thermal cameras

[alex141]

I have a target that might be hidden in a cave on a hillside that may be slightly covered with rock and debris. Any chance a thermograhic camera might pick up the target? If so any recommendations on the camera type / model. Thanks

 

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[gollum]

Why spend all the money on a thermocam? Just get a good non-contact laser thermometer. All you are looking for are temp changes on the hillside.

Mike

 

[GA_Boy]

Is your target Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral?
Marvin

 

[boogeyman]

Non contact thermometer would probably work great for you in early morning as Gollum said. Another thought would be to get a cheap digital camera and mod it to get rid of the IR filter. Doesn't even have to take pictures as long as you can look through the view finder. I modded a security camera and plug it into a laptop. you can get a good one for under $50. Yeah, I know different wavelengths blah blah but for &50 it's a great tool. Add in a pole from a lightbulb changer, and you can reach 15' up or down. Lots cheaper than a drone.

 

[pepperj]

Why spend all the money on a thermocam? Just get a good non-contact laser thermometer. All you are looking for are temp changes on the hillside.

Mike

Because the maximum measuring range and accuracy can be affected by atmospheric conditions (water vapor or carbon dioxide) the maximum range is generally limited to approximately 100 feet.
The accuracy of the handheld IR thermometer is primarily determined by the distance-to-spot ratio (D/S Ratio). This ratio is the size of the area being evaluated by the IR thermometer as it relates to distance. In other words, the area being measured becomes larger as the distance increases. The smaller the target, the closer you should be to it. This ratio will have a significant impact on the accuracy or precision of the reading. If the target you are measuring is six inches in size, and your handheld infrared thermometer has a D/S ratio of eight to one, then the maximum distance at which you can reliably measure the temperature of the target is 48 inches (8:1 x 6 = 48). Beyond this distance, not only is the target being measured, but whatever else falls within the "spot" is being measured as well. This means that if a very hot object is the target, and it is in cooler surroundings, then measurements taken beyond the maximum distance will include cooler elements, lowering the "average" of what is in the "spot."

 

[alex141]

thanks for the good advice.

 

[GA_Boy]

Now I'm curious------If you are looking for temperature differences wouldn't everything inside a cave be about the same temp? Unless, of course, if it were a bear. I hope I haven't overlooked anything and appear dumb.
Marvin

 

[K1DDO1979]

 

[boogeyman]

Now I'm curious------If you are looking for temperature differences wouldn't everything inside a cave be about the same temp? Unless, of course, if it were a bear. I hope I haven't overlooked anything and appear dumb.
Marvin

You're looking for the cave that would heat & cool differently than the surrounding area. Not so much as looking for something inside the cave. NO! you don't sound dumb!

 

[GA_Boy]

Thanks boogeyman.
Marvin

 

[alex141]

that's correct. My target is set in a manmade adit, culvert or a natural cave like enclosure. I would expect that under the right circumstances there would be a temp difference from the exterior surrounding ground rock that should be detectable with a thermo devise.

 

[boogeyman]

Because the maximum measuring range and accuracy can be affected by atmospheric conditions (water vapor or carbon dioxide) the maximum range is generally limited to approximately 100 feet.
The accuracy of the handheld IR thermometer is primarily determined by the distance-to-spot ratio (D/S Ratio). This ratio is the size of the area being evaluated by the IR thermometer as it relates to distance. In other words, the area being measured becomes larger as the distance increases. The smaller the target, the closer you should be to it. This ratio will have a significant impact on the accuracy or precision of the reading. If the target you are measuring is six inches in size, and your handheld infrared thermometer has a D/S ratio of eight to one, then the maximum distance at which you can reliably measure the temperature of the target is 48 inches (8:1 x 6 = 48). Beyond this distance, not only is the target being measured, but whatever else falls within the "spot" is being measured as well. This means that if a very hot object is the target, and it is in cooler surroundings, then measurements taken beyond the maximum distance will include cooler elements, lowering the "average" of what is in the "spot."

All the science etc is OKey Dokey. But we're not talking 1/16 degrees in small areas. All you're trying to do is multiple samples across an area. If you shoot 10 spots along a bank or hill and all but one or two are the same then you just move closer and shoot that area to find the cause. It's the same thing as scanning a wall to locate spots with no or little insulation in the wall, or following a hotwater pipe in cinderblock. a 10 or 20 deg. difference is plenty accurate.

Also, you don't need a big expensive Fluke or something. Even the cheap Harbor Freight one will suffice for this application.

 

[G.I.B.]

The outgassing is a great way to find caves... unfortunately a good thermal imager can be quite expensive.

 

[boogeyman]

Add about three feet to that plume & I'd be wondering if that was me. Another 5.5' and it'd be my dog.

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

Here is a nice thermal image

be careful!

 

[alex141]

Question: If my target is a significant weight of metal, buried or concealed in a small pocket or cave in the hillside no deeper than 3 feet, would a simple metal detector work?

 

[thermal]

Question: If my target is a significant weight of metal, buried or concealed in a small pocket or cave in the hillside no deeper than 3 feet, would a simple metal detector work?

The simple metal detector is 3 feet deep if the material is too heavy.
5-10 kg weight should be minimum.
Because the depth of residue mass and volume must grow

 

[USERNAME IS VALID]

I had one that you plug into an iPhone, about $200, I think Flir 1? I returned it because my boss wouldn't reimburse me for it even though I used it for work and saved them hundreds of dollars finding the leak rather than calling a leak detection company. I found a hot water pipe leak under a concrete and tile floor with it, pretty much pinpointed it and was able to bypass the pipe in the wall instead of destroying the tile and concrete. I don't know if it would work in your case but it was pretty cool.