General Tools GTi10, GTi20, GTi30, GTi50 User Manual

THERMAL IMAGING

AND

THERMAL/VISUAL

IMAGING CAMERAS

CAMERA

GTi10

GTi20, GTi30, GTi50

USER’S MANUAL

G G

Please read this manual carefully and thoroughly before using this product.

ging

Sectional Overview

What you should know and do to ensure your safety and avoid dama

the camera

Read This First

Illustrations and descriptions of all camera components and connectors

Product Overview

How to charge the battery pack; install the mini SD memory card; power the camera on and off; set the date and time; and select a language, TV standard and measurement unit

Setup Instructions

How to read the display; navigate menus; restore default settings

Basic Functions

How to make camera adjustments such as:

• Manual focusing

• Fusing thermal and visual images

• Moving fusion squares and choosing a

palette

• Adjusting camera parameters and image settings

• Saving and freezing/activating images

Shooting

• Using analysis tools and changing analysis settings

• Working with spots, areas, profiles and isotherms

• Voice-annotating images

• Defining trigger functions

Locating, viewing and erasing saved images; playing back voice memos.

Playback and Erase

How to: upload images to a computer; charge the battery directly, connect to a TV monitor or PC; use the Bluetooth headset

Camera Connections

Table of Contents

Read This First 5 What’s Included 7 Product Overview 8

Front View Keypad & Bottom View 9

Setup Instructions 10

Charging the Battery Pack 10 Installing the Battery Pack and Mini SD Card 11 Powering On and Off 12 Reading the Display 13 Setting the Date and Time 15 Local Settings 16

Basic Functions 18

Selecting Menus and Settings Restoring Default Settings

Shooting

Using the LCD

Making Camera Adjustments 22 Manual Focus

Thermal, Visual and BiVision Image Displays 23 BiVision Display Mode

Making Image Adjustments 26

Auto Adjust Making Manual Adjustments 27

Palette Settings Image/camera Settings Freezing/Activating an Image 31

Using Analysis Tools 32

Changing Object/Global Settings 32

Setting Analysis Parameters 34

Setting Spot Analysis Parameters 36 Setting Area Analysis Parameters 38 Profile Analysis 40 Isotherm Analysis 41

Removing Analysis Tools 42 Saving Images 43 Attaching Voice Memos to Images 45

Voice Recording 45

Configuring the Trigger

Playback and Erase 47

Opening Images 47 Playing Back Voice Memos 50 Erasing Images 51

Uploading Images 52 Camera Connections 53

Charging the Battery Directly Connecting to a TV Monitor 54

18 20

28 29

Connecting to a Computer

Using the Bluetooth Headset 56

Troubleshootin

Appendices 59

I. Using an Optional Lens 59 II. Camera Care and Maintenance 60

III. The Emissivity of Common Materials 61

Specifications 65 Warranty Information 66

Return for Repair Policy 66

Read This First

Practice Makes Perfect

Before attempting to shoot important subjects, shoot several t ri al images to confirm that the thermal camera is operating correctly and that you know how to operate it correctly. General Tools & Instruments LLC (General) and its subsidiaries, affiliates and distributors are not liable for any consequential damages arising from any malfunction of the camera or any accessory that results in the failure of an image to be recorded or to be recorded in a format that is machine-readable.

Safety Precautions

Before using the camera, read and understand t he safety and precauti ons descri bed in this section. They are intended to help you operate the therma l camer a and its accessories without 1) risking injuries to yourself and others or 2) damaging the camera itself.

Avoid damaging eyesight

Warning: Do not aim the laser pointer at any person or animal. Prolonged exposure may damage eyesight.

Do not disassemble

Do not attempt to disassemble or modify any part of the camera or its accessories.

Stop operating immediately if the camera is dropped, the casing is damaged, or the camera emits smoke or noxious fumes

Failure to do so may result in fire or electrical shock. Immediately turn the thermal camera’s pow er off, remove the battery or unplug the power cord from the power outlet.

Do not use substances containing alcohol, benzene, thinners or other flammable substances to clean or maintain the thermal camera

The use of these substances may start a fire.

