Spent $300 on a thermal camera for my phone and it actually saved a job

Was chasing a weird intermittent short on a Citation's comm panel last week, and the hot spot it found in a wire bundle behind the glare shield was the culprit. Anyone have a cheaper tool that works just as well for that kind of thing?

3 comments

3 Comments

wesley832mo ago

Honestly, how do you even find those without a thermal camera? I always thought they were a bit of a gimmick until I borrowed one to check a warm breaker. Spotting that heat difference in a crowded bundle is something a meter just can't do. It turns a guessing game into a five minute fix.

the_tyler2mo ago

Chasing a weird intermittent short" is the worst. I've used a cheap harbor freight one before and it got the job done, just not as clear.

caseys302mo ago

Actually, a short is a direct connection, not an intermittent fault.