When it comes to Bosch, what do you think of?  For me, I think quality, I think concrete and I think professional power tools.  Up until now, I never thought about Thermal Imaging Cameras but here we are, talking about the Bosch Thermal Camera.  So let’s take a look at this Thermal Camera and see what we like and don’t like about this tool.

Bosch Thermal Camera Overview

Thermal cameras can help us see into a whole another world.  We can see things we can see with our naked eye.  We can see if there is a draft in a house or if an appliance is running too hot or if something on your car may not be right.  When it comes down to it, it can be used in so many different applications.

One of the best features of a thermal camera is not only can it help detect if there is a problem, such as a furnace or another mechanical motor failing but it can also help detect the premature failure of a motor.  Taking simple measurements over time can give you a head-up if a problem is starting to occur, a bearing failure, or hundreds of other problems.

Sure not everyone needs a thermal camera but for those who do, it can make your job and your life so much easier.

Bosch Thermal Camera Features

The Bosch GTC400C is a thermal camera designed for finding temperates in seconds and capturing the results.  The integrated visual camera records actual images, so the user can document the work area visually as well as thermally.  Great for side by side comparisons

The camera can store more than 500 images.  A user can then transfer the thermal documentation to a device with Bluetooth® or WiFi hotspot.

While I would like to see this camera come with a hard case, it does include a soft case that provides good protection.  The kit includes the following items:

• GTC400C 12V Max Connected Thermal Camera
• 12V Max Lithium-Ion Battery
• 12V Max Charger
• USB Cable
• Soft Case

On the front of the camera, there is an easy-to-use and simple layout.  While holding the camera, you can easily access any of the buttons with your thumb.

The camera has a large screen that delivers a 160×120 thermal graphic image accurate to ±3° C.

The thermal camera shows hot and cold spots, the temperature at the center, and an adjustable temperature scale. The camera uses more than 19,000 measurement points for accuracy.

The USB port is located on the side of the camera and easy to access.

On the front of the tool, there is a single red trigger to take readings.

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The camera offers a lens cover for protection when not in use.

Bosch Thermal Camera Performance

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While the camera is very fast and effective, my favorite feature of this camera is how easy it is to use.  A lot of other thermal cameras we have used over the year tend to have cluttered and complicated menu systems.  With the Bosch, it’s straight-forward and easy to use.

I like how fast and responsive the tool is.  Again, other tools seem to lag and are always trying to catch up.  With the Bosch, it quickly takes a reading and very few times did we receive and lag between reading.

Screen resolution is another plus.  It’s extremely easy to see and pinpoint the exact location you are taking a reading.

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Here are just a few readings we took to give you an idea of how it shows up in darker or light areas.  Also, you can see them in closed environments as opposed to open areas such as outside.

I just installed a heated floor in my basement when we poured the concrete.  I always wondered if we covered all the areas and how the water really flows, plus will it be too hot when the water first hits the concrete and be too cold by the time it returns to the boiler.  I was able to use the thermal to take a reading from when the water left the boiler, entered the floor, and when it returned to the boiler to see the exact heat loss at each point.

Below is a video to give you a nice walkthrough of the camera.

Bosch Thermal Camera Value

The camera runs about $1,200 but we found it on Amazon for $999.  Yes, this is a lot to drop on a thermal camera and yes you can find ones cheaper.  However, you will not find a camera of this quality for under $1,000.  So for me, this is a great value.

Bosch Thermal Camera Final Thoughts

Bottom line, the Bosch thermal camera offers a great value.  The camera is fast, clear, easy to use, and accurate.  If you are in the business and need a thermal camera, this should be at the top of your list.

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Today, cell phones are tools as much as any others that we use. Much like our drills and saws, cell phones have become extensions of our skills. The ability to communicate with customers, co-workers and even manage things like inventory and price quotes, cell phones are virtually impossible to do without in today’s world. Not to mention, technology is certainly going to continue evolving to become even more a part of our lives. Today we look at a cell phone that serves both a professional contractor in several fields as well as the average person looking for a more durable phone. Let’s see what this phone is all about in the CAT Phone S61 Review.

CAT Phone S61 Review Overview

When you think of CAT, you think of a manufacturer of large heavy machinery. You’d be hard pressed to enter a job site without seeing the iconic yellow machines doing serious work. But you may not know that CAT teamed up with Bullitt Mobile to make a phone that would not only hold up to tough job site conditions but could also pack a powerful punch with technology that adds not only value but utility to a tool you are already using constantly.

