infrared camera
- Thread starter Boron
- Start date
NH3 is a superior refrigerant in many ways.
Too bad it'll kill your ass if it escapes.
sunshine_eggo
Happy Breffast!
Unless the heater is powered by AC/DC where it will use 5-6X the energy of a compressor-type fridge.
Bluedog225
Texas
Do they have an unusually long service life compared to a compressor?
sunshine_eggo
Happy Breffast!
I've personally had four of six absorption fridges fail and zero compressor fridges fail.
IMHO, their only benefit is you can get refrigeration from fire. A 30# bottle of propane will run a 7.6cuft one for about 3 weeks in moderate conditions.
wpns
Solar Joules are catch and release
Let us know how it is!I just bought this 192 x 192 resolution from ali to play with.
View attachment 225188
And I received it in an amazon box, strange.
Fooo...I don't know for certain, but the absorption cycle is pretty hard on machinery and piping. In large-scale applications, the heat source was generally an adjacent boiler producing superheated steam. Those things definitely have a finite lifetime.
As far as compressor-based equipment:
I have here at the shop a "Warwick Manufacturing Corp." model RC 5 compact fridge branded as a Norge. It was purchased by the former owner likely from a Sam's Club or Costco. It has a serial number of 72889. Can't be sure, but if the "89" is a date code, that would be about right.
24x7x365 for 35 years. Not bad.
Yep. These days, with DC compressors widely available, there's no reason to run absorption fridges. Even a small solar system will handle one. And running an AC fridge via inverter isn't too bad either.
Biggest use of propane fridges was in RV's and trailers, where they get shaken around and which inevitably causes an ammonia leak. Lots of brazed joints.
So, I have this Arduino Mega2560 with an on board 5-volt linear regulator, it is above the black power jack at the bottom left corner of the pcb.. I applied 12vdc at its power jack and after about 10 minutes, I used the camera and selected some of the display modes.
Still playing with it, but for the price, I am satisified.
Attachments
42OhmsPA
What's in a title?
Used the Uni-T earlier to realize I majorly undersized some temporary wiring.
BarracudaBob
Harvesting free photons from clean fusion
I see it on amazon for around 139 $US with coupon. I don't like the phone plug in style. What do you thin? Looks pretty good.
Sverige
A Brit in Sweden
I find an IR camera to be a real asset for system maintenance in my offgrid setup. It shows me at a glance any loose connections or imbalances in current distribution where I have some paralleled cabling.
I’ve heard it said they are good for spotting failed or failing PV panels too, but didn’t find any panels like that on my roof yet, which is a good thing of course. The one I use is the flir one model which plugs into the bottom of the iPhone. Convenient and works very well.
I also use it around the house in winter finding cold spots where air is coming in around windows and doors. Easily fixed during summertime once you have the saved screenshots to hand which show where the insulation gap is.
It cost a lot, around £200, but I reckon it will eventually pay for itself
I’ve heard it said they are good for spotting failed or failing PV panels too, but didn’t find any panels like that on my roof yet, which is a good thing of course. The one I use is the flir one model which plugs into the bottom of the iPhone. Convenient and works very well.
I also use it around the house in winter finding cold spots where air is coming in around windows and doors. Easily fixed during summertime once you have the saved screenshots to hand which show where the insulation gap is.
It cost a lot, around £200, but I reckon it will eventually pay for itself
42OhmsPA
What's in a title?
I don't have any experience with that brand.
When I ordered my Uni-T I was torn between the handheld and the phone, mainly went with the phone for ease of sharing photos.
There's a link in this post that will take you to the phone version I have, you can get to their storefront from it. They also have a bunch of handhelds.
It was a good beat cheaper than ordering on amazon and delivered in under 10 days.
BarracudaBob
Harvesting free photons from clean fusion
I had access to one but not ez to get when I need it. I have a 'burner' phone and computer that I put questionable apps on but still hesitate to get the phone version. They are a great tool to have.
42OhmsPA
What's in a title?
Here's the link the their store.
UNI-T Speciality Store - Amazing products with exclusive discounts on AliExpress
Discover the wide range of products from AliExpress Top Seller UNI-T Speciality Store. Enjoy ✓Free Shipping Worldwide! ✓Limited Time Sale ✓Easy Return.
m.aliexpress.com
Agreed!
42OhmsPA
What's in a title?
Well it looks like a bunch of the options that were available when I ordered mine are no longer their, sorry for a bad recommendation.
BarracudaBob
Harvesting free photons from clean fusion
This is more expensive than aboveLink to their store for desktop folks.
I followed @42OhmsPA link just now and it was to the mobile version of the site. Not so hot on a desktop
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Boron
New Member
well for that money $126 BUT whats the total delivered price to you? nearer $200?
Nonetheless it does the job and you can find important hot spots - like I did (saved a fire risk - I would never have spotted). Flir was $1000 few years back
So we will all be getting one at that rate (mine was Topdon handheld btw - I told the OH I will know when she's hot hehe - take back control I said - most of the time she doesnt understand me?)
well for that money $
Boron
New Member
WOW blown away, gobsmacked,
I have had the opposite, in 13 years I have had two compressor fridges fail and I have neve had a propane rv fridge fail, and the one in my camper is currently 33 years old and runs like a top. the biggest advantage of the compressor is you don't have to worry about the level of the rv when you run it, where as if you run an adsorption fridge for any length of time you must be with in the angle gridlines. this is what kills most adsorption fridges, being run for extended periods to far out of level. heck one 30lb bottle in my 5th wheel will last all summer with the fridge on, but its a newer DSI style not always burning like the old camper, which goes about 3 weeks to a month on a 20lb bottle.
Our unique 10cu ft fridge last all from may until oct on one 100lb tank. We only “use it” 5-6 days of the month so it’s closed up tight idling away most of the time with the pilot light tricking.
It does build up frost pretty bad on the cold plate, but luckily we only have to defrost it when we winterize the camp in October.
Also what’s to fail on them? Rust blocking the flue? Thermal limit switch go bad? Flame detector gas shut off?
It does build up frost pretty bad on the cold plate, but luckily we only have to defrost it when we winterize the camp in October.
Also what’s to fail on them? Rust blocking the flue? Thermal limit switch go bad? Flame detector gas shut off?
Pierre
Somewhere down South
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2019
- Messages
- 1,153
I recently bought a FLIR camera for my Android Samsung phone off Amazon , about $320 . a Bit cumbersome as you cannot always get the phone to the scan area and still observe the screen. Added a USB C male / female extension cable and now it is a pleasure to use the device.
BarracudaBob
Harvesting free photons from clean fusion
That is why I like a stand alone.
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