testo 868 Thermal Imager with SuperResolution

Overview

The testo 868 is a smart, networked thermal imager for maintenance, electrical inspection and building diagnostics. It combines a 160 × 120 pixel infrared detector with testo SuperResolution technology that raises the image to 320 × 240 pixels, a thermal sensitivity below 0.08 °C, and an integrated 5 MP digital camera. A modern tile-style menu keeps operation intuitive, and a WLAN connection to the free testo Thermography App turns a smartphone or tablet into a second display, a remote control and a reporting tool on site.

Seven Star LLC supplies the testo 868 to electrical contractors, facility maintenance teams, utilities and plant reliability engineers in Oman and the GCC. Our team in Muscat helps customers set up the imager and software for their inspection routines, and we provide engineering support for users in Muscat, Sohar, Duqm and Salalah.

Measurement Principle

Every object above absolute zero emits infrared radiation, and the amount depends on its temperature and on its emissivity. The uncooled detector of the testo 868 receives radiation in the 7.5 to 14 µm spectral range through a 31° × 23° lens and converts it into a temperature image refreshed at 9 Hz. Two measuring ranges, -30 to +100 °C and 0 to +650 °C, are selected manually or automatically, and the accuracy is ±2 °C or ±2% of reading, whichever is higher.

Correct emissivity is the most common source of error in thermography. The testo ε-Assist function solves this by recognising a supplied ε-marker placed on the surface, then automatically setting emissivity and reflected temperature. testo SuperResolution records a sequence of images using the natural movement of the hand and calculates one image with four times as many measured values, giving a geometric resolution of 2.1 mrad instead of 3.4 mrad. The IFOV warner shows which objects are large enough to be measured accurately at the current distance. For building work, testo ScaleAssist adjusts the colour distribution of the scale to the inside and outside temperatures of the object and the difference between them. Because the temperature scale and colouring of thermal images can otherwise be set freely, this function prevents the thermal behaviour of a wall or roof from being misread and makes images taken on different days objectively comparable.

Engineering Design of the testo 868

The testo 868 uses a pistol-grip PC-ABS housing weighing 510 g and measuring 219 × 96 × 95 mm, rated IP54 and tested for 2 G vibration according to IEC 60068-2-6. The 3.5 inch TFT display shows the infrared image or the real image, with iron, rainbow HC, cold-hot and grey palettes. A fixed-focus lens with a minimum focusing distance below 0.5 m keeps operation simple for fast walk-round inspections.

Images are stored on the 2.8 GB internal memory in .bmt and .jpg formats, with export to .bmp, .jpg, .png, .csv and .xls. The lithium-ion battery runs about four hours, can be charged in the instrument or in an optional desktop station, and is exchangeable on site. Video can be streamed over USB or through WLAN to the testo Thermography App, and the professional IRSoft PC software for Windows supports detailed analysis and reporting.

Key Features

The testo 868 includes the following functions for professional thermography:

• Infrared resolution of 160 × 120 pixels, raised to 320 × 240 pixels with testo SuperResolution.
• Thermal sensitivity (NETD) below 0.08 °C for clear detection of small temperature differences.
• Two measuring ranges from -30 to +100 °C and 0 to +650 °C with automatic switchover.
• testo ε-Assist for automatic emissivity and reflected temperature determination with ε-markers.
• Automatic hot spot and cold spot detection, centre point measurement and delta T analysis.
• testo ScaleAssist for objectively comparable building thermograms and an IFOV warner for spot size.
• Integrated 5 MP digital camera to document the inspected component alongside the thermal image.
• WLAN link to the testo Thermography App for remote display, remote control and on-site reports.

Industrial Applications

Electrical maintenance is the main field for the testo 868. Loose terminals, overloaded cables, unbalanced phases and failing breakers show up as hot spots in switchboards, motor control centres and distribution panels long before they cause an outage. Mechanical teams use the imager to check bearings, couplings, belts and motors, while process engineers inspect steam traps, pipework insulation, heat exchangers and refractory linings. In buildings, the camera reveals missing insulation, thermal bridges, moisture and air-conditioning leaks.

In Oman’s hot climate, regular thermographic checks of switchgear, transformers and cooling equipment are part of preventive maintenance at hospitals, hotels, malls, utilities and industrial plants. Seven Star LLC supplies the testo 868 as a trusted supplier and supports the complementary test equipment that maintenance teams use, such as the Megger MIT1025/2 10 kV insulation resistance tester, the Beamex MC6 field calibrator and the Rittal Blue e+ enclosure cooling units.

Technical Specifications

The testo 868 values below are taken from the Testo data sheet (1981 4034).

How to Order

To order the testo 868, send Seven Star LLC an RFQ with the quantity and any accessories you need, such as a spare battery, charging station or IRSoft software. Our team in Muscat will confirm availability and lead time and provide the Testo data sheet for download. Seven Star LLC supplies Testo thermal imagers across Oman and the GCC with engineering support in Muscat.