New Tool (toy) Seems Worth the Money!

JUGHNE

I did buy a FLAIR TG165. Yesterday, started up a school steamer for check out. This Flair tool showed me where the steam was without dragging a ladder around. Upon cold start you could see the pulsating fire hitting the turn back panel on a 3 pass boiler, (the pulsating is maybe an issue?). See the steam level come down the equalizer to the HL tee.
See the steam come to an F&T and a temp drop after 3 feet down the condensate return.
See steam enter ceiling rads and its progression toward the trap.

All this without a ladder as this has 12' ceilings in the basement. The laser guided infrared thermometer was always hit & miss, a lot of this piping is painted white. But now to stand and see how far the steam is traveling within a CI rad, watch the condensate return as you walked the 100' of the basement, this is better than cable TV! (and deductible).

This particular system has quite an overheating problem. I have tried some orifices on large CI rads. Many have TRV on a 2 pipe system. All of questionable functioning. I await true winter temps to now check traps and the effectiveness of individual rad control.

So for less than $400 this tool has saved some time on the first day of use.
Also hoping to "see" my infloor heat tubing when it is on for the cold days.

Steamhead

You mean a "FLIR"?

nicholas bonham-carter

The second most important diagnostic tool for steam is a 0-3 psi good low pressure gauge, to keep the pressure honest.
Buy several at a time so the customer can keep an eye on things.--NBC

JUGHNE

Thanks Steamhead,
Yes, Forward Looking Infrared Radar, I believe.
Perhaps first major use in Nam during late 60's.
War is often the mother of invention.
And now todays technology has it this economical.
But comes without a case, so another Crown Royal bag needs to be procured.

Sailah

I have a FLIR E4 and very happy with it. Especially after doing a little "work" to it.

margsuarez

I am playing with a "Flir One" camera which plugs into my iPhone's lightning connector. It is less than $250 on Amazon. I am using at work to check electrical connections but plan to look at my radiant floors once the weather gets cooler.

Just be careful if you choose the Android version (micro USB) to check their compatibility table as not all Android phones are capable of communicating with it.

marg