Tools like Thermal Imagers and Laser Distance Measurers are some of the best advances we have seen in tool technology in recent years. LDM’s take a lot of guesswork and human error out of measuring, especially when great distances or awkward positions make using a standard tape measure impossible. General Contractors know and love LDM’s, but so do Real Estate Professionals and virtually every trade imaginable. Not to mention with LDM technology expanding and becoming more cost-efficient, more homeowners own tools like LDM’s than ever before.

Thermal Imagers though, now those aren’t tools everyone comes in contact with. What’s interesting about them is their huge range of uses and fields. Some of the most traditional ways, and the reason I was eager to get my hands on one is checking for variances in temperature, specifically to improve energy efficiency and detect unwanted leaks. When looking at this application a few things come to mind. HVAC techs could easily find a leak in ducts or detect the temperature of the air coming off the AC and Heater. Electricians could detect an issue on a circuit board or an issue with outlets. With a lot of money and resources going into improving the energy efficiency of your home, Thermal Imagers also give you a way to verify your efforts. If you install additional insulation or things like solar screens, but you can’t verify the results you are hard pressed to justify those costs. This phone has seen significant success in the agriculture industry too, something that brings a lot of other creative utility to this powerhouse of a cell phone.

Additionally, this phone is chock full of protection and durability. Bullitt mobile was started in 2009 and has spent a significant amount of time creating electronics. Bullitt focuses on consumer electronics and has seen tremendous growth in recent years. Today they have products available in over seventy-five different countries.

CAT Phone S61 Review Features

The CAT Phone S61 is a Smart Phone operating on the Android Operating system and operates on cell phone networks across about 50 countries. With routine updates to security and free screen replacements, Bullitt aims to stand by their customers. The 4500 mAH provides up to 35 hours of talk time on 3G, and up to 37 days on standby.

The phone comes equipped with 64GB ROM and 4GB of RAM with the option to add additional storage using a microSD.

The 5.2-inch FHD display is made from Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and provides significant visibility and is optimized to work even with glove-covered fingers.

CAT Phone S61 Review

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The CAT Phone is rated IP68 and IP69K making it both dust and waterproof. Drop ratings include testing on concrete with repeated drops of 1.8 meters. Water ratings allow for 3 meters for up to 60 minutes. The MIL-SPEC 810G allows protection from extreme temperatures as well from -25 degrees to 151 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 24 hours.

CAT Phone S61 Review

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The FLIR thermal imaging camera provides thermal images that measure up to 400 degrees Celsius. The HD camera provides improved images over the previous S60 CAT phone. Three moveable spots to detect surface temperatures from previously captured images or live. There are several options to get the most out of the FLIR Thermal Camera, including improved clarity and filters to provide additional information, as well as the ability to stream thermal images live to allow collaborative sharing.

There are two cameras on the CAT 61. The back camera is 16MP with a Dual LED Flash, and the front is an 8MP Camera.

CAT Phone S61 Review

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Indoor Air Quality Sensor detects VOC’s in the air to give information about the environment. The VOC sensor samples the air every four seconds to give accurate levels and will alert the user if unhealthy levels appear.

CAT Phone S61 Review

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Laser Assisted Distance Measurer provides several measurements beyond the traditional point to point distances such as area and can be given in both metric and imperial units.

CAT Phone S61 Review

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The phone comes pre-equipped with Google Play as well as the App Toolbox, which included tools tailored for trades from construction to agriculture.

CAT Phone S61 Review Performance

This phone is a thing of beauty. I had a few specific reasons for wanting to look at this phone. The first came down to durability. While I love the iPhone, they don’t tend to love me. I can’t even count the frequency in the last handful of years I have replaced them for either a cracked screen or the dreaded water exposure. Another thing I’ve noticed in recent years is how easily the ports get bogged down with dust and debris, which in my shop is pretty impossible to avoid. So, to say the least, the protection and built-in durability made it stand out to me.