Remove the power cord on a regular periodic basis and wipe away the dust and dirt that collects on the plug, the exterior of the power outlet and the surrounding area

In dusty, humid or greasy environments, the dust that collects around the plug over long periods of time may become saturated by humidity and short-circuit, leading to fire.

Do not handle the power cord if your hands are wet

Handling the cord with wet hands may lead to electrical shock. When unplugging the cord, pull on the plug, rather than the cord. Pulling on the cord may damage or expose wires and insulation, creating the potential for fires and electric shocks.

Do not cut, alter or place heavy items on the power cord

Any of these actions may cause an short circuit than can lead to fire or electrical shock.

Use only recommended power accessories

Use of power sources not expressly recommended for this thermal camera may lead to overheating,

distortion of the thermal camera, fire, electrical shock or other hazards.

Do not drop the batteries, place them near a heat source, directly expose them to flame, or immerse them in water

Such exposure may damage the batteries and lead to leakage of corrosive liquids, fire, electric shock, explosion or serious injury.

Do not attempt to disassemble, modify or apply heat to the batteries

Any of the actions may cause an explosion. If any part of your body comes into contact with battery acid in any form, immediately flush that area with water If your mouth or eyes are involved, immediately flush with water and seek medical assistance.

Do not short-circuit the battery terminals with metallic objects, such as keys

Doing so could lead to overheating, burns and other injuries.

Before you discard a battery, cover the terminals with tape or other insulators to prevent direct contact with other objects

Contact with the metallic components of other materials in waste containers may lead to fire or explosions. Discard the batteries in specialized waste facilities if available in your area.

Use only recommended batteries and accessories

Use of batteries not expressly recommended for this equipment may cause explosions or leaks, resulting in fire, injury and damage to the surroundings.

Disconnect the compact power adapter from both the thermal camera and power outlet after recharging and when the thermal camera is not in use

Continuous use over a long period of time may cause the unit to overheat, creating a fire risk.

Exercise caution when detaching or attaching a lens

If the lens falls and breaks as it comes loose, the glass shards may cause an injury.

Use of the camera for prolonged periods may cause its body to become warm

Such heating is normal, and should be considered a minor burn risk

Preventing Damage to the Camera

Avoid damaging the IR detector

Warning: Do not aim the thermal camera directly at the sun or a source of intense heat (such as an arc welder). Doing so for more than a few seconds will permanently damage the camera’s IR detector and void the camera’s limited warrant

Avoid Condensation Related Problems

Moving the thermal camera rapidly between hot and cold environments may cause condensation (water droplets) to collect on its external and internal surfaces.

If condensation appears, stop using the camera immediately and power it off. If charging the battery directly, detach the charger from the unit. Then remove the battery and wait until the condensate evaporates completely before resuming use.

To minimize condensation: 1) store the camera in its protective case when not in use, and 2) give the camera time to adjust to its new surroundings before using it.

Extended Storage

When you do not expect to use the thermal camera for even a few weeks, remove batteries from the camera and the compact battery charger, place the camera in its case and store the case in a safe place. Storing the camera or the compact charger for a long time with a battery inside will completely discharge the battery, creating a risk of damaging leakage.

What’s Included

Item

Thermal camera

Heavy-duty plastic protective case

Compact

Rechargeable battery (1 installed in camera, 1 in c a s e )

2GB Mini SD memory card

battery cha

with

shoulder strap

rger

with adaptor (pre-installed in camera)

Quantity

Sun shield

Video cable

USB cable

Hand and neck

Lens cap

CD containing: Reporting and analysis software (standard manual; Camera

Hard copy of calibration certificate

Hard copy of QuickStart guide

Hard copy of packing list

with

BNC plug

straps (on camera)

user’s

manual; QuickStart guide, Warranty card

version); Software user’s

Hard copy of warranty card

Bluetooth headset and charger (GTi30 and GTi50 only)

Product Overview

Front View

Torch (Flashlight)

(GTi20 , GTi30 and GTi50 only)

Visual camera

(GTi20 , GTi30 and GTi50 only)

Flip-up LCD

Keypad

IR camera and lens

Battery compartment

Laser pointer

Definable trigger

Product Overview

Keypad and Bottom Views

Menu up 1 level and Escape

Auto Adjust

Power Button

Save/Freeze screen and images

Menu Navigati on - Toggle Up, Dow n , Left, Right

Video Out jack

Menu Access, Enter to choose selection

Battery compartment latch

Power input jack

Mini USB jack

Mini SD card slot

Setup Instructions

Charging the Battery

Use the following procedures to charge the battery pack for the first time and subsequently when the low battery icon appears on the LCD.

