explaining that my time has value (time is, IMHO, theonlycurrency worth considering, as it is nearly the only cost which cannot be fixed with money), and thatxdollars will buyyamount of my time. If I'm able to diag and repair the DUT in that time thenYay!you got out of here for just that minimum plus parts. If I reach the end of that time and I still don't have a answer then we can revisit the deal for more diag time.Make sure you quote a number that if it is paid in a reasonable time without assache you will not feel taken advantage of, and stick to your guns. Don't fall for every "but I'm just a poor boy..." story that comes along unless you really want to; but realize thatyouare responsible for that lost time, not the client. If it makes you feel better about charging for your time, pick a ticket every once in a while to do pro-bono. I've done it.Butneverfeel guilty about asking for money for your time. You're worth it.mnem

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2021, 09:32:08 pm
content: Mnementh,Very wise words. Thank youI am definitely guilty of feeling embarrassed about asking for money for labour time. It stems from me originally repairing equipment for free in order to increase my knowledge. I moved on from that stage in my life but I have never really charged sensible rates for my time. It is totally my fault and I realise that now.Regarding the Millionaire job… I was in direct communication with the Gentleman whilst reporting progress on the diagnostics. I agree that the PA could have initially done the running to find a repairer for the kit and how I was represented to him is not known so he could have thought I was a commercial repair centre of some sort. All in the dim and distant past though and a valuable lesson was learntFraser

author: dl6lr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2021, 08:23:23 am
content: Fraser,I read a lot of your posts in EEVBlog and I always was astonished how much information you gave. I want to say thank you for sharing your knowledge. Even though I do not have a thermal camera.Keep up your head, I hope you'll get better soon.Regards, Bernd

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2021, 11:48:28 am
content: Dear Bernd,Thank you for the extremely generous donation and kind words.Life has a habit of throwing curve balls at us now and again and I am just trying to get back on the path to move forwards with life. I will admit to having been like a ship in the Doldrums due to my illness but, with some luck, family support and the kindness of members of this forum I will hopefully return to my pre-illness state of mind and abilitiesThe kindness of others can be a very real tonicBest WishesFraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2021, 10:54:51 pm
content: My thanks to Michael who approched me for the manual and software for a rare thermal camera. He was new to this forum but made a donation to my GoFundMe accountFraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 29, 2021, 02:24:46 pm
content: Well I am feeling amazed and very grateful for the generosity of some people on this forum. My GoFundMe account balance is £450 !I had quite expected a few donations of a $1 or so but have been left speechless by the size of donations given by individuals who do not know me in the real World and only see my posts etc.I have tried to help as many people as possible via this forum over the years and asked nothing in return. This GoFundMe campaign was created as life has been somewhat challenging for me of recent and I wondered if anyone cared enough about me to donate a few Dollars to help. Well 19 people did care and did donate significant sums of money. Some do not even own a thermal imaging camera !To those 19 individuals, I say thank you. Be assured that you have helped me greatly, both in financial terms and with my morale. I have been a ‘giver’ all of my adult life and it was wonderful to receive some recognition of that via the donations. This thread has over 1600 views but not all of those viewers will know of me and I totally understand that. I just hope that the topic of this thread has made people think a little about us “givers” who often hold large amounts of valuable information and share it freely despite it having taken many years and much effort to accumulate.I have added my GoFundMe page link to my posts footer in case anyone in the future wishes to show appreciation for my contributions to this wonderful forum. Any Millionaire Philanthropists reading this I wonder ?Best Wishes to all and stay safeFraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2021, 08:59:02 am
content: The donations keep coming inThank you all for your kindness. I will respond to thank you individually via the GoFundMe pageBest Wishes to all and stay safeFraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 20, 2021, 04:02:34 pm
content: A bigTHANK YOUand Merry Christmas Wishes from me to all of those kind and very generous forum members who donated to my GoFundMe page to help get me back on my feet after suffering from M.E. It is in my time of need that I have realised who my friends are and I am touched by the amazing generosity shown by you allLife continues to be a struggle (our cat Billy had to have surgery last week and had most of his teeth removed) but your generosity has helped in more ways than you can know. It is not just the money, it is the kindness behind the act of making a donation to a 'stranger'. Thank youHave a very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year/. May 2022 be kinder to us all than 2021Fraser

