Smartphone thermal imaging for osmosis/overheating - Flir One

[demonboy]

The yard manager here is looking at buying the Flir One for his iPhone for use in the yard. It's an add-on that turns the phone into a thermal imaging unit, something he says might be useful for osmosis investigation, over-heating breakers etc etc.

I have no experience of thermal imaging and its uses within the marine context, but if anyone who either has experience in this area or has used the Flir One gizmo, I'd love to hear from you. From my cursory search Flir seems like quite a big company in the thermal imaging market but my connection is too slow to play videos of the Flir One in action.

Link here: http://www.flir.com/flirone/

Thanks in advance.

Jamie

 

[Giblets]

Can't quite see how a TIU could help in osmosis detection (unless the process generates heat)!

 

[maxi77]

Flir certainly if they are the company I think they are is a reputable company so the product probably does it's job. Like many US companies they dont publish specs so difficult to make any real recommendation so it is really a question of whether a trial can be arranged is is it cheap enough to just give it a go.

 

[maxi77]

Can't quite see how a TIU could help in osmosis detection (unless the process generates heat)!

Possibly differential heat retention creating hop spots some thermal imagers can detect very small heat variations but will this device be that sensitive.

 

[Tintin]

Flir now own Raymarine.

 

[pmagowan]

I have a flir thermal imaging camera and it is very good. It does, however, require significant user experience to get useful results. For instance, the screen always adjusts to the average temperature so the colours are only relative to the hottest and coldest parts in the image. If you want to compare 2 places you need to lock the settings. There are also many things that cause the colours to vary including reflectivity. If you point it at a house then the reflection of space in the upper windows will make them look incredibly cold. It does work for picking up damp so may work for osmosis but it would need to be tested on known samples first so that the results would be understandable.

It is very good for electrics and will show overloaded fuses or wiring. It can detect burst pipes, underfloor heating or hot pipes, mice, insulation levels, airtightness etc etc. However for each function you need to know what you are looking for and how it will effect the thermal image. I think they are in partnership with Raymarine to provide their thermal imaging equipment.

 

[savageseadog]

It will show osmosis and hull defects in laminate. Lots of experience needed to get useful images and diagnosis. It's necessary to create a temperature differential between the inside and outside of the laminate to see anything.

http://www.frigatemarinesurveyors.com/thermal.html