Industrial Heating & Cooling Maintenance
Testo 875i Series, 882 Series, 876 Series, 885 Series, 890 Series
Industrial heating (Boilers & Steam) and Cooling (Chilled Waters Plants) maintenance applications have very similar range of applications and considerations. Ergonomics factors like comfort & battery life are two considerations, but also important is the thermal sensitivity and resolution when selecting an imager. They key is to select an imager which meets current needs as well as provides room to grow with future requirements. There are several key considerations in an imager selection.
• Sensitivity – NETD or 80mK or less, this will allow the detection of thermal variances associated with the anomaly. While steam traps and line are made of rugged heavy construction where temperatures change slowly, water chillers sport lighter construction and therefore have the potential to change temperature rapidly. Sensitivity of the thermal imager is crucial to detecting and displaying these differences in real time with high accuracy.
• Resolution – A personal choice in imagers. The lower the resolution the more “blobs” will be seen. Blobs are areas of thermal change but cannot be discerned because of low resolution. You can tell the area of interest is either hot or cold but not exactly where or why. A resolution of 160 x 120 would be considered a minimum. The higher in resolution the better image quality will be. Higher resolution imagers will also allow the finer separation of thermal differences.
• Lens - In industrial heating & cooling applications you may be physically close to some the section being inspected while at other times more distant. This will require a fairly wide range of lenses to image effectively, versatility is an important consideration. A 32° lens is standard on most Testo imagers and will work very well for most imaging applications. For imaging within small spaces or inside plant areas where high detail inspections are required, a wide angle lens such as a 42° lens included on the Testo 890 imagers is ideal. Telephoto lenses will be needed on occasion when working over long distances. Make sure you imager has an option for telephoto lens and know the price up front if not included in a kit. They can cost more than the imager.
• Ease of use – When searching for the source of the intrusion, comfort and battery like are key factors. Large view screen to ease eye strain, one hand operation and long life batteries. Nobody likes to have to climb down from a roof because of a battery failure.
• High Temperature range - High temperature range is important because overheating is a common problem but overheating does not always cause failure right away. Several Testo imagers have extended thermal range options when ordering. The 881 series up to 1022°F, 882 series up to 1022°F while the 885 and 890 series can provide effective accurate readings up to 2192°F.
• Environmental Conditions - Conditions in heating & cooling plants can be hard on thermal imagers. Dust, dirt and grime are part of the daily game. All Testo imagers come standard with a two year warranty on all parts and components.
Testo 875i Series, 882 Series, 876 Series, 885 Series, 890 Series
Industrial heating (Boilers & Steam) and Cooling (Chilled Waters Plants) maintenance applications have very similar range of applications and considerations. Ergonomics factors like comfort & battery life are two considerations, but also important is the thermal sensitivity and resolution when selecting an imager. They key is to select an imager which meets current needs as well as provides room to grow with future requirements. There are several key considerations in an imager selection.
• Sensitivity – NETD or 80mK or less, this will allow the detection of thermal variances associated with the anomaly. While steam traps and line are made of rugged heavy construction where temperatures change slowly, water chillers sport lighter construction and therefore have the potential to change temperature rapidly. Sensitivity of the thermal imager is crucial to detecting and displaying these differences in real time with high accuracy.
• Resolution – A personal choice in imagers. The lower the resolution the more “blobs” will be seen. Blobs are areas of thermal change but cannot be discerned because of low resolution. You can tell the area of interest is either hot or cold but not exactly where or why. A resolution of 160 x 120 would be considered a minimum. The higher in resolution the better image quality will be. Higher resolution imagers will also allow the finer separation of thermal differences.
• Lens - In industrial heating & cooling applications you may be physically close to some the section being inspected while at other times more distant. This will require a fairly wide range of lenses to image effectively, versatility is an important consideration. A 32° lens is standard on most Testo imagers and will work very well for most imaging applications. For imaging within small spaces or inside plant areas where high detail inspections are required, a wide angle lens such as a 42° lens included on the Testo 890 imagers is ideal. Telephoto lenses will be needed on occasion when working over long distances. Make sure you imager has an option for telephoto lens and know the price up front if not included in a kit. They can cost more than the imager.
• Ease of use – When searching for the source of the intrusion, comfort and battery like are key factors. Large view screen to ease eye strain, one hand operation and long life batteries. Nobody likes to have to climb down from a roof because of a battery failure.
• High Temperature range - High temperature range is important because overheating is a common problem but overheating does not always cause failure right away. Several Testo imagers have extended thermal range options when ordering. The 881 series up to 1022°F, 882 series up to 1022°F while the 885 and 890 series can provide effective accurate readings up to 2192°F.
• Environmental Conditions - Conditions in heating & cooling plants can be hard on thermal imagers. Dust, dirt and grime are part of the daily game. All Testo imagers come standard with a two year warranty on all parts and components.
