Cheap and Easy Heatloss Detection?

Monty asks: "I'd like to measure heat loss to find out where to insulate and then find out if that is working. What can be done cheaply? Can I use my Sony's Nightvision and just cover up the IR emitter? Are there cheap but useful infrared cameras? What about plain infrared film? Or how about temperature data loggers? Where's a good place to ask these questions?"

Comments

Different kinds of infared

[ka9dgx]

The Sony and other CCD based devices do have some sensitivity in the near infared. This means they could (in theory) respond to a very hot source, such as a soldering iron glowing a dull red. (An experiment someone should try). They will NOT, however respond to the longer wavelengths of infared that you're looking for.

A heat sensor based on thermal radiation can only detect items that are warmer than itself, at a bare minimum, due to the laws of physics. That's why heat imaging cameras are so expensive, they have to cool the sensor down, usually using a Peltier effect junction, or in the case of a Sidewinder missile, a form of gas cooling.

I hope this all makes sense, and helps answer your question.

--Mike--