Seek Thermal thermal imager overview and application

We are surrounded by many objects, and they all emit heat waves. Yes, absolutely anyone, even if the surface temperature is much below zero, it may seem strange, but it is. And since all objects radiate heat, people wanted to see it. Of course, our eyes are not so perfect and do not work in such a spectrum, so a special device was invented.


Thermal imager Seek Thermal.
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Thermal imager on a smartphone.

The principle of the thermal imager is simple; a special sensor picks up the heat coming from the object and displays it graphically on the device display.

Principle of operation

Not only does all the objects radiate heat, they also have different radiation intensities, and most importantly, they differ in the length of the heat wave. Let's look at a specific example, the wavelength range of sunlight falls on 380 - 740 nanometers. If the figure is below 380 - this is ultraviolet, and if it is above 740, then this is the so-called infrared radiation.



The device not only sees infrared radiation perfectly, but can also independently determine the wavelength, due to which the temperature of the examined surface is displayed on the device's screen. And if the usual thermometer helps to set the temperature of a certain point, then the imager allows you to examine the entire object.

Now there are two options for surface inspection:

• scanning a plane with an IR sensor;
• use of the matrix with several sensors of the latest generation.

Now about each option in more detail.

• The first is not the most convenient, because reading the information will take a lot of time. And this is the main disadvantage, since it is not always that time, but on the other hand, the resolution of the resulting image is not limited.
• The second option - using a sensitive matrix with several IR sensors, you can catch infrared radiation and focus it through a special lens. This is the essence of the imager, the device receives information through several sensors, then analyzes it and transmits it to the screen.

Unfortunately, such equipment is very expensive, the most functional matrix, which is available to civilians, has a resolution of 1280x720. Fortunately, simpler versions are used in everyday life, more affordable and with a resolution of 384x288.

Appearance

One of the most compact thermal cameras, can be used with products of iOS 7.0 and higher, in addition, there is support for Android and OTG.



The device has intuitive software, it is possible to find places of heat leakage in manual and automatic mode, take photographs and video recording, as well as many other useful functions. The package consists of a thermal imager and a convenient waterproof case.



Many experts agree that Seek Thermal is a top thermal imager, both in terms of cost and quality.



The device is equipped with a professional IR sensor of 32 thousand pixels - the best performance among all mobile options. Chalcogenide lenses and a VOx microbolometer make it possible to determine IR radiation, and to fix the temperatures of the planes from -40 to +330 degrees. There are two versions, one is suitable for devices based on iOS, and the second for Android. The magnesium body of the camera is responsible for protecting the thermal imager. In addition, the kit has a special case in which it is comfortable to transport the device.



I got a version for Android.



Minor minus of the thermal imager : not all phones have a convenient USB connector. When I connected, the thermal imager looked like a front-facing camera. The problem can be solved with a USB extension cable (OTG). I soldered from the old cable a simple extension cord. I hope the manufacturer will equip the model with a swivel connector in the future. There is no such problem with the iPhone. If you purchased Seek Thermal, then you need to download a special application from the store to work with it. In addition, the software allows you to record video, show the temperature in the photo, display thermal indicators. The application is distributed for free in the AppStore and Google Play.



Convenient case for the device. Can be hung on a bunch of keys.

Palette

The application in the smartphone allows you to see the heat and cold in 9 different modes.


White, black, spectrum.


Prism, purple, iron.


Amber, tall, tall and cold.

Modes of operation

In the imager for convenient operation there are several modes.



1. Mode indicating the temperature in the center.
2. The mode shows the lowest and highest value in the picture.
3. Mode without indicating the temperature.



4. Mode without specifying temperature points, but with a detailed color temperature gradient.
5. Modes display the temperature threshold, all that is higher, lower or equal to the entered value.

Testing

Imagine if there is a draft somewhere in your house or it is constantly cold in the room. What is it? Battery clogged in the wall? Or was there a blockage in the sink, and how to find it? Let's see what you can see with this device. Let's start with the simplest example. We train on cats.



Take one experimental cat and see what he inherited here. We all leave traces. And not just anyhow, but the most real thermal ones.



We connect to the tablet. Direct at the cat. He wants to leave the room. We let out.



Wow, where the cat was sitting his heat traces remained. Thermal imaging works.

Car

The imager can be used to diagnose the stove, heated seats and mirrors.



1. Hot air from heater diffusers (43 ° C).
2. Heated seats (22 ° C).
3. Heated mirrors (red - heat 5 ° C).



On the imager you can see the distribution of heat from the engine.



And so from afar looks like a car with a running engine. Heated rear window works fine. To see more, you can set the threshold to 11 ° C.



