Possibly the most interesting tool of the entire 2011 Milwaukee Media event was the Milwaukee M12 Thermal Imager 2260-22. With a maximum 4 hours of run-time, and dual cameras (it takes both a digital camera still and a thermal image at the same time) this is a whole new style of product for the M12 test & measurement line. When you pull the trigger, the two images are immediately stored onto the included 2GB SD memory card. In this way you have a reference image and the thermal image for each location. What we also liked was that you can view either mode when you pull the trigger, so its easy to focus on what you need to in order to survey a site for insulation needs or weatherization.
Milwaukee M12 Thermal Imager Features
The resolution of the 3.5-inch LCD screen is VGA (640×480) but the thermal camera resolution is 160×120. All images are stored in JPG format so they can be integrated into reports using the included Windows (only) software, or pulled directly off the SD card. The refresh rate is 60Hz, so everything can be viewed in real-time and the only distance limits of the system are the pixel resolution as it relates to the areas being measured. It measures temperatures from 14 degrees F to 662 degrees F (350 C) and has a +/- 2 percent accuracy rating. The Milwaukee M12 Thermal Imager also comes with the same 5 year warranty as Milwaukee’s other cordless tools.
You can operate the Milwaukee M12 Thermal Imager with or without protective gear like gloves and the control interface does indeed look as simple to operate as it was when we tested it out for ourselves. This tool is specifically designed to continue working and even stay in calibration after a 2 meter drop. The M12 Thermal Imager is IP54 rated for dust in all directions.
Now the bad news – the price. At $2500 the Milwaukee M12 Thermal Imager isn’t really much cheaper than the competition, except to add in the additional functions like software and integrated twin LED lights which are part of this system. It’s these additional functions that Milwaukee hopes increase its value significantly in the marketplace. Look for the Milwaukee M12 Thermal Imager Kit to launch October 15th with two RedLithium batteries and charger as well as a case.