author: kaz911
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2021, 08:22:59 am
content: Hi Fraser,I wish you Happy Christmas & the best for the rest of 2021 and all of the years to come.You are always generous with your time and patience with everybody - so thank you.I don't know where you are located - but if you are anywhere close to Brighton - just let me know if there is anything "physical" I can help you with./kaz

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2022, 02:11:47 pm
content: Dear All,2022 has arrived !May I wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous year aheadMy sincerest thanks to everyone who has donated to my GoFundMe account. I continue to receive donations and every one, no matter the amount, is greatly appreciated. I intend to continue with my efforts to assist others on this forum but expect no payment for such. If people read my story of ill health and wish to donate, then bless them for their kindnessBest Wishes for 2022 to you allFraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2022, 03:26:07 pm
content: Another lovely event that I would like to share here as it shows how kind members of this forum truly are.I was contacted by a fellow forum member the other day who explained that he does not have much spare money at the moment but still wanted to do somethong for me. I will not name him as that may cause embarassment, but he knows who he is and how appreciative I am of his very kind donation. This lovely guy asked if I could make good use of three thermal imaging lenses that he had, but for which he did not have a use. I am always looking for nice thermal imaging lenses as such are hard to find at reasonable cost and I can no longer afford to 'splurge' on such luxuriesI received a picture of the lenses and they are beautiesPerfect for my needs and one is destined to be mounted onto one of my 'Box' thermal cameras that needs a good size lensThis is just another example of how generous people are on this forum.I have also been asked to look at the design of the Hikvision DS-2TP31B Fever Detection camera and assess whether its configuration may be changed. This little task keeps me active on camera investigations and I have permission to share the teardown of the camera so the forum benefits as wellThank you to all who have helped me via donations and to anyone who chooses to donate to my GoFundMe in the futureA forum is only as good as its membership and this forum is simply excellentFraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2022, 10:00:15 am
content: I just received a huge donation to my Go Fund Me page and have tried to log-in to thank the anonymous donor. Sadly Go Fund Me seems to be having some log-in issues at the momentIf the person who donated £300 reads this. Thank you so much for your kindness and generosityBest WishesFraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2023, 01:46:08 pm
content: I have just received a large donation from Mr Little and thought this thread deserved an update.I was so touched when Mr Little made his donation with a message to encourage me to continue in my teardowns and reviews of thermal imaging related items. Such amazing generosity is very much appreciated and I have also greatly appreciated the smaller donations that people have very kindly made to help me. Not everyone has any spare cash to help others and I fully understand that. It has been a very tough few years since I started this Go Fund Me. I was asked by my old employer if I would be able/willing to do some Zero Hours contract work for them on an ad-hoc basis and I agreed. It is only a few weeks per year and the pay is minimum wage, but I am grateful to be given the opportunity to use my technical brain in the workplace again. Before anyone asks why I accept minimum wage... I am working as a Civil Servant and there are all manner of rules on employment and wages so it is out of my, and my employers, hands. It feels good to be working again though, even if only for short periods of time.The donations that members of this forum have made to my "Go Fund Me" really helped, both in material terms and mentally as it helped me to see that the posts and help that I provide via this forum is appreciated. A real boost when you are feeling low, I can tell you.I continue to search for thermal imaging related products that are faulty or at rock bottom prices, in order to create new interesting posts for this forum. I am financially very limited in what I can buy though. I am grateful to the forum member who contributed a faulty UNI-T UTi690B camera for failure assessment and possible repair. This provided me with the opportunity to learn about the UTi690B/UTi260B design and to share discoveries with the forum. I will do my best to keep posting interesting material for the readershipI might even consider the odd repair for forum members, but this will be very much on a case by case basis.My sincerest thanks to every single person who decided to help me in my time of need and for appreciating what I do on the forum. You are all absolute GemsAnyone wishing to donate in the future will find the link below my postsFinally... am I fully recovered from M.E ? ..... Sadly the answer is no. Much like Glandular Fever, M.E has a habit of coming back to bite you on the bottom if you over-exert yourself. I now manage it well though. I did catch Covid-19 in July 2022, and was very unwell with it. I recovered without long term complications or exacerbation of my M.E. situation. I count myself most fortunate.My Best Wishes to all members of this most excellent and friendly of technical forumsFraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2024, 12:31:26 am
