camera for chimney

[vixster]

Howdy,
I'm looking to send a camera up the steel pipe. I clean it from bottom to top. I have a soot eater..
I was wondering if anyone has attached a camera to it.
Thanks!

 

[edthesweep]

Howdy,
I'm looking to send a camera up the steel pipe. I clean it from bottom to top. I have a soot eater..
I was wondering if anyone has attached a camera to it.
Thanks!

to video a flue i zip tie my phone to rods and use tablet with remote viewfinder and wi-fi direct connection so i can view and take pics from the tablet. it is easier from top down but it works from bottom also

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

to video a flue i zip tie my phone to rods and use tablet with remote viewfinder and wi-fi direct connection so i can view and take pics from the tablet. it is easier from top down but it works from bottom also

I wondered if anyone was doing this. Somebody needs to make an app that transmits real time video from the phone while up in the chimney, to the laptop. Some appropriate hardware to handle the phone would be good, too.

 

[edthesweep]

I wondered if anyone was doing this. Somebody needs to make an app that transmits real time video from the phone while up in the chimney, to the laptop. Some appropriate hardware to handle the phone would be good, too.

I know of a few others doing this and I'm pretty sure actually positive of one that does stream video, he's an Apple guy though but said it was free apps he used to do do. I would think there must be ones for android as well
I would also love Better holder, and I'd have to think there was something out there already, minimally something that could be very slightly modified,I do always keep my phone on a lifeproof case as well. well, until today I upgraded my phone and will be switching to an otter box (25% of what the lifeproof cost me too and I think it's there best one - lifeproof didn't have one for the new phone either)

 

[bholler]

I know of a few others doing this and I'm pretty sure actually positive of one that does stream video, he's an Apple guy though but said it was free apps he used to do do. I would think there must be ones for android as well
I would also love Better holder, and I'd have to think there was something out there already, minimally something that could be very slightly modified,I do always keep my phone on a lifeproof case as well. well, until today I upgraded my phone and will be switching to an otter box (25% of what the lifeproof cost me too and I think it's there best one - lifeproof didn't have one for the new phone either)

There are atleast 3 holders made specifically for the chimney industry. But honestly as a pro to me it is well worth the money to have a real camera for the chimney we have a chim scan. we are on our 5th one I believe. The first one was a huge thing that you took pics of the screen with a Polaroid lol. that one may have also had a vhs recorder as well. I don't know that was before my time in the company. But seriously a real camera is much more functional than a cellphone on rods. For a homeowner that would be fine but not a pro.

 

[Excavator]

you could rent this from home depot. sewer pipe cam

http://www6.homedepot.com/tool-truck-rental/Drain_Camera/CGPF_ECAM-ACE/index.html

 

[CHeath]

I tie a GoPro with some lights to some 50 pound test fishing braid. Works like a charm.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I tie a GoPro with some lights to some 50 pound test fishing braid. Works like a charm.

Good idea. What's a GoPro?

 

[CHeath]

Good idea. What's a GoPro?

Um, it's a very small high def camera used by athletes, race car teams, fishermen etc.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Um, it's a very small high def camera used by athletes, race car teams, fishermen etc.

Thanks ;-).

 

[bholler]

I tie a GoPro with some lights to some 50 pound test fishing braid. Works like a charm.

A go pro is not a bad idea as long as you can have a live link to it. And I would attach it to come cleaning rods. When you are inspecting you really need to be able to see what you are doing down there so if you see something out of the ordinary you can investigate more.

 

[CincyBurner]

I tie a GoPro with some lights to some 50 pound test fishing braid. Works like a charm.

CHeath: How is the image quality ? Enough light ? Does GoPro twist on fishing braid ? Video or just still shots ? Is your chimney a straight shot, or straight shot to a clean-out T ?

 

[CHeath]

CHeath: How is the image quality ? Enough light ? Does GoPro twist on fishing braid ? Video or just still shots ? Is your chimney a straight shot, or straight shot to a clean-out T ?

I "rig" up a 1x3 piece of wood and just tape it to it with 2 cree led flashlights on each sides. Yes fishing line twists but there is a bend in my flu so once i watch the video and see the bend, I know which side of the flu is NSE OR west. It works well. The quality is outstanding. I don't do still shots because I don't know where the shots would be. This works especially well if you want to inspect your joints. Best of all, it's free. Just take some time and fool around with mounting it to something that fits well and won't move too much on the way down.

 

[CHeath]

A go pro is not a bad idea as long as you can have a live link to it. And I would attach it to come cleaning rods. When you are inspecting you really need to be able to see what you are doing down there so if you see something out of the ordinary you can investigate more.

Yep that would be great. I've seen guys do an iPad on their cleaning rods but most times it's hard to see the Ipad clearly up on the roof. Most people don't have the option to go from the basement up with an iPad. I sure don't. I do take my GoPro up and down about 5 times each. Nice and slow. You may miss something still and I'm sure I do but I know the overall condition by those runs. If I see something in those, I head back up and try to focus on that spot. Rods and a GoPro is an excellent idea thanks for sharing that.

 

[bholler]

Yep that would be great. I've seen guys do an iPad on their cleaning rods but most times it's hard to see the Ipad clearly up on the roof. Most people don't have the option to go from the basement up with an iPad. I sure don't. I do take my GoPro up and down about 5 times each. Nice and slow. You may miss something still and I'm sure I do but I know the overall condition by those runs. If I see something in those, I head back up and try to focus on that spot. Rods and a GoPro is an excellent idea thanks for sharing that.

You can probably get a pretty good look at everything that way but I would use rods for sure just to give you more control.

 

[VirginiaIron]

This might work and it is inexpensive

(broken link removed to https://m.ebay.com/itm/2-5-7-10-15M-6LED-USB-Waterproof-Endoscope-Borescope-Snake-Inspection-Camera-USA-/302266681988?var=&epid=713608809&hash=item46607f8a84%3Am%3AmJr7Wckm-lINI6j5ZzsgmSg&_trkparms=pageci%253A8488840a-ac80-11e7-9b4f-74dbd180a852%257Cparentrq%253Afe525af715e0a990b1d4e9a0fffdec18%257Ciid%253A1)

 

[jetsam]

As long as you have wifi, take your old discarded cellphone, connect it to the wifi, and install Skype on it. Now video call yourself on your current cellphone, and dangle the old one down the flue. If it gets ruined, go get your wife's old discarded cellphone...

If you want better image quality, there's free IP Camera apps that let the phone transmit much higher quality video.

I have a few old phones that I use for temporary cameras when I want one here or there.

If you don't have one, ask around... most people have an old phone or two that they wouldn't mind giving away.