1. Help Center
  2. Basic Knowledge

When Balluff cameras run hot, is this really a problem?

Balluff cameras

The electronic devices used in digital cameras are typically specified to run at up to 70° C (158°F). If the temperature inside of the camera rises above that point, the devices may be damaged or destroyed. This is true for all types of electronic cameras.

An electronic camera usually contains a CCD or CMOS imaging sensor and several types of analog and digital devices. For the analog devices, as their temperature increases, electrical noise in the devices increases noticeably. Digital devices have the same characteristic but with digital signal interpretation, noise is not usually an important factor. The performance of the CCD sensor is also influenced by heat and the image produced by the sensor tends to get noisier as temperature increases.

As you can see, with the potential for component damage and poor performance caused by heat, it makes great sense to keep the components inside of the camera as cool as possible.

 

What can be done to keep the devices inside of a camera cool?

  • Design the camera so that there is good heat flow from the electronic devices to the camera housing. Good heat flow between the components and the housing allows the heat to be dissipated to the atmosphere around the camera rather than being captured inside of the camera.
  • Use external cooling. This is something that the camera user can do.

 

Balluff cameras are specified to operate within ambient temperature 0...55 °C.

If the housing temperature becomes higher, a heat sink, fan, Peltier cooler, or a similar device must be used to cool the camera.