Flex Camera

[Jim Robinson]

I'm seriously considering purchasing a snake camera to inspect underground furnace ducts. Do any of you already own one, and if so do you have any recommendations as far as what features to look for, brands, etc?

[Ken Rowe]

http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_inspection/tools-equipment/23384-harbor-freight-wireless-inspection-camera.html

I wish it had a smaller camera lens and the ability to save pictures, but for the price it can't be beat.

[Jim Robinson]

I was thinking of going with something longer. This was what I am leaning towards:

Camera (http://www.fiberscope.net/servlet/the-194/Push-Camera-for-pipe/Detail)

I have a pretty good opportunity to pick up a lot of duct and pipe work in my area if I invest in the right equipment. I was wondering if anyone else had any experience with this type of equipment.

[Matt Fellman]

Be sure to look into if/what parts can be replaced and how much it is. I run into the same few sewer scoping guys pretty regularly and have learned a lot about their equipment. Basically, you'll get the cameras stuck and/or break them at some regular interval. And that's with the nice equipment. The guys I talk to both paid around 7K for their cameras and related equipment.

Also, I recently asked one of them about scoping ducts, chimney and flues and he said it's just too hard on his camera to make it profitable... basically, it gets broken even more frequently than doing sewer lines.

It is something I have always been interested in, though. Having the ability to scope ducts, flues and chimneys would be a great service IMO.

[Bob Elliott]

Those screens look so small.
How hard would it be to just put a web cam on a wire.
You could patch it in to a netbook or tablet.

[H.G. Watson, Sr.]

When I think of all the various things one can encounter in cold air returns, HVAC ducts, etc. (such as rodent droppings, flea eggs, roaches and their accompanying debris, particulates containing lead dust, asbestos fibers, soot, etc.) in some locations, not to mention under the slab possiblities for flood contamination, etc. My first thought would be as to the potential to cross contaminate and/or adequately clean such materials and equipment before and after use - and the training and/or certifications one might persue so as to be informed. Environmental precautions, etc. As well as the possiblity that one might damage, displace, or destroy dampers, flow directors, etc. I'd think when it comes to under the slab duct work - such might be better suited to one who specializes in same, and who is prepared to remediate what might be damaged or encountered, and to rescue what might be caught in the system should the equipment become damaged, stuck, etc.

As far as using same equipment for sanitary drains vs. foundation drains vs. duct work - I can think of many reasons why that would not be a good idea, contamination being the foremost.

[Matt Fellman]

When I think of all the various things one can encounter in cold air returns, HVAC ducts, etc. (such as rodent droppings, flea eggs, roaches and their accompanying debris, particulates containing lead dust, asbestos fibers, soot, etc.) in some locations, not to mention under the slab possiblities for flood contamination, etc. My first thought would be as to the potential to cross contaminate and/or adequately clean such materials and equipment before and after use - and the training and/or certifications one might persue so as to be informed. Environmental precautions, etc. As well as the possiblity that one might damage, displace, or destroy dampers, flow directors, etc. I'd think when it comes to under the slab duct work - such might be better suited to one who specializes in same, and who is prepared to remediate what might be damaged or encountered, and to rescue what might be caught in the system should the equipment become damaged, stuck, etc.

As far as using same equipment for sanitary drains vs. foundation drains vs. duct work - I can think of many reasons why that would not be a good idea, contamination being the foremost.

I generally wave/nod at the sewer scope guys...... I definitely don't shake their hands. It reminds me of a joke I heard about plumbers that bite their nails :)

[BARRY ADAIR]

Jim,
The guy I've used (2 gigs) sent me this email about a year ago, I was thinking of adding the service but can't sell enough jobs to justify.


You want a 8-10 LED light ring instead of the standard 4 LED.
Self leveling: In my opinion, you really don’t need it, but it does make for a nicer video. With a little practice, you will learn to easily identify the bottom of the pipe no matter how many times the head flips over.

A monitor is nice to have if you just want to see inside something, but I hook my camera up to my laptop so that I can record the video.
Tried about 25 different programs before I found something that actually displayed a picture big enough that you can see it on the computer. All you need is a Dazzle USB Video Capture Card which is about $90.00 to be able to record live video and snap shots to your hard drive or DVD.

Pinnacle Video Creator Plus - Video Capture, Composite, S-Video, Stereo Audio, USB at TigerDirect.com (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4088247&CatId=1428)

Video Capture Software - Capture Streaming Video, Screen Record or Webcam Video Capture (http://www.nchsoftware.com/capture/index.html)

He charges $195 for a local residential scan, by the hour for commercial as days can be involved.

Res. takes about 20-30 minutes, but most of it is equipment set up and break down time. Actual scan takes approximately 10 minutes per 25 feet.

Uses it for drain, chimney & duct apps. Industrial disinfects at the car wash between applications.

hth