More than point and shoot

[Charley L. Bottger]

Here are some images that have been thermally tuned from a inspect today that I find on a regular biases.

The main panel was a 100 amp installed 1971 never been updated the home was vacant with only the built in appliances and lighting circuits available for use. The home had been added on to had two A/C units with gas furnaces a 5 ton and a 3-1/2 ton, dishwasher, electric oven and 4 cooktop burners, two electrical bathroom heaters and if you would note the pic,s I exceeded 100 amps on this panel with nothing connected to the 110 outlets very easy to load a panel up on a vacant home.

The 220 breaker with the unbalanced and excessive temp was a 50 amp double pole for the cook stove I have built a good business around items like this.

The next time I find one of these messes I still own my B-cam 120X120 resolution I will take a image with it and compare to my 320X240

[Bob Elliott]

Originally Posted by cbottger

Here are some images that have been thermally tuned from a inspect today that I find on a regular biases.

The main panel was a 100 amp installed 1971 never been updated the home was vacant with only the built in appliances and lighting circuits available for use. The home had been added on to had two A/C units with gas furnaces a 5 ton and a 3-1/2 ton, dishwasher, electric oven and 4 cooktop burners, two electrical bathroom heaters and if you would note the pic,s I exceeded 100 amps on this panel with nothing connected to the 110 outlets very easy to load a panel up on a vacant home.

The 220 breaker with the unbalanced and excessive temp was a 50 amp double pole for the cook stove I have built a good business around items like this.

The next time I find one of these messes I still own my B-cam 120X120 resolution I will take a image with it and compare to my 320X240

Whats the correction?

[Charley L. Bottger]

Originally Posted by belliott

Whats the correction?

Recommended updating the Main panel as determined by a licensed qualified electrician. Not allowed to exceed 80% of its rated capacity

[David A. Andersen]

Bob, This re-print is for your comment you made on the other thread about Will Decker not needing a better camera:





Charley, This is not electrical, it is moisture (which is even harder to deal with as you know). I searched for these two scans that were in the same type conditions (4 degree split). I no longer have my BCAM so I can not do side-by-side comparison any more.

I have made these comparisons in the past and posted here when I did have both cameras but obviously the "PROOF" that everyone asks for, fell on deaf eyes!

So don't waste too much time away from the more important issues of your business.

[John McKenna]

FLIR-ITC teaches that a BCAM can be used for a home inspection in a building.
RESNET teaches that a BCAM meets their minimum standard for performing
an energy audit. I have seen no proof otherwise and I have used a BCAM for
several years without one complaint or missed issue... but then again, I know
what I am doing.

[Russell J. Hensel]

Great info and thanks for sharing..

[Charley L. Bottger]

Originally Posted by jmckenna1

FLIR-ITC teaches that a BCAM can be used for a home inspection in a building.
RESNET teaches that a BCAM meets their minimum standard for performing
an energy audit. I have seen no proof otherwise and I have used a BCAM for
several years without one complaint or missed issue... but then again, I know
what I am doing.

Yes John we all know what the minimum standard is but minimum does not always cut the mustard. Sometimes it is what is perceived by the public take one of your 120X120 image of a residential electrical panel and place it side by side of one of mine and show them to a client that knows absolutely nothing about IR and see who they pick for the job.

As for you knowing what you are doing that has yet to be determined why don't you post one of your real life panel images that have been thermally tuned and lets compare apples to apples

[John McKenna]

Originally Posted by cbottger

Yes John we all know what the minimum standard is but minimum does not always cut the mustard. Sometimes it is what is perceived by the public take one of your 120X120 image of a residential electrical panel and place it side by side of one of mine and show them to a client that knows absolutely nothing about IR and see who they pick for the job.

As for you knowing what you are doing that has yet to be determined why don't you post one of your real life panel images that have been thermally tuned and lets compare apples to apples

I have posted many IR images over the years. My job as
an inspector is to observe and report.

A higher resolution camera will always produce a nicer
picture. But that does not keep me from reporting
defects in my home inspections with a BCAM level camera.

I have seen many a person buy a better camera and
then turn around like a little kid and tell everyone that
all inspectors must have better pictures in their reports
now. When you ask why, they just say because mine
look nicer. That seems a little vain.

If I buy a better camera than you, just to produce a
prettier picture of the same thing, does that mean
you can no longer do your job?

I have never had a client comment that my IR images
did not look nice enough compared to someone else.

If you are asking me to compare the number of clients
I get and the size of my pay check compared to yours....
I decline.

Try to grow up.

[Charley L. Bottger]

Originally Posted by jmckenna1

I have posted many IR images over the years. My job as
an inspector is to observe and report.

A higher resolution camera will always produce a nicer
picture. But that does not keep me from reporting
defects in my home inspections with a BCAM level camera.

I have seen many a person buy a better camera and
then turn around like a little kid and tell everyone that
all inspectors must have better pictures in their reports
now. When you ask why, they just say because mine
look nicer. That seems a little vain.

If I buy a better camera than you, just to produce a
prettier picture of the same thing, does that mean
you can no longer do your job?

I have never had a client comment that my IR images
did not look nice enough compared to someone else.

If you are asking me to compare the number of clients
I get and the size of my pay check compared to yours....
I decline.

Try to grow up.

Well that is a first I got you to decline on something mission accomplished

[Charley L. Bottger]

Another sad story from an inspection last week the home had and old FP panel that had been updated before my inspection by a licensed unqualified electrican he replaced the one panel with two panels a main and a sub the home had been added onto in the past but the panel had never been updated.

When it was inspected by a electrican he recommended a update and the relo company that owned the home agreed and the pic's is what he installed not accounting for the addition on to the home and adding the second A/C, he stayed with a 100 amp main instead of increasing the size.

As indicated in the PIC,s I exceeded the 80% load on the main with just inhouse appliances the home was vacant. My recommendation was to update the main by a licensed qualified electrician and I stress the word qualified my clients have hired me to do a re-inspect this next week before close of escrow it will be very interesting to see how they straightened up this abortion.

[David A. Andersen]

John, it's too bad you feel so inferior and feel everyone is trying to surpass you!

We are SHARING REALITY. We don't want your job!

Can't you look at my scans and see that you can not in fact everything there!?
Are you so closed minded that you think you never missed something?!

I tell my clients on every job that I likely missed something!

I'm not saying it's all or nothing when it comes to cameras. But for you to damn us because we made a business of this and can afford better equipment because of it, that's just very little of you!

We are not better, just further down the road. Your stuck at the Stop Sign!

[John McKenna]

Originally Posted by dandersen

John, it's too bad you feel so inferior and feel everyone is trying to surpass you!

We are SHARING REALITY. We don't want your job!

I am trying to help people hear the truth.


Can't you look at my scans and see that you can not in fact everything there!?
Are you so closed minded that you think you never missed something?

I see nothing that proves a BCAM will not work for a home
inspection. Nothing.

I tell my clients on every job that I likely missed something!

I tell them too. But I have never had a complaint or anyone
telling me I missed something with my IR camera.

I'm not saying it's all or nothing when it comes to cameras. But for you to damn us because we made a business of this and can afford better equipment because of it, that's just very little of you! '

I am just saying that you should not condemn those who
cannot afford an expensive camera. That's all. If they,
do it with a BCAM until they can afford more then that is
OK and it will work fine for a home inspection.

We are not better, just further down the road. Your stuck at the Stop Sign!

Just because I correct you, does not mean that is a stop
sign to me.

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