Tradies love whipping out their phones at every opportunity just like everyone — but what if that phone could also become a serious diagnostic tool on the job?
That’s the idea behind the Fluke iSee Mobile Thermal Camera range, compact devices that plug straight into your smartphone and turn it into a trade-ready thermal imaging camera.
Instead of carrying bulky and expensive equipment around site, tradies can now get reliable thermal imaging straight from their pocket.
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The iSee cameras connect directly to your phone and work through the Fluke iSee app, giving users a simple way to scan for temperature differences, hidden faults and other issues that can’t be seen with the naked eye.
For tradies working across plumbing, electrical, building or maintenance work, it means having a powerful diagnostic tool ready whenever it’s needed.
Seeing problems early
The Tradie put the iSee TC01C — designed for USB-C ports used by newer iPhones — to the test with tradie Jared Leiner.
Fluke also offers the TC01A for USB-C Android phones and the TC01B for older iPhones with Lightning connectors.
Despite its compact size, the camera delivers some serious performance.
With a temperature range of up to 550°C, Jared found it capable of handling the types of jobs tradies regularly face.
“I’d use this to detect water leaks, leaks in box gutters or missing insulation batts* which is a big thing – a lot of people move that around when they crawl through the roof,” he said.
“We’d also use it for underfloor heating, leaks in bathrooms — you will find them all with this.”
The camera’s 256×192-pixel resolution and 25Hz frame rate also allow users to clearly scan an area and quickly identify temperature variations.
“It’s very easy to see if there’s any faults, everything it shows you is very detailed,” Jared said.
“For us, it’s a proactive approach in trying to find an issue before it becomes a much bigger problem, ideally before the homeowner even gets their keys.
“With leaks in box gutters, for example, you often can’t find these problems until it’s (water) coming through your ceiling.
“With this camera, it’ll show you exactly where it’s coming from so you’re not cutting holes in the wrong places.”
Compact, powerful and easy to use
One of the biggest advantages of the iSee range is its portability.
Weighing just 22g, the camera can easily sit in a pocket or tool bag until it’s needed.
“It’s literally plug ‘n’ play – not much more to it than that,” Jared said.
“Everything’s easily done with the press of a button, I can’t complain.”
The accompanying app also adds useful features, allowing tradies to monitor multiple points or areas at once and set real-time alerts if temperatures exceed set limits. Images can also be shared quickly with colleagues or clients. Jared says the small device still packs plenty of capability.
“One thing that stood out to me was how well the camera picks up underfloor heating,” he said.
“It shows you every coil, I reckon the iSee is fantastic.”