So how well did this feature set pan out on this phone? Well after about two months of consistent carrying in the same way I have always carried my iPhone, I have yet to see a scratch appear let alone actual cracks. Now I have no doubt that I could crack the screen but in my experience most of the cracks and screen breaks I have experienced happened in the least expected way. The typical day to day functions like getting out of the car and forgetting it was in your lap, or just plain slipping from your hand is where I have seen the most damage. Thankfully I’ve dropped it plenty of times and haven’t had an issue. This is most definitely some sort of record as this has yet to be the case with any other phone. As well, the small covers on ports make all the difference in how well it resists build-up and debris. On this side of things, this phone is a winner for sure.

Another comes down to the included features. FLIR is well known for their thermal imaging, and one of my biggest questions as a homeowner has been how do I “prove” something like an improvement in energy efficiency. An example, when trying to reduce electricity usage, outside of upgrading the units, your best bet is adding insulation and improving the existing insulation. This comes in a lot of forms, windows, attics, walls etc. Being in Texas, we have brutal summers. With high temperatures and an incredible number of variables to consider it can make tracking these things difficult. So, what better way to demonstrate the improvements. Before and after images add a lot of value to this type of work, and as a homeowner, I know the tangible proof is paramount when I look at spending money on upgrades. As a contractor though, this is an even bigger asset as you have quick access to information your customers will want to see.

The FLIR camera is nothing short of amazing. It provides information that is practical and lends a lot of benefits in diagnostics. I definitely have seen a lot of great uses for this feature and anticipate using it on numerous more projects in the near future. Stay tuned for updates on the practical uses I found for this phone.

Some of the other features in this phone were surprisingly handy too. The Air Quality Sensor was sensitive enough to detect things I didn’t expect. I walked into the shop at one point, several hours after I spray painted some hardware and I received an alert to the change in air quality. This sensor has a lot of value if you work around harsh chemicals and have risks of exposure too. For me, this was a really unique safety measure as you have an idea of when to take extra precautions. Safety is always key.

The LDM was very useful too. While it took a bit to configure, it was incredibly accurate once you did. I also found the visual box around the red dot interesting as it gave you a great double check that you are measuring what you intend too. The traditional camera took excellent photos too, something that is always needed on a job site for records.

In terms of just being a cell phone, this phone gave me no issues. While I had a bit of a learning curve coming from an Apple device, I found it easy to navigate. I use Verizon and specifically tested the phone service in areas I generally have issues with call quality and call drops. The CAT phone performed well, with an improvement over the iPhone here. I will say one of its biggest gains over my iPhone was the actual battery life. I have not gone a single 24 hours without needing to charge my phone, yet this one was easily able to last a day. The convenience of that alone was impressive.

CAT Phone S61 Review Value

The CAT S61 can be found on Amazon for $799.00. While it is hard to justify the cost of a phone today, the reality is eight hundred dollars is actually less than I paid for my current iPhone. Considering the cost of the added features like the FLIR Thermal Imager, and the Laser Measurer alone would easily cost you the same if not more than this phone. For me, the biggest value of this phone comes from its durability and protection. I have yet to have a phone resist as much damage as the CAT phone. Technology is pricey but this phone stands out as an incredible investment as a tool, and a worthwhile investment for those who need the protection this phone can afford.

CAT Phone S61 Review Final Thoughts

The CAT Phone is an impressive piece of technology. Tradesmen can combine several expensive tools and have these right at their fingertips for quick access and increased productivity. For users like me, this phone falls in this incredible category that gives homeowner’s access to tools beyond what the standard garage would have. The CAT phone gives incredible opportunities to not only uses the technology in the phone itself but benefit from the insane amount of durability it affords.

I can’t tell you how impressed I have been with this phone overall. From call quality to the camera images, it performs exceptionally as a phone. What’s more though, is it is well protected and durable, something few phones can claim. For me, the dust, water, and drop protection had me ready to make the switch. Add in the FLIR thermal imager and Laser Distance Measurer and I truly can’t imagine what more they could include. All in all, the CAT Phone does exactly what it is designed to do, and does it well.

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When it comes to thermal imaging cameras you are probably familiar with companies like Flir. But did you know that Ridgid makes one of the top-rated cameras on the market? I didn’t until we had the chance to take a look at it and give it a test drive. While the camera is expensive, this is one of the best thermals we have tested over the years. So let’s take a look at the Ridgid RT 9X Review.

Ridgid RT 9X Review Overview

Being able to see the world in different colors or no colors can give you more information about your surroundings than ever thought before. With a thermal camera, you can see things you can’t detect with your naked eyes such as heat buildups, places of temperature variation that you don’t want such as around doors and much more.

