One of the quickest ways to assess the performance of building insulation and identify problem areas in walls is an outdoor thermographic inspection using a thermal imaging camera. However, there are several precautions that need to be taken in order avoid inaccurate results and ensure that the observer gains as much information as possible out of the inspection.

A variety of different factors must be considered when designing and maintaining a safe working environment for employees. Aside from obvious risks such as heavy machinery or frequent lifting, a range of other less obvious variables can contribute to serious work-related ill health. With 25.7 million working days lost to work-related ill health in 2016/17, monitoring and controlling these variables can benefit businesses and staff by providing a safer, more comfortable workspace.

One of the first things that everyone will notice about our thermal imaging cameras and infrared thermometers is that the emissivity capabilities are defined for every single product. Emissivity is either fixed - typically at 0.95 - or adjustable at varying increments between 0.1 and 1 in most thermal imaging cameras. This article aims to explain what emissivity is, how it is determined, and the practical challenges it presents for thermographers and technicians.

For many years, Residual Current Devices or RCDs have been commonplace in the vast majority of electrical installations.

RCDs provide additional protection against electric shock by constantly monitoring the current flowing through Line and Neutral conductors within a circuit, or an individual item of electrical equipment. Under usual circumstances, the current flowing within the two conductors is equal.

2018 has been an exciting year for test equipment with several big releases that have introduced new functionality to help technicians in their work. New products have been released in the gas, electrical and building sectors so we’ve taken a look back at the previous year and chosen our five favourite new products of 2018!

Test-Meter welcomed Seaward Electronic to Calibration House on Friday morning to conduct a free PAT Implementation and FAQs workshop for a range of participants from across Yorkshire. A class of 23 - including electricians, landlords, caretakers and PAT testing professionals - was in attendance as Seaward’s experienced tutors went through some of the main issues related to PAT testing and presented their latest PAT equipment.
 

Brand new for winter 2018, the Anton Sprint Pro flue gas analyser range contains several different instruments aimed at gas engineers in various sectors. Despite the wide choice and varied functionality, all six models share uniform advantages such as their reliable design, innovative moisture protection system, and advanced connectivity. We have summarised the key points of the range and provided a useful comparison so that technicians can choose the most appropriate analyser for their needs as winter sets in.

One of the most useful applications of thermal imaging for heating engineers solves one of the most frustrating problems associated with flue gas analysis. Concealed boiler flues can often be difficult to trace across interior walls in properties and it is sometimes difficult to see whether flues have been well maintained or even correctly installed. Thermal imaging provides a helpful aid when inspecting these flue runs, thus saving time and money.

The 18th Edition Wiring Regulations (BS7671:2018) come into force on 1st January 2019 having been published in July earlier this year. There have been several changes to the regulations that affect various aspects of electrical installations. However, this does not necessarily mean that wholesale change is required in terms of test equipment for electrical contractors so it is important to carefully consider before making any purchases.

After the success of the industry-endorsed MTL10 and MTL20, Martindale have enhanced their range of test lamps with the new Drummond MTL15 Test Lamp and MTL15PD Kit.