Levels The different responsibilities of thermographers. First of all, this is an unregulated industry, and in most regions there is no legal requirement to be certified. However, most insurance companies require those carrying out work to be certified as part of their specifications, or they specify that it should be carried in accordance with … Read More
General
Things to consider before buying a thermal camera
Things to consider before buying a thermal camera Application What do you intend doing with your camera? Is your work going to be limited to electrical, or building, or are you looking for a camera that can be used in many different applications? Are you going to be working on high level projects? These are … Read More
Solar Loading
Solar loading I have been asked quite a lot recently about the effect of sunshine in outdoor electrical inspections. Strong sunlight will cause solar loading, this means that the sun will heat the objects that it is shining on. While we don’t normally worry about colour in thermography, colour will strongly affect the amount of … Read More
SAFETY ALERT
A safety issue has arisen during a thermographic survey of a building. A generator was being used to to provide power for heaters and a blower door, which caused a buildup of carbon monoxide. FYI, please see the safety alert http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Safety_Alerts/2008/Generators_Alert/
Flir tools on iPhone
A short video showing how to use Flir tools on an iPhone.
Does glass have a high, or low emissivity?
I have been asked the following by a student; “Does glass have a high or low emissivity? I always assumed that it was quite low as I can see my own reflection with my camera, but tables show it having a high value, Why?” Answer; Glass has a high emissivity. It is often quoted … Read More
Materials for increasing emissivity
The materials below are some that I would normally recommend for increasing the emissivity of materials. Scotch 33 Tape Consistent emissivity of 0.95 Glyptal Enamel Paint Electrically insulating paint Dye Penetrant Developer This is easily applied and removed. It has a very high emissivity Paints, various paints can be used Some deodorants can be used, usually ones with alumina … Read More
How wrong can my temperatures be?
How wrong can my temperatures be? I have often been asked this question by students, and it does surprise them when they find out. The accuracy of high quality cameras is +or- 1 degrees or 1%, whichever is the greatest (low quality cameras it can be +or- 5 degrees). This means then under … Read More
Why is emissivity different with different cameras?
Why is emissivity different with different cameras? This is difficult for people to fully understand. To be honest, emissivity in general takes some time to begin to get a good grasp of, for me the process of getting a strong understanding took a few years, a lot of reading and some experimentation. Emissivity changes with temperature, … Read More
Can a Level 1 Thermographer Write a Report?
Can a Level 1 Thermographer Write a Report? This is a question that I have been recently asked. “Can a Level 1 Thermographer write a report?” Yes, strictly speaking thermography is an unregulated industry, and a Level 1 thermographer can write a report. So too can anybody else, from a florist, to a … Read More