Ridgid RT 9X Review Features

The Ridgid RT-9 has a wide range of specifications. Instead of laying them all out, you might be better suited by visiting the Ridgid website.

A couple notable features are the camera is powered by a rechargeable 3.7V battery. One cool feature is the app and the WiFi features making this a more capable camera than other cameras in its price range.

One important feature to cover is the range. This thermal camera can measure temperatures from -30° to +650° C.

As you would expect from a tool that is around $3,000, the camera is protected with the included hard plastic case.

Here is one of the best features of this camera, the simplicity. This is one of the easiest cameras we have used and it shows by only having three buttons. If you are working with the camera, you can easily adjust the colors with a single push up or down of the middle button.

When not in use, there is a cover to protect the lens.

Ridgid RT 9X Review Performance

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When you get a camera like this, you can really see the difference between a $300 camera and this camera. The camera doesn’t slow down every 5 seconds for calibration. The unit is fast and very easy to navigate. I like how sensitive the unit is and how it can pick up changes in such a small space.

Ridgid RT 9X Review Value

The Ridgid RT-9 will run you about $3,050 on Amazon. For most, this is way more than what we need or want to spend. However, for those who rely on real readings, reliability, and ease of use, this camera provides it all. The temp range is huge and the navigation is easy. So for those professionals looking for one of the best thermals on the market, this offers a ton more than some of the more expensive thermals in the marketplace.

Ridgid RT 9X Review Final Thoughts

The Ridgid RT-9 is super fast and stop very few times for calibration. The camera is very sensitive, reliable and easy to use. If you are in the field where small temperature changes can mean the difference between breaking a 100K machine and not, this is well worth the investment.

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When it comes to infrared imagers, Flir and Fluke have owned the market.  However, over the last couple of years, Milwaukee has been jumping into this category and has been making some waves.  Take the Milwaukee Thermal Imager 2258-21 or the Milwaukee M12 Thermal Imager 2260-21 as an example.  Both of these imagers have been a big hit with the consumers.  While they have been a big hit in the marketplace, they are packed with more bells & whistles that not everyone needs.  Some tradesmen just want a simple, cost-effective solution, so let’s jump into the Milwaukee Spot Infrared Imager Review.

Milwaukee Spot Infrared Imager Review Overview

When you are trying to diagnose a problem most of the time you really have two options, which for certain applications are not the best options.  You have a temperature gun which is great, but there isn’t an image.  Or you have a thermal imager camera which is great but comes at an expense.

So with that said, this is one of the reasons Milwaukee designed and created the Milwaukee Spot Infrared Camera.  Basically, you get the best of both tools in this one small, easy to use imager.

Milwaukee Spot Infrared Imager Review Features

The imager is very small compared to some of the thermal cameras we have tested.  In fact, the size is closer to a temperature gun.

The front of the imager is protected by a rubber cover.  This imager features a 56:1 distance to spot and will record temperatures in the range of 14°F – 626°F.  The sensor resolution is 102 x 77.

The imager has instant startup, so no waiting around.  You can start taking measurements right away.  The screen is protected by a rubber cover.

Milwaukee uses a dual sense pixel which means the picture is clean, responds quickly to changes and easy to see what you are taking a reading of without any blurring or hot and cold.

Once you take a reading, the screen will broadcast the image with the reading for 15 seconds.

To take a reading, just pull the trigger and move to the desired reading target.  Once you acquire the target reading, release the trigger and you have captured the image along with the temperature.

The imager is powered by a 9V battery which is located in the handle of the imager.  You should get a little over 4 hours of continuous run time on a single battery.  One downside to the battery change is you will need a flathead screwdriver, coin or something else to open the battery compartment.

Milwaukee Spot Infrared Imager Review Performance

In regards to performance, this imager rocks.  We love how quickly it turns on and how fast it’s ready to use.  Just point, pull the trigger and you are done with your reading.  How much easier can it get?

The readings were accurate as we tested it against a temp gun.

Reading after reading, this unit performed as advertised.  The instant readings are awesome.  I had cold pipes and then turned on the hot water and could see how fast the water was traveling through the pipe and how long it took for the hot water to go from the heater to the faucet.

