HardwareSquad

Q3 Innovations kindly sent me their ThermoHawk 200 to review. The ThermoHawk series are non-contact touch less infrared thermometers.

What is Infrared Temperature Testing?
Surface temperature measurement traditionally had been a slow process that required contact with a surface probe or
sensor. This creates issues with surfaces that are too hot to touch or move. Also, because constant contact is required and
readings are slow, continuous surface temperature monitoring is difficult. These problems have been overcome with
developments in infrared (IR) measurement technology.
Understanding how infrared thermometers work is relatively simple. All objects emit infrared energy. As objects
increase in heat, their molecules become more active and in turn emit more infrared energy. Optical sensors placed inside an
infrared thermometer collect the infrared energy emitted by an object and send the energy to a detector. The detector then is
able to take the signal and convert it to a digital reading.
IR thermometers offer many advantages over older contact surface temperature measurement devices, such as:
• IR thermometers have the ability to take
temperature measurements of hot,
hazardous, sterile, or small areas without
contact.
• IR thermometers are substantially more
accurate compared to many contact
devices. (The ThermoHawk™ has a margin
of error of only ± 2.5%.)
•IR thermometers have a substantially
shorter response time compared to
contact thermometers. It is not uncommon
to wait 30 seconds or more when taking a
surface measurement with a conventional
contact thermometer. IR thermometers
have response times as low as ½ a second.

I hear people saying to their self now “what’s has this got to do with computers, overclocking and cooling?”

Well let’s take a look at how we keep an eye on the temperatures inside our cases. Most people have a control panel in the 5 ¼” bay that has on average three temperature probes, these probes are then placed on the areas we want to monitor but if we want to monitor some where else we have to go inside the case move the probe see what the temperature is and most likely put the probe back to were it was. The other thing with the temperature probes is the distance, sometimes they just don’t reach where you want to put them or we use the built in ones on the motherboard using software.

The ThermoHawk turn up in one piece straight from the U.S

The package contained the ThermoHawk, a Q3 Innovations folder which contain a letter and a tech sheet on the ThermoHAWK 200.

Inside the small ThermoHawk package contained everything that is needed to get started with the ThermoHawk, the ThermoHawk, manual and batteries.

The manual is four pages and is easy to understand. The ThermoHawk 200 runs on LR-44 batteries and it's a simple procedure to install them. Unscrew the key ring chain end put the batteries in and screw back up.

On one side is a small pin hole, inserting a pin into the hole changes it from farenheight to celsius.

With the ThermoHawk you don’t have to move those temperature probes just to check something for a few minutes, just leave the side off while you carry on doing what you are doing and check every so often.

Want to see how hot those SwifTech MC14’s are idle or during a game of BF2, with the ThermoHawk that’s not a problem, as long as you have the side of the case off.

Now one of the best features of the ThermoHawk series is the distance to spot (D:S) ratio, here’s the specs

This means your not limited to the to the area you want to measure. Want to see how hot the whole chipset HSF is, no problem, just work out how big it is and hold the ThermoHawk the same distance away.

Now one of the best features of the ThermoHawk series is the distance to spot (D:S) ratio, here’s the specs

I put the put the ThermoHawk through some testing, Q3 Innovations state the ThermoHawk has an error margin of plus or minus of 2.5%. I had no other equipment to test this and I don’t plan on buying any as it to expensive. Off I went around inside my PC case looking at areas that I’d always wondered want the temperature was.

This last shot was a hard one to get; I wanted to see it read minus temperature so I headed straight to the freezer. After several pictures that didn’t come out well due to me shaking from getting cold I got the one below, I’m sure the camera didn’t like the cold either.

The ThermoHawk can take a one off instant snap of the temperature or if you hold down on the activation button it will monitor it constantly. The ThermoHawk instant made to be a constant temperature monitor or to take the place of the 5 ¼” bay monitors you have. It’s there to help you get on the spot temperatures and where the probes don’t reach.

The ThermoHawk isn’t just limited to the PC, it can be used any where. I used it to check the water in the bath before I put my two year old in. Want to know how warm your house radiators get, with the ThermoHawk you can.

Since receiving the ThermoHawk I’ve put it to so many uses on my PC and around the house, there are no wires on the ThermoHawk so it’s not limited to where it can be used and with the key ring end it can be taken with you where ever you go. I know for a fact that I will be send a payment back to Q3 Innovations for the ThermoHawk as I really don’t want to return it.

The only one problem is that Q3 Innovations is looking for a UK distributor for their products so at the time of writing this review it’s not available to UK residents. If you are a distributor and are interested in being the UK distributor for the ThermoHawk or Know some one/some where that is then contact Me or Q3 Innovation please.

I for one would love to see the ThermoHawk series available in the UK; I don’t think I could be without the ThermoHawk 200 that I have here.

This is a tool that I don’t think I could be without now I have it, an excellent product.

Once there is a UK distributor I will update the review with the details and I’ll also post on the FrontPage.