Wasted $200 on a 'guaranteed' thermal camera for mall exploring

I bought this cheap thermal camera online last month thinking it would help find hidden heat sources or water damage in dead malls. The ad said it was perfect for urban explorers. It showed up and the battery died after 20 minutes at the old Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights. The image quality was so bad I couldn't tell a warm pipe from a cold wall. Total waste of $200. Has anyone found a reliable but affordable tool for checking structural issues in these places?

3 comments

3 Comments

troy_gibson432mo ago

What brand was that thermal camera you got burned on?

leog682mo ago

Flir, and it was a total RIP-OFF.

scott.grace23d ago

Oh man, that really stinks! I feel for you @leog68, getting stuck with a FLIR camera that didn't deliver. I've heard other people say their stuff is way too expensive for what you actually get, like the image quality isn't even that great. It's frustrating when you pay a premium and end up feeling cheated. Hope you didn't lose too much money on that thing.