content: I have received another large donation via my GoFundMe and it has brought me back to this forum, at least partially. The donation came from a well known and very generous forum member and is very much appreciated, as are all of the very kind donations, large or smallI took a break from this forum after the very unpleasant incident with YouTube video content producer “CleanUnbox”. I have always tried to be an honourable, kind and helpful person and experiencing the unwarranted and disgusting attacks from CleanUnbox over his conspiracy theory, and his banning from the forum, soured my view of participating in public forums. The old saying “no good deed goes unpunished” came to mind. I know that the people I assist are appreciative but when you are fighting a serious battle against M.E. (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) on a daily basis, plus another nasty illness, it does not take much to colour one’s view of placing yourself in the public domain, and so vulnerable to any unbalanced persons ravings. Time does heal things though and I have helped forum members “behind the scenes” where able. One person has even tried to contact me about their faulty UTi260B via GoFundMe but sadly the reply email was incorrect. If that person is reading this, feel free to send me a PM via this forum. I am already in the process of repairing someone else’s UTi260B (still awaiting the TPS630250 DC-DC converter).The recent kindness of Erik with his generous GoFundMe donation reinforces the fact that people are mostly good and kind and we should not be adversely influenced by the odd “bad apple”. I will return to some level of activity on this forum now but I am no longer prioritising it as highly as before so posts will be fewer and more selective. If I can help people, I will, but please be patient. With regard reviews of equipment, sadly finances remain very limited for such adventures but I will see what can be done.Best Wishes to allFraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2024, 02:55:47 pm
content: In case anyone was wondering what projects I have been working on whilst away from the forum…1. Repaired and reverse engineered several modern thermal imaging cameras. Great fun2. Refurbished some very nice military spec rugged laptops for use in my lab and when travelling3. Tested some thermal imaging analysis software4. Repaired our central heating boiler after it decided to die in the cold spellIt was all due to failing capacitive dropper power supplies !5. Adopted a gorgeous Ginger kitten who now takes up much of my spare time. When there are clouds hovering over your head, caring for a vulnerable, curious and very affectionate kitten can quite literally blow them awayLittle BeeJay (we like M.A.S.H) had been dumped in a local rubbish skip at 6 weeks old with his two siblings and left to die. All are now safe in loving homes, with BeeJay coming to ours. Those who do not like cats are advised to not look at the attachments…. For cat fans onlyHe was not a planned addition to the family but I could not ignore a kitten in such desperate need. He is now family and my wife and I adore him. He has truly helped with my healing process.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2024, 12:15:22 pm
content: Apologies to those who recently donated to my GoFundMe as I have not been able to send a “Thankyou”. For some reason the thanking function is not appearing on recent donations and I cannot work out why. I always thank those who help me so I will do it here. I truly appreciate the donations that have been made to my GoFundme and I am touched by the words of encouragement that I have received.For those interested in my current situation, I still have a daily battle with M.E with it’s associated pain and fatigue but I do manage to live a relatively normal life now. Like with all long term illnesses, there are good and bad days/weeks but I must be grateful that I am one of the fortunate sufferers of M.E.who is not confined to bed. As some will know, I took a break from the forum earlier this year as I needed to “recharge my brains batteries”. A side effect of battling M.E. is a lack of mental reserves to deal with unpleasant situations, be they additional illness, confrontational situations or just life’s less pleasant challenges. An unprovoked and unjustified personal attack on me by YouTube video blogger “CleanUnbox” was just such a negative event that I had to process and move on from. As a sufferer of M.E. It is important to maintain moral as it is all too easy to give up the fight and become a “couch potato”. That path leads to a sad and unhealthy life and not what I want for myself or my family.I am pleased to advise that I remain positive in my attitude to life and I have managed to do some minor part time work for my old employer to keep my brain cells occupied. Sadly that has not been possible for the last 12 months as Life threw a curve ball