6
Blew $180 on a thermal imager that paid for itself in one job
I bought a cheap FLIR One Pro for my phone to track down a short in a bundle behind the panel on a CRJ. Found the hot spot in 10 minutes instead of spending all day chasing wires with a meter. Has anyone else dropped money on a specialized tool that saved you way more than it cost?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
markm271mo ago
Man, the "paid for itself in one job" part really hits home. I grabbed a similar thermal camera for ductwork leaks, and it found a massive bypass in a crawlspace that would have taken me two full days with a smoke pencil and an incense stick. That one find paid for the camera twice over. My advice is to always scan the whole area first with the widest lens setting before you zoom in on anything, because I almost missed a hot breaker because I was too focused on the spot I thought was the problem.
7
ninal911mo ago
Oh man the wide lens trick is gold. I learned that one the hard way too. Spent an hour chasing a phantom draft in a wall, had the camera set on tight focus, and totally missed the real problem which was a gap in the attic hatch seal that was dumping cold air straight down. Soon as I pulled back and did a full scan, that thing lit up like a Christmas tree. Now I always do a quick walkaround with the widest setting before I even touch the zoom. Also helps to let the camera stabilize for a few seconds after you turn it on, especially if you're coming from a cold car into a warm house. The auto-calibration can throw false readings if the sensor is still adjusting.
5