Infrared camera

[Bob 04 H260]

There are now some small inexpensive infrared cameras that interface to a smart phone. Could one of these be used to check a boat hull or rudder for water or delamination ? I know the big expensive cameras are used for this purpose, I don't know anything about these new little guys.

Thanks Bob

 

[Scott T-Bird]

You have to be knowledgeable about using infrared cameras for moisture detection. The cameras are indicating variations in surface temperature, not reading moisture within the core. If outdoor temperatures have been relatively constant, detecting moisture may be problematic when the surface skin is the same temp as the moisture within.

When the atmosphere is cooling down rapidly, like in the evening after sunset, moisture may be read as a hot spot where the core is kept warm by the slower cooling water. In the morning, as the temperature is rising, the moisture can be indicated as a "cool" zone.

At our office, we send inspectors out who are trained to read these instruments, particularly for finding moisture in roofs. We also send them in the evening after the sun goes down, before the temp inside the roof membrane of wet areas has a chance to equalize with the surface temperature surrounding the wet areas.

 

[Bob 04 H260]

Thanks Scott, very useful information. I'm sure there would be some interpretation of readings involved. I suppose if there were some old boats with soft decks around the club one could try looking at boats with known defects to see if one of these devices will see the damage.

Bob

 

[Scott T-Bird]

It's always worth a try with one of those smart phone cameras. It's probably useful for other purposes. If you are serious about moisture detection though, I think it's better to use a non-invasive moisture meter to avoid the penetrations of the meters with probes.

 

[Bob 04 H260]

Thanks again Scott. This idea came up in conversation with a friend and we were wondering if it could work. We know a lot of boat surveyors use the expensive ones to look at deck and rudders for moisture, delamination problems. We have no idea if these little add ons might work in any capacity. We will see if one of our friends has one to play with and once the spring comes see if it will work on a known problem boat.

Bob

 

[Hayden Watson]

Just a word of clarification. I think that what you are talking about is a thermographic camera like the Flir One. It "sees" temperature instead of light. an infrared camera capture infrared light which is not visible to the human eye and can be shown on a black and white screen is a visible image.

 

[Bob 04 H260]

I may have used incorrect terminology.

I was referring to something like the Seek Thermal Imaging Camera for an iPhone, $199. It seems to outperform the Flir One, http://www.wired.com/2014/10/seek-thermal-infrared-camera-iphone-android/

It looks like it would be the type of instrument that could detect differences in temperature when moisture or delamination were in a deck or rudder as the object goes through a temperature change.

As an aside, a news show reported that one of these camera was used to "see" the PIN number punched into grocery cash debit key pad. The difference in the temperature of the buttons even indicated the correct order they were entered !

Bob