The most interesting thing is, literally in the dark in the parking lot, you can see cars that have arrived recently and have not yet cooled down. The right photo shows a car that arrived 5 minutes ago.

ATM and traces

Now online communities are actively discussing whether it is possible to find out the pin code from the person standing in front of you.



Theoretically possible. But in practice, only if it is low outside and a person enters a PIN code without haste.



Remains barely noticeable marks on the keyboard. The combination - 4780. The red color on the buttons and there are traces of pressing. But after half a minute, the buttons cool down and nothing is visible. It will not work if it's warm outside, the tracks will be almost indistinguishable. And what about the phones, you can find out, for example, the owner's pattern?



Again, it will work if your phone was enough time in the cold and did not have time to warm up. Hands should also be warm, otherwise the track should not be distinguished. Cold hands will not show anything either. A minute passes, the phone warmed up and nothing is visible. In addition, the phone reflects the heat, and I see myself, a tablet and a thermal imager. The occupation is painstaking and requires an immediate response before the trace is gone.

Home use

What is there to see interesting. Suppose you have a sink clogged, too lazy to disassemble the entire structure. Turn on the imager, supply hot water and examine for clogging in the siphon. In the lower part, something is clearly not right.



Now you can disassemble.



The imager perfectly shows the degree of heating of the grill or kettle with cold water.



Incandescent bulb on the left and the LED on the right.



Opened the gates to hell of the refrigerator door. Here you can see how the heated gum at the edges of the door.



Laptop, you can see hot spots. A chair after a man got up from it. Heat trace is clearly visible.

Heat loss in buildings

And now the most practical part of the review: the heat loss of buildings. It happens to build a house or buy from someone, and the room is cold.



Maybe the wall is thin or where there is a gap? Let's try a thermal imager to look for places where the heat goes.



On the left in the house you can see the place where the battery is located under the window. On the right is a chimney in the wall.



In this house there appeared some thermal stains in the ceiling. Perhaps the heating pipe comes close and there are gaps to the street somewhere.



The second house, which drowns the street, also has strange spots. The house of blocks can be seen as heat is distributed from the lower floor. The place where the battery is located is so visible. Photographed at a distance of 20 meters.



Pipes in private houses and places with radiators that can be seen almost through the wall.



Panel houses. Built in the 90s. They must breathe warmth.



And there is. Here are the "white lights" in the windows - it is warm from the vents, and now compare from the cracks in the joints of the panels in the area of ​​the balcony.



Smooth wall in the imager is visible as a grid.



And this is a brick house. Here everything is more or less closed. Heat goes around the balconies.



Heating with open areas on the street.



Local heating network heats the street. Where there is thermal insulation, nothing is visible, but where a poorly insulated pipe (cut off at around 14 ° C) is clearly visible. circuit.

the fire

The measurement limit is perfectly visible on fire.



A temperature of 330 ° C is the maximum that the imager can see. Photo of the fire and lighters.

People

A man exhales warm air, a group of people on the street.

Animals

Cat in a pot and a dog on the street.



Cat on slippers. His coldest place is his nose.



Found in total darkness. Dogs at night.

Heating radiators

So, what to do if suspicions of heat loss fell on radiators? We must carefully study them. Asked to inspect the house.



For example, here is a 100% working radiator with a cat in a pot. Heat is distributed evenly.



1. Radiator in the basement.
2. The radiator in the room, below you can see the heat from the hidden pipes in the floor.



The battery is working.



If there is a cold object on the way, the picture is slightly different.



In the corridor, the battery is also in order.



The system of pipes for heating and plumbing.



And here we found the problem area. The upper part of the battery gave out about 40 degrees, and the bottom almost cooled down. Pipes suitable for the radiator, had a sufficiently high temperature.



What is this litter? Or installation error? Probably have to be removed and repaired. Well, that has not yet closed the panels.

Wiring

In another house they asked to check the quality of the wiring in the installation boxes.



Turn on the iron, the light, the refrigerator and look. The phase wire is heated, but what is 25 ° C under a 2-kilowatt load? Almost nothing.



In the central box is also nothing extreme. Within 5 minutes the temperature has not changed.



Wires before turning on the devices and after.

Traces

Everybody has traces, a cat, a man, and all warm-blooded mammals have traces.



1. The cat has passed.
2. The man passed.



1. Fingerprint on glass.
2. Footprints.



A brighter picture. By fingerprints, you can easily diagnose flat feet.

Results

The thermal imager Seek Thermal is an amazing device. The cost of such a device is 25,900 rubles. Now you do not need to pay hundreds of thousands of rubles for such a device. The pocket version is quite suitable for everyday tasks.



Author: Dmitriy (kot-de-azur), Essentuki