TIC's

[remya]

TIC (Thermal Imaging Cameras)

Who has them? What brand/model do you have? Do you like/dislike the unit? what did it cost your Department?

Yes we are on the hunt and need some feed back. We can read all we like but it comes down to real world use.

Thanks...

[firefighter9calt]

Our Department recenly acquired a TIC. It is a Cairns Viper. It is an awesome new tool the amount of things you can do with are amazing. Fortunately it was a donation by a major Corp. in our area. The cost was somewhere between 20 and 25 K. Also I know a neighbouring department acquired theirs through a donation from a local Insurance Company.

[remya]

We have narrowed it down to the MSA 5000 and the Bullard T3. Has anyone had any experience with either unit, good or bad?

[firefighter316]

We have a Cairn's viper and it is, always has been, and always will be, CRAP!!! We've sent it away to be fixed and it worked once. We are now about to buy 2 Evolution 5000's for half the price of what we paid for the 1 viper

[Roadwarrior]

Many Imagers look good at the firehall when you are checking out the hotspots under your trucks or how hot the lights are. Really, to evaluate it, get it into some HEAT!!! And I don't mean looking at heat, but getting it into a hot building and see how it performs. Ask (or tell) your salesperson this is what you are going to do and maybe thay will assist in setting up a head-to-head evaluation. Some might even say that they don't want their imagers exposed to those kind of conditions. What will that tell you??? Choose well.

[Leafs Fan]

Many Imagers look good at the firehall when you are checking out the hotspots under your trucks or how hot the lights are. Really, to evaluate it, get it into some HEAT!!! And I don't mean looking at heat, but getting it into a hot building and see how it performs. Ask (or tell) your salesperson this is what you are going to do and maybe thay will assist in setting up a head-to-head evaluation. Some might even say that they don't want their imagers exposed to those kind of conditions. What will that tell you??? Choose well.

when TICs were purchased by our dept, different suppliers gave us demos to put on the pumps for a couple of months, they were used in service after a short orientation by training. This allowed us to use them for real. If you are making this large purchase the suppliers are more than willing to let you try them. It also gave us about a year with thermal imaging without even paying for it.

[shaneb]

TIC (Thermal Imaging Cameras)

Who has them? What brand/model do you have? Do you like/dislike the unit? what did it cost your Department?

Yes we are on the hunt and need some feed back. We can read all we like but it comes down to real world use.

Thanks...


I am a member of Ontario Mine rescue,we use a thermal imaging camera. I don't know the name, but i do know it is about 13yrs old so it won't do you much good to know the brand of the camera. Not really a useful post sorry.

[dave5171]

Our station doesn't have one but our nieghbough station does and we call them in from time to time to use it. I'm pretty sure it's the MSA 5000, I know it's MSA, excellent unit none of the guy's have a complaint with it except the rip cord that came with it is useless so they tell me. I've personally used the camera once and have had no problems with. Every camera has it's limits and this one is very high. You can take it into structure fire and it will with stand some good heat and preform top notch but if it gets to hot it will break down. The great thing about this camera is it's internal thermostat, it will tell you, very loudly I might add, that it is too hot for it. The camera is programed to know it's own limits. I would recommend this camera based on what the other guys say about it, and thay can be pretty hard on equipment. lol

[firefighter316]

MSA is coming out with a new camera...The evolution 5200. By the numbers it sounds like the best one out there but ask your rep for a demo and find out for yourself. The only problem is they won't be out in Canada till mid summer it sounds like

[smoke286]

We are some, they are yellow, thats about all I know about them