Starting to buy tools, and looking at thermal cameras. Was wondering if anyone has used one of the phone mounted Flir One Pro. I really like the idea of something like that when you are already using your phone for reporting, but havent seen or heard anything about them.
Advice-
STAY AWAY from any specialty tools, especially Thermal, until…
- You have mastered the craft of Inspecting,
and - you have taken (at least a basic starter course) in Thermal Imaging.
You need to focus on the Core business of inspections and getting customers!
If you’re gonna throw money away, begin with marketing and an awesome website… things that actually have the real potential to bring you business!
Good luck!
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I have the Flir One Pro. It’s a neat, small camera that attaches to your phone or tablet, but I only use it for possible identification and never reference it in a report. It’s a good starter to see how thermal cameras work, but as JJ stated, if you want to do thermal imaging in your reporting, best to go through all the training and certs and spend the money on a more advanced camera.
BTW, welcome to the forums Charles. Wealth of information can be gained here.
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I had one and it crapped out after just a few uses. Wouldn’t stay charged and then ultimately wouldn’t turn on. Sent it back to Flir and they sent me a new one, which I didn’t even open, sold it on eBay and bought a hacked/upgraded E4.
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Welcome to the MB Charles. Def take JJs good, but also smart, advice. It’s best to start with the basic tools you’ll need to get your up and running and established.
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What I have found is with many things such as tools and specifically IR cameras is that there is Cheap stuff out there, (usually meaning low price and low quality ie You Get what you pay for) and Sometimes “Cheap” can cost you more for the same low quality when they slap a Well Known Brand Name on it. Example will be the “Flir” lower end line such as the Flir One Pro. It is Cheap, but with a higher price tag. You can actually get decent quality at the same price as Flir’s lower end stuff. Usually about twice the resolution plus some bells and whistles for what you will pay if it has the Flir Name. There are several companies/brands out there that make decent quality IR equipment. Especially for the HI market, where we are not getting paid for analyzing every pixel.
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“Harbor Freight” vs “Craftsman” vs “Snap On”.
They all make Screwdrivers. Which are you going to trust for your business?
Kind of a bad example. I would buy anything from SnapOn you pay 90% more for 10% better product. Harbor freight? Depends on the tool. I personally use a Greenlee screwdriver.
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I bought one of those phone IR attachment cameras about 10 years ago, I had taken some basic courses on IR use with home inspection. I quickly realized that it was not adequate for my needs. I then bought a Flir E6 which was ok, I now use an E8 daily and also use a SEEK Pro in my attic gear (320x240 is the lowest resolution I would recommend for HI). SEEK just came out with a new model that is reasonably priced. I also have a CAT61 as my cell phone which has a lower resolution IR camera (which reminds me anytime I use it just to check something, why we need the higher resolution camera). As mentioned above, most importantly educate yourself before you throw money at something you don’t need. We did over 100 Storm Damage Assessments after Ian and and found over 30 roof leaks the majority of which had no indications of moisture intrusion.
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Not really. My point was… “GENERALLY SPEAKING”… a tool purchased from HF will be low quality China crap and likely won’t last very long. (By ‘last’, I mean work as intended!). Craftsman will be hit-or-miss as it’s no longer “American Made”, but still average quality when compared to other similar brand names. SnapOn, Mac, Matco, etc. will almost ALWAYS outperform the non-trade tool brands. I am a retired Master Mechanic, (as is some other members on ths MB), and I bet any of them would agree with that opinion. Example: My first set of wrenches I purchased (back in the mid-70s) cost me $100 for S-K brand (old school mechanics brand), 45+ years later, they are in like new condition! Yes, it helps that mechanics take care of their tools, and that habit still pays off today with my inspection tools!
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I still have my SKs from when I was a motorcycle mechanic in the early 70’s.
Never fell for the “tool truck” thing.
Had a few bad experiences with Crapsman and switched to other brands. They might be better since Stanley bought them but I don’t hold out a lot of hope.
All my inspection tools are kept in hard cases and backpacks. Kinda looks like I’m moving in when we show up on the site. 
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I had the first version so I’m not sure if the pro on the second version has changed things. I didn’t like that I had to charge it separately. And it was also a bit more cumbersome to work with. I found the Flir C3 to be a better option for me.
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That’s a good deal for 320x240 Res.
Here ya go 
… Independence Day sale 
I’ve owned a Seek Pro for many years, I use it in attics, it gets beat around a lot. About 2 years after I bought it, it died on me. I sent it to Seek and they repaired and returned it. That was many years ago, been going strong ever since. I used it to pinpoint a roof leak during Ian, I was up in the attic when the electric went out.
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