Milwaukee Spot Infrared Imager Review Value

The unit runs about $300.  Yes, this is more than a temp gun but much less than a thermal camera.  A price of $300 isn’t bad considering how easy it is to use and the accuracy.  If you are an HVAC, Mechanic, electrician or in any other trades, this is a great tool to own.

Milwaukee Spot Infrared Imager Final Thoughts

Trust me when I say you will love this tool.  Simple to use, doesn’t break the bank and no waiting around.  This is one of those tools that will truly make your life easier.  While I do wish it came with some kind of pouch, it’s not a deal breaker.  The imager is rugged and will be able to survive common falls.  It’s a must-have tool for the tradesman.

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As you know Milwaukee already has a 12v Thermal Imager available, it’s the 2260.  Now they introduced their new Milwaukee Thermal Imager, model 2258.  So what is the difference?  Sure there are some spec differences, but the biggest difference is price.  The 2260 retails for about $2,500, which makes this a little expensive for most contractors.  Now with the 2258, they have a thermal imager that is in the price range for most.  This one retails for about $500, a big difference.

Thermal imagers are an invaluable tool for a bunch of different professionals.   Imagine an electrician being able to pin point a bad fuse, this would be a huge time saver.  What about an interior decorator making the case for a new door.  Not only can they talk about style, but they can show the homeowner the true difference.  What about a maintenance personal showing his boss why they need to invest in a new HVAC system.  This is only a fraction of people who can use this technology.  The real point to a thermal imager is being able to save time and money, it’s like having a handheld sixth sense.  Personally I think Milwaukee did a great job with their new imager.

When you first look at the Milwaukee Thermal Imager, you will probably notice the large black plastic top.  Don’t worry, even though this can survive a 6′ drop, it still comes with a nice protective cover.  Under this cover you will notice a 2.4″ high resolution screen with a display resolution of 320 x 240 pixels.  Just under the screen is a well laid out push button panel.  This will allow the user to power up and down the unit.  You can also use this to activate an LED light, scroll through pictures and use menu functions.  On the side of the thermal, there is a slot for a provided SD card to store your pictures.  You can store these files in either .png or.dat.  Speaking of images, with the Milwaukee software you will have the ability to create and customize reports.  This is a great feature as it allows you to present these to your customers.

In regards to the internal workings of this tool, the Milwaukee Thermal Imager didn’t leave anything off the drawing board.  The tool has a distance to spot ratio of 81:1.  The temperature range is from 14°F to 626°F and has a thermal sensitivity of .1°C at 30°C.  A user is easily able to set the viewing for rainbow, grayscale or ironbow depending upon your work and preference.  The unit also has a targeting system of dual lasers with automatic ranging.

Bottom line, this is a great tool that won’t break the bank.  With a runtime of 10 hours and backed by the Milwaukee 5 year warranty, it’s hard to beat.  While the reporting feature is great and makes life much easier, the true genius to this tool is located inside the unit.  The easy to use front panel makes it a snap to operate.

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Thermal imagers are not only cool to play with, but also very useful.  Seek came out with a miniature thermal camera that works off your phone.  Not only is it cool, but the cost is about $200 which is cheaper than most units.  With this unit you just download an app onto your iPhone or Android and your pretty much ready to go.  The app allows you to perform various functions with this thermal imager such as picking a color mode, you can take temperature (even has a high, low setting).  Plus you can take pictures or videos.  The image quality isn’t the best we have seen, but for $200 it does a pretty good job.  Check out Thermal.com for more info.

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You really don’t know what you are missing until you use a thermal imaging thermometer.  There are a few on the market for the trades including the $2500 M12 Milwaukee imager which is a true thermal imager, the $900 DeWALT DCT416S1 imaging thermometer and now the $500 FLIR TG165.  In short an imaging thermometer mixes a thermal image with a real image and emulates an imager.  Unless you need high-resolution heat maps an imaging IR thermometer will do you just fine.  It is amazing how fast you can troubleshoot with this device.

The unit has the ability to take a picture and save it to the included mini sd card. It has a 2 laser system to show you where it is taking the reading from.  It can show both a color and grayscale image.

We like the FLIR TG165 the best out of the 3 tools mentioned above.  It is a quick easy to use tool that any tradesman will appreciate.  Best of all the $500 price tag makes it a no brainer.  The only thing I would have liked to have seen was a cover or case for the unit.  The instruments at the front are susceptible to damage when you store it in your tool bag.