Position a battery in the compact battery charger so the contacts nearly touch. Push

the bat

the battery forward until it

snaps

snaps into place.

Plug one end of the power cord into the charger and the other end

into a 110VAC outlet.

The light on the charg e r will glow red while the battery is

• charging. It will turn green when charging is complete.

After charging, unplug the battery charger and remove

• the charged battery.

•

This is a lithium ion battery pack so there is no need to discharge it completely before recharging. It can be recharged at any time. However, since the maximum number of charge cycles is approximately 300, to prolong battery life General recommends that you only charge the battery pack after it has been discharged completely.

Charging times will vary according to the surrounding

•

humidity and battery pack charge state.

Setup Instructions

Installing the Battery Pack and Mini SD Card

Install the charged battery into the camera as follows:

Replace the battery compartment cover.

To insert the Mini SD card, position it w ith the p rin ted

side up (metal connector side down) in front of the slot at the bottom of the camera. Push the card in gently with your fingertip until you feel and hear a click.

Release the battery compartment latch by pushing it down and forward. Lift and remove the battery compartment cover.

Align the battery’s edge with the line inside the compartment. Push the battery forward until it click-locks. Replace the battery compartment cover and latch it.

Setup Instructions

Powering On and Off

The LED at the upper left of the keypad will be lit whenever the camera is powered on.

To power on:

To power off:

Press and hold the power button for three seconds. The LED will extinguish.

Button

Remove the lens cap and flip up the LCD to expose the keypad.

Press and hold the button for 3 seconds.

On the GTi10 and GTi20, the LED

•

at the upper left of the keypad will glow green. On the GTi30 and GTi50, the LED will toggle between green and blue, indicating that the camera is ready for a Bluetooth connection.

After a few seconds, this System Information startup screen will appear and take 40 seconds to clear.

Setup Instructions

Reading the Display

The LCD’s frame is exactly the same size as the thermal camera’s field of view. The following information is available on-screen.

Activate / Freeze

Operation indicator

Battery Status Symbols

The following icons indicate battery status on the LCD.

Reading

Battery charge

Current emissivity setting

Time

Max. temperature

Upper limit of color scale

Color scale

Lower limit of color scale

Min. temperature

Sufficient battery charge

Low battery

Replace or recharge the battery

About the operation indicator

The operation indicator at the lower left of the LCD shows the

current operating status of the camera.

Camera status

Indicates operation in Menu Mode.

Camera

operating

status

Null

SP19

CAP.

AR15

PRO. Indicates that the current analysis tool is profile.

ISO.



Represents operation in a non-menu mode, with no analysis tools selected.

Indicates that the current analysis tool is spot 1, spot 2 or up to spot 9.

Indicates that the current analysis tool is auto-tracking spot.

Indicates that the current analysis tool is area 1, area 2 or up to area5.

Indicates that the current analysis tool is isotherm

nalysis.

urrent emissivity value

Indicates that the SD card is inserted. Indicates that the Bluetooth headset has been

aired.

To enter NULL mode, press the ESC button repeatedly until you see NULL at the bottom left of the

Setup Instructions

Setting the Date and Time

If you intend to record images, you should set the Date and Time when powering ‘ON’ the thermal camera for the first time.

Make sure that the thermal camera is in Null mode (see p.14).

Press the MENU/ENTER button

to call up the Main Menu. Then press the UP or DOWN key to navigate to the System Setup line. Press the MENU/ENTER button to open the System Setup menu.

Press the UP or DOWN arrow to select

the Date & Time line, then press the MENU/ENTER button.

a) Use the UP and DOWN arrows to

select an item to change, and the LEFT and RIGHT arrows to set a new value. b) Repeat for each date and time parameter. c) Press the MENU/ENTER button to save the change(s), or the ESC button to return to the System Setup menu without making any changes.

