When it comes to determining heat loss, coolant loss, or other temperature swings and variations, the OEMTOOLS Thermal Imaging Camera, No. 24552, goes above and beyond in saving time says tool reviewer Eric Moore, fleet manager of Griffin Pavement Striping in Columbus, Ohio.
With a fleet consisting of a variety of small equipment, Toyota Tundras, multiple towable assets, Class 5 trucks, and a Class 8 truck and trailer combination, Moore and his technicians were impressed on how versatile the camera was and noted they found many uses for it.
“The main use we found was determining mixture ratios for setting the propane or diesel-fired kettles on our thermoplastic striping equipment,” Moore says. “We were able to see within seconds any changes we were making when adjusting the kettle flame fronts and temperatures, whereas staring into the flames, our eyes could not detect the subtle changes in shape, reach, or maximum temperature points.”
Moore also used the thermal imaging camera for finding coolant or heating oil leaks in the material lines that supply the application guns, as well as places that were losing heat through gaps in insulation or fittings that were not covered.
In addition, the OEMTOOLS camera has been beneficial for Moore in preventing costly incidents from happening by finding small leaks before vehicles leave the shop.
“We have several vehicles that use ultra-high-pressure water to remove markings and found the OEMTOOLS 24552 Thermal Imaging Camera useful to pinpoint any small leaks,” he says. “Since ultra-high-pressure water becomes super-heated, when it finds a weak point [it will] escape.”
The camera is very easy to use and simple to understand, Moore notes. Setup involved adding four AAA batteries. It also came with a detailed manual, but Moore says he was able to figure out most of the features just by using the camera.
With previous experience using thermal imaging cameras, Moore found the OEMTOOLS camera to exceed others in resolution, cost of ownership, and temperature ranges.
At the shop, each of the technicians who used the camera enjoyed the temperature range of 1,202 degrees F, in addition to the picture quality. Once a micro SD card was installed, they were able to store images and then view them on a laptop.
Although the images are clear on the camera’s screen, Moore noted that they become pixelated when expanded on a larger screen. He would suggest either a larger screen on the camera or the option to send live images to a larger monitor to make analyzing the images better.
Overall, Moore found the OEMTOOLS Thermal Imaging Camera to be useful and of value to his technicians. He says it offers a great value, excellent temperature range, good picture quality, and its versatility makes this tool stand out.
