 
Moisture in front of mast confirmed with moisture
meter.
  
Rudder delamination. Normally the moisture and
delamination appear as darker "cooler" areas. This rudder above was in the
direct sunlight on a warm day. The outer skin had separated approximately 1/8"
from the inner core causing it to heat up and thus show as an warm area. The
picture to the right is an example of using the FLIR software after the picture
was taken to enhance the areas of the most severe delamination.
   
This is a four cycle Yamaha 20 HP outboard running with
the cover off. Note the temperature readings in the upper left corners of
the frames. Those readings represent what the crosshair in the center of the
frame is pointed at. The last picture to the right was edited with the computer
software allowing temperature readings of approximately 150,000 different points
of the previously captured image.
    
The pictures above were all recently taken of various
electrical components commonly found vessels. From left to right: Battery
Charger, Battery Switch, Alternator, Shore power inlets and cords and a warm DC
wire connected to a fuse located on a Buss bar. This warm wire had been on
supplying DC power to a cabin light for approximately two hours.
 Wet transom. Crack
in transom gel coat. Moisture/delamination
 Confirming
moisture found with moisture meter.
 Typical Exhaust
system. MerCruiser cooling system.
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Digital Marine
Surveys
Lake Ontario - New
York State Finger Lakes - 1000 Islands - Oneida Lake
Infrared Thermography
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The new Flir BCAM SD
infrared camera brings state-of-the-art thermal imaging to marine surveying.
The Flir infrared camera can detect potential problems that would be invisible
to the naked eye. The Flir infrared camera is becoming an indispensable
addition to the marine surveyor's toolkit. With the camera's highly sensitive
infrared detector and advanced electronics, you can quickly scan a vessel for
structural integrity. You can also examine electrical and propulsion systems,
as well as navigation and other on-board electronics. Infrared technology in
marine applications gives you another level of knowledge to assure your and
others safety on the water.
The knowledge you
will gain from an infrared marine inspection is a perception of your vessel as
you’ve probably never experienced before.
Be safe; insure your loved ones and
passenger’s safety with an infrared marine inspection.
Why should I spend
the money for an Infrared Maintenance Survey this fall/winter?
Some clients obtain my services at the start or end of the boating season here
up north. This alerts them to maintenance and safety issues early
on. When the boat is on the hard it presents some advantages. In it's
simplest form, an infrared image detects the differences in heat of a particular
area. When a vessel contains moisture in a location, these areas tend to be
"cooler". Over night in the fall or winter months these areas of moisture may
even freeze. During the day these areas of moisture remain cooler than the
surrounding areas and are easily detected. Hidden blisters and delamination are
also easier to detect at this time. Sometimes freezing temperatures
prohibit the use of a moisture meter to complement and verify the infrared image
findings. In which case the areas showing concern are marked with painters tape
and again evaluated when the conditions improve.
What does an Infrared
Maintenance Survey cost?
There is usually an hourly charge of
$75.00 per hour plus a travel charge.
A
vessel under 50 feet typically takes a couple of hours to complete. Your
infrared marine survey includes a CD of all infrared and non-infrared digital
images taken during your vessels survey.
If the vessel is in the Sodus Pt. area
contact me for reduced pricing.
Is Infrared
Thermography included in a Pre Purchase C&V Survey?
Yes, on a limited basis. I will always
check the vessels AC & DC when it is practical and where accessible. If the
vessel is in the water and a representative is available to operate the
propulsion system I will check that. Same for the generator. If the
conditions for detecting structural voids, delamination and moisture are
acceptable I will use the infrared camera to confirm moisture meter readings and
further investigate suspected problem areas in the hull and decks. If a full
Infrared
Maintenance Survey is requested with a Pre Purchase C&V Survey
special reduced pricing is available.
Below is a partial
list of the normal applications of Infrared Imaging scans or pictures I take
during a survey.
- The exposed back side of an AC & DC
electrical panel. Circuit breakers, fuses, switches,
buss bars, wire splices and bundling of wires all exist unseen and for the
most part unprotected.
- Wiring traveling through bulkheads,
raceways and other structural elements. ABYC
recommendations are very specific about providing chafe protection, proper
support and separating AC from DC wiring in most incidents. There is sound
reasoning for these recommendations and if a wire is chafed or damaged it
generally is visible as it emits more heat than the surrounding wiring.
- Shore Power Cords and Inlets.
This is fairly simple as a damaged cord, receptacle or plug is usually easily
detected by the excessive heat being generated. AC connections to various
appliances can also be checked if they are accessible and have been powered up
for an extended period of time.
- Battery Chargers & Inverters.
These are prone to put off excessive heat when overloaded or damaged.
- Switches, buss bars, connections to
power sources. Loose connections and numerous
connections to a single positive connector, terminal or buss bar. Again these
problems can produce additional heat unless a connection is not being made at
all.
The electrical systems in new boats today
are becoming increasingly more complex. As the complexity of the AC& DC systems
increase so do the applications of utilizing Infrared Imaging. The examples
listed above represent only the basic electrical components that I routinely
check.
In my opinion the most experienced Marine
Surveyor involved in the field of Infrared Themography for Marine Surveying is
Jack Allinson, SAMS - AMS . He has a very informative web site.
Be sure to read his article on Infrared
Thermal Inspections. He has some excellent examples and pictures.
www.allinson.com/irbr.pdf
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Last modified:
11/09/07
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