HVAC Tools

[Vince Santos]

Anyone use a type of camera that allows you to look into the furnace heat exchanger area? I'd like to be able to get a better look when inspecting older units. Not so that I can claim to conduct a thorough inspection of the exchanger but rather a means to possible locate cracks.

If you do this what type of camera/tool do you use?

[Andrew MacDonald]

Vince,
I use this RIDGID See Snake.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WTKC3O

[Jamie A. Stoulil]

I also use the Rigid Sea Snake but have found the head of it to be to large for some units. Overall will give you a good view, just remember it is difficult to inspect heat exchangers with out disassembly which we don't do... Happy inspecting..

[Gary Reecher]

Since I am an HVAC Service Techand do lots of furnace inspections and wrote the article "Heat Exchanger Inspection Methods" thought I would comment on this. Rigid has come out with a newer inspection camera the MicroExplorer which has an internal sd disk to record the inspection and a USB port. They have also come out with a 9.5mm camera head that can be used on the MicroExplorer or the SeeSnake. Milwaukee has also come out with an inspection camera similar to Rigid. Testo 318-V has a smaller head just a little larger than a pencil eraser.

The premier camera is "The Inspector" by Shamrock Industries. It is a more expensive camera has a larger head. It's an infrared camera that uses only available light. Remote adjustable focus. And can record the inspection as a video on a sandisk.

Now each camera has its place. The screen size on each one is different. The Inspector of course has the largest screen and small details will are really blown up in detail on the tv screen.



Rigid MicroExplorer

Rigid See Snake Micro Inspection Camera

Rigid 9.5 mm Imager Head

Milwaukee M-Spector Digital Camera

Testo 318-V

Shamrock Industries "The Inspector" the world's first heat exchanger inspection camera