Thermal Imaging

[Sintra]

Do any of you guys use thermal imaging equipment as part of your testing?

I was supplied with a thermal imaging camera a couple of weeks ago and I think it is a super piece of kit.

 

[pevvers]

I've done quite a few standalone thermal imaging surveys, and it is a very handy piece of equipment indeed. The best faults I found were a cut out fuse at 157 degrees C, and an earth fly lead of an RCBO trapped under the neutral bar in a board. I looked at it, and wondered why the earth was glowing, and after a quick fiddle found out that it was carrying about 8 amps. It's a good bit of kit, especially for in service inspection, but if covers of boards cannot be taken off it devalues it a bit....

 

[devlin maguire]

What make are you using ? a web link would be appreciated. the company I sub to have over to buy me any kit I feel will be usefull. i have had a google but I am unsure what spec I would be best with
Mac

 

[pevvers]

I've used a Fluke Ti30. It's pretty cheap at around 3 grand, but does the job even though the software leaves a lot to be desired. If I could, I would buy a Flir camera, as they are the market leaders, and you also get the added bonus of getting a normal camera image along with the thermal each time you take a shot, which is incredibly useful for report compiling. If you're going to do a lot of it, get the best you can buy as the reports will look much better, and if you can get into the big commercial jobs, it will pay for itself quick enough as they love a bit of thermography!

 

[devlin maguire]

Cheers I have looked at Flir and others I also stubbled across an artical about turning a digital camera into a thermal imaging device I think it might be tecky geek experiment though, I will read it later
Mac

 

[pevvers]

I also stubbled across an artical about turning a digital camera into a thermal imaging device I think it might be tecky geek experiment though

If it's a geek experiment it'd probably work, but with a proper camera you would get the software so that you can analyse and make reports, whic is worth it. The software allows you to pinpoint parts of the thermograph and show the temperatures, and also show differences on the thermal scale between two points. Very very useful as obviously cables get warm in normal operating temperatures, so you have to know what temps things are, not just to show that some are hotter than the others....

 

[bugsy]

Very good kit, very expensive kit, very specialised kit, - very much I WANT ONE KIT

 

[sparks1234]

I bought the Flir last year and it is very good, dont know how it compares to others. It was just under the 3 grand mark so it needs to be used to make it worth while. Problem is though, when you need it then you probabaly havent got it with you as its risky leaving it in the van

 

[devlin maguire]

Hi the geek thing is actually an photo arty thing, apparantly it's all down to the filter used with the camera but I imagine it would work but like another poster said sorting out the degree of heat is the thing as somethings are hot anyway in the CU and other parts of the circuit where resistances change etc
Mac

 

[Sintra]

What make are you using ? a web link would be appreciated. the company I sub to have over to buy me any kit I feel will be usefull. i have had a google but I am unsure what spec I would be best with
Mac

The one i got is a flir i series. Didn't realise how much these things cost.

FLIR i-Series infrared cameras

 

[pevvers]

The one i got is a flir i series. Didn't realise how much these things cost.

How much did yours cost just out of interest? I'm mobile browsing at the mo so can't search properly. I know the Fluke was around the 3 grand mark, and it wasn't until a few years ago you could get such a relatively cheap product you could actually use with decent results.

 

[Sintra]

How much did yours cost just out of interest? I'm mobile browsing at the mo so can't search properly. I know the Fluke was around the 3 grand mark, and it wasn't until a few years ago you could get such a relatively cheap product you could actually use with decent results.

Honestly don't know the price of it as it was a supplied by the firm but i am guessing about 3 grand after looking at other posts.

 

[sparks1234]

If anyone wants a flir camera, I no longer have a use for mine, It cost me just under 3K and used it on one job to take images of 65 consumer units.