My trusty Compulab IPC2 i7 computer on my TEC-180 did the unthinkable and died (without permission!) It has served me well and reliably but is shorted across the power input.
I'm negotiating with Compulab in an attempt to buy a new mother board but pretty unsure of the outcome. The SSD and memory are fine, and probably the i7 processor as well.
In the meantime I've been looking for a similar product...ruggedized NUC with at leat an i7 and I am considering an ASUS NUC rugged chassis Element. Of course, I see hundreds of NUCs at lower prices but really wonder how many would survive geting regularly wet night after night? I bought my IPC2 in 2017 so it lasted 8 years.
Ideas appreciated. especially ones that can take outdoor use.
I am using a standard sort of NUC, but I have it in a plastic enclosure with a small fan to draw air though it for summer, and with a 19V output buck/boost converter in there with it as they proved unstable at 12 volts. Mine have been doing OK for maybe four years and I live in an area where stuff ends up dripping with condensation.
The plastic enclosure seems like a worthy idea, but then one has bought a fanless machine only to add a fan! But, it works, so great.
I heard back from Compulab and they have one sinlge remaining IPC2 i7 board that they seem willing to part with...price so far unknown. If it's not unreasonable I will probably just go for it!
Sadly, Compulab's prices are completely unreasonable. They actually want more for the IPC2 PC board than the original computer actually cost....and this is with an outdated vrsion of the i7 processor! US$770 for just the board. The original IPC2 was ~US$650.
this is my obs PC solution. refurbished mini pc, which hangs from the pier in a basic DIY caddy that consists of a couple of sheets of perspex and two pine DARs. Its open at the ends for ventilation, but otherwise covered to protect the PC from the elements. Cheap and effective
Thanks for the photo, Richard. Looks to be a quite workable solution. I've always ut the computer on the mount, but I might experiment with it on the pier.