Check out more via FLIR

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Thermal imaging technology has come a long way in the past few years and DeWALT has brought its new imager in at a pretty sweet price point at just under $1k.  Before we go into the DCT416, a few people have asked me to compare it to the Milwaukee Imager.  Well, to be honest they are in a different league from each other in both price and features.  The DCT416 does not have the resolution of the Milwaukee, but makes up for it with price, ease of use and battery life.  The DCT416 also has no calibration delay like we experienced with the Milwaukee, which is a plus.

DeWALT wanted to keep costs down and make the unit simple to use for anyone on the job-site to troubleshoot an issue quickly.  They added a feature called Image Blend which overlays the thermal image onto the visual image.  You can add more overlay until you have a thermal only image on the screen.  The overlay really helps you pinpoint an issue, however I wish it had an led light to help light up the area.  Another cool feature is tracking.  Basically a red and blue box float around the screen and track on the coldest and warmest points.  This is great because you just put the cursor on the box and you have the hottest or coldest temp depending on what box you’re on.  You can see this clearly in the videos below.

Stats:

• Detects 14º F to 480º F (-10º C to 250º C)
• 2.2″ Color Display for Visual, Thermal (15×15) and Blended Images
• Adjustable Emissivity 0.1 to 1.0, Adjustable in Increments of 0.01
• Weight 1.1 lbs (Tools In Action Scale)

You can capture all images via the photo capture button that saves both the visible and thermal snapshot .bmp to the included 2gb SD card which is protected by a rubber dust cover.  I didn’t see a way to format the card on the unit which hopefully they will add in a firmware update in case you’re out in the field and need to erase the card.  The menu is easy to navigate as you can see from the walkthrough video below.  The control pad has six easy to use buttons and a simple user interface.  My one quarrel is that the select button looks like a back button, so it tends to confuse me, but you may not experience this, as I am just dumb.  Anyone can use this tool without instructions and be able to visually troubleshoot a problem.

The battery life on this imager has is amazing, it lasts a long time.  I have over 2 hours of use and still have a charge on the included 12v MAX pack.  Dewalt also includes a charger and hard case to protect the tool.  The handle is like every other handle in the DeWALT 12v MAX line and fits like a glove in your hand.  There is no trigger switch, a photo trigger switch would have been nice, however I quickly got used to using the button on the control panel.  On the front is a slide lock cover to protect the sensing instruments when in storage.

DeWALT has a downloadable program for Windows only, which gives you the ability to create reports.  While this software isn’t feature packed, it is easy to use and creates quick PDF reports like the one here.  To wrap it up the DEWALT DCT416 is a hit in my book.  It has brought basic thermal imagery to the masses, many hours will now be saved troubleshooting and diagnosing thanks to this technology.  It is a precision instrument, but is designed and protected like a tool to last on the job site.  The resolution is lower than the Milwaukee,  but so is the price and still gets the job done.

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The post DEWALT DCT416 12V Max Imaging Thermometer – Review appeared first on Tools In Action - Power Tool Reviews.

If I could replace my eyes with thermal imagers I would!  It is absolutely amazing what this new sense of perception allows you to accomplish.  It makes you feel super human.  A thermal imager can diagnose problems before they happen and find things you would never see with the naked eye.  Later in this article I will show you some of the cool things I found with the M12 Imager.

As you know Milwaukee is always expanding the M12 line with new tools.  Milwaukee wants to dominate the contractors tool bag and lately has been doing a really good job of doing so.  The 2260-21 M12 160 x120 Thermal Imager is part of their Test and Measurement line up which has produced some impressive tools like the innovative fluorescent light tester.  We had a sneak peak at the imager last year at the 2011 New Product Symposium and instantly fell in love with it.  It was made to diagnose and report, one pull of the trigger not only saves a thermal image to the the included 2gb SD card but it also takes a regular picture for reference.  Temperature Range is: 14 to 662 Degrees F with a refresh rate of 60 times per second.  You can change between iron, rainbow, gray color palettes, I found rainbow to be the best overall and gray was awesome at night vision.  The 3.5″ screen was big and easy to read, it is especially good when you need multiple people to look at the problem.