at me in April 2023 in the form of a nasty kidney stone that has become stuck on its journey from my kidney into the world ! The UK NHS is on its knees and I still await the “Urgent” procedure to destroy the stone. For those interested in such, the procedure uses Holmium laser lithotripsy to “dust the stone”. Fascinating technology as a special laser is used down an endoscope to “blast” the stone into dust. This differs from more Conventional lithotripsy that uses sonic wave transmission through the body to shatter the stone, which did not work in my case. Sadly the specialist nature of the laser procedure means a long waiting list. It is fair to say that it has been a cr*p last 12 months but the combination of a wonderful wife, reading the interesting posts on this forum and the arrival of a new kitten into our family has kept me feeling positive. I still post on this forum when needed but spend less time here due to other commitments in the family (most recently, our new kitten and his many needs).On the technical front I have been working on firmware modifications to a Guide IR T120H fever detection thermal camera for a client. He has a lot of these cameras to sell on eBay and I was investigating what, if anything, could be done to make these cameras more useful in generic use scenarios. Interesting work for me to focus on rather than the pain that I am suffering. I have also been delving into the world of laptop battery BMS chips and the ability to read the battery state data that they provide. I have a Poloso RFNT3 battery Analyzer and a Texas Instruments EV2400 interface for that task. I cannot reset the BMS firmwares that are used in many laptop batteries, but I have learnt a lot about the failure modes of the cells within them. I have been restoring rugged laptops (military spec types) to their former glory and that is a rewarding task that produces very nice rugged laptops at the end of the process…. Built to last and equipped with many useful I/O portsOn the thermal camera repair front, I continue to work my way through a list of thermal cameras that are awaiting my attention. I want to get to the faulty FLIR M324 maritime Pan and Tilt head soon but other tasks keep getting in the way. I have a client job heading my way at the moment….an Inframetrics PM2xx series cooled camera that has a good cooler but other issues that need my attention. For the client, this camera is essential to their business activities so I shall do my best to help them.I do still take on repair work but sadly I do have to charge for my time as I have zero income and that is a rubbish situation. Little repair jobs help provide some “pocket money”I will never get rich on them thoughWell that is a round-up of my world and thank you for taking an interest and reading it. My sincerest thanks to all those who have showed such generosity in helping a fellow “tech in need” and making my life happier with their very kind donations and words of encouragement. You are all starsFor those interested in the Holmium laser stone dusting procedure……https://youtu.be/737cXpUdl_w?si=o-28HXKISEbWx9z0Fraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2024, 01:38:55 pm
content: I just re-read the post that started this thread and my view has changed somewhat since then.Where able, I share my knowledge and information/software with others to assist them in their technical work. I DO NOT expect people to pay me for that help and information, but obviously any donation is gratefully accepted in my current situation. Helping people should not be all about what they give you in return. I get pleasure from helping people and that is just the way I am “wired”. It is nice to receive a simple “thank you” when I help someone but that is all I ask of them. I recently needed a piece of unobtainable PC software for my second-hand Poloso RFNT3 unit and a “total stranger” on the internet provided me with it. I did donate to his coffee fund as a thank you as without his help I would have been without the most powerful functions of my RFNT3 battery Analyzer. There are some very kind and helpful people in the world and it is wonderful to interact with them.With regard to Alex at NorthridgeFIX, he is a businessman and I can see that he has a far greater focus on making profit from his endeavours than I have ever had, or wish to have. It can give the appearance of a quite “cold” personality and I have stopped watching his videos as a result. I now watch Sorin on his Electronics repair school channel and, although some of his repairs make me wince, I like his content and warm demeanour 👍 He does a coffee morning 1 hour live stream every Sunday and recently did a marathon 7 hour laptop repair live stream as he has a backlog of motherboards to look at. Good entertainmentSorin also shares my desire to assist others when able to do so. A good manNever be afraid to ask me for help but I cannot guarantee that I can provide the help that you need.Fraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2024, 10:26:24 pm
content: To the very kind and generous person who has donated £100 to my GoFundMe page, THANK YOUSadly I have not been able to access my Go Fund Me management page from my current location so have not been able to send you a message directly. I do not know what I have done to deserve such generosity from you but it is very much appreciatedThank you for your kindness.Best WishesFraser