I am going to keep this review relatively simple and try not to overcomplicate the tool because it really is extremely easy to use.  It literally takes less that 5 minutes to become familiar with the 2260-21, the interface is simple and intuitive.   5 buttons and a directional pad allow you to navigate the menu options.  Check out the video for screen menus.  The pistol style grip has rubber over molding for a tight grip.  The imager is power hungry and we were surprised that it only included 1 Redlithium battery.  An XC pack would have been a lot better here for longer runtime and better tool balance as the head of the tool felt heavy.  To protect the imager lens it has a camera style flip lid that locks in both the open and closed position. It also focuses like a camera, just twist the lens ring.  On the right side is a protective rubber cover that houses the SD card and USB port.  Overall it is well built, rugged, has a IP54 rating and an awesome 5 year warranty.

For dark locations the imager has two bright white LED lights on the front.  When in grayscale mode it works great as a night vision camera.  I actually could see animals in the woods at night with this tool.  I dropped my iPhone in the lawn and could not find it with the naked eye, but found it within seconds with the imager.  It can even spot airplanes.  I found the tool awesome at checking electrical panels for overworked circuits and looking for thermal leaks.  The only downsides we noticed was that every minute or so the unit calibrates itself which causes the screen to freeze for a second or 2 and when you pull the trigger to take an image it freezes the unit for about 15 seconds, hopefully they can speed up the picture saving process in future firmware updates.

There were so many cool things we could do with a thermal imager, here are some things we did:

I do not own a Windows PC, so I had to pass the article on to Eric who wrote the following:

Milwaukee M12 Thermal Image Software

Well you may have one of the cooliest tools around, but if you can’t show your clients or boss your thermal finds, what good is it really.  Not only did Milwaukee make the tool easy to use and navigate, they even made the software very easy.  Now you don’t have to install any software to use the tool, but if you want to run reports and keep a history, the software is a must.  What is that, your a Mac lover.  Well bad news, the current software that comes with this tool doesn’t support Mac.  The kit includes everything else you need to get started such as a 2 gig SD card, thumb drive, a install CD and a cord to hook up from the imager to your computer.

Before you get started, you have to install the software.  Just insert the CD and the software will guide you through the process, very easy.   Once you have it installed, just open the icon and your set to make yourself look like a pro.

The above picture is the screen you get when you open the program.  As you can see it is designed to be used by anyone, even a dummy like me can easily navigate this.  Do you want to load the pictures from a thumb drive or right from the camera?

Once you click the location, it asks for a customer name and job. This is the information that will be used in the report and if you ever need to go back and look at the history.

Now it will show you what images will be loaded.

Once the images are loaded, you can go through each one.  Here is where it gets pretty cool.  You can now see a side by side comparison from the thermal image to a standard picture.  On the bottom you can name your picture and include other important information that will show up on the report.   But this is what is really cool.  You can move your mouse all around the thermal picture and it will show you the exact temperature reading.  Click on your mouse and it takes a reading.  It puts an icon on the picture and logs the reading on the bottom right pane.  Plus this shows up on the report.  So in this example you can see how the temperature changes when hot water runs through a cast iron heater.

Now that you have described all your pictures, listed any problems with solutions, you can build a nice looking report.  Milwaukee lets you choose different templates and font.  Plus you can include your own logo.

The last item is running and viewing the report.  Here is where you can double check everything.  If you like, you can now export it to a PDF or print the report.

Below is an example of a PDF you can create.  As you can see it has a very nice layout.  Picture quality could be better, but you can easily see the pictures.  Again this is just an example so we didn’t put much into the report.  The reports are great because they help tell a story.  As you can see with the first cast iron, the heat is great, 127 coming in and 119 leaving.  However the second heater is showing 119 coming in and 94 leaving which is awful.  Here is where you can pinpoint problems and tell your story.  In this case it there are no problems, the heater just wasn’t running long enough to get up to temperature.

Boiler – Tools in Action  – PDF Report Example.

WOW that was a long article.  So to wrap it all up, we are happy to see a thermal imager added to the M12 line, but the $2500 price tag make it out of reach for most users.  We would like have to seen 2 XC batteries included instead of the included single red lithium.  However it is feature packed, rugged and invaluable to some contractors.  The ability to run professional reports with your logo can save you time and make you money.  The 5 year warranty is awesome.  DeWalt recently announced a 12V Max imager for $999, it will be interesting to compare the two.

Check out Milwaukee Tool

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