Setup Instructions

Local Settings

Using this menu item, you can change the language of menus and messages, select either the NTSC or PAL TV standard, and choose metric or Imperial units for temperature and distance readouts.

Make sure that the thermal camera is in Null mode (see

p.14).

Press the MENU/ENTER

button to call up the Main Menu. Then press the UP or DOWN arrow to navigate to the System Setup line. Press the MENU/ENTER button to open the System Setup menu.

Press the UP or DOWN arrow

to select Local Setup, then press the MENU/ENTER button.

a) Use the UP and DOWN arrows to

select an item to change, and the LEFT and RIGHT arrows to set a new value. b) Repeat for each parameter you wish to change. c) Press the MENU/ENTER button to save the change(s), or the ESC button to return to the System Setup menu without making any changes.

About Local Settings

Language

Video

output

Temp unit

Distance

unit

Selects the language of the menus and messages.

Sets the format of the video output of the camera to PAL or NTSC.

Choose °C or °F as the unit of temperature measurements.

Chooses meter or foot as the unit of distance measurements.

Basic Functions

Selecting Menus and Settings

You can select the settings by pressing the MENU/ENTER button.

1 Menu

File

Analysis

Press the MENU / ENTER

button. Press the LEFT or RIGHT

arrow. Press the UP or DOWN

arrow. Press the MENU / ENTER

button.

2 Select a function item using

Manual Adjust

System

Setu

3 Select setting cont ents usi ng

4 Change the settings using

Exit

Displayed menu items will vary according to the operation and setting contents.

*The menu items may vary among different camera models.

Basic Functions

Restoring Default Settings

You can reset the menu and button operation settings to default.

Turn off the thermal camera.

button

The data in storage will not be deleted when you reset the menu and button operation settings to default.

Press and hold the power button and the ESC button for three seconds.

ESC

button

Shooting

Using the LCD

To use the LCD as your monitor for capturing thermal images, follow the instructions b e lo w.

Open the flip-up LCD screen

Using the trigger to turn on the laser pointer (see p. 46),

aim the camera at a subject.

1. For the most-accurate temperature measurements, make sure the target appears in the middle of the LCD.

2. Closing the flip-up screen turns off the LCD and puts the camera to sleep.

Shooting

Making Camera Adjustments

Manual Focus

Point the thermal camera at the target.

Turn the focus ring until the target slips in and out of focus on the display.

Adjust the focus until the image is clearest.

Shooting

Making Camera Adjustments

Thermal, Visual and BiVision Image Displays

The GTi20 and GTi30 thermal cameras can also record visual images using a built-in digital camera. The reason to capture a visual image is to use it as a reference for a thermal image.

Press the MENU/ENTER button.

Press the MENU/ENTER button to

call up the Main Menu. Then press the UP or DOWN arrow to navigate to the IR/Visible line. Press the MENU/ENTER button to display the IR/Visible Setup menu.

IR/Visible Setup

a) Use the LEFT or RIGHT arrows to select IR Only, Vision Only, or BiVision. b) Press the MENU/ENTER button to save the selection, or the ESC button to return to the System Setup menu without making a change.

About the Percentage setting: Sets the ratio of IR image to Visual image to a value between 1% and 100%.

About IR/Visible settings

Sets the ratio of IR image to Visual image to a value between 1% and 100%.

Shooting

About Fusion Displays

In BiVision display mode, you can see thermal images ‘fuse’ into visible images.

IR Only

In this mode, you can use analysis tools to analyze the target. But what you see is the image with pseudo color.

Vision Only

In this mode, you see the visual image in full color. But you cannot use any analysis tools to analyze the target.

BiVision

In this mode, you see the visual image in the background with its thermal image ‘fused’ on it in the center square. In this mode you can use any analysis tools to analyze the target.

In IR Only and BiVision modes, you use the UP and DOWN arrows to change the span (contrast) of the IR image and the LEFT and RIGHT arrows to change its level (brightness).

Shooting

In BiVision display mode, you can move the fusion area using the arrow keys and see thermal

images ‘fuse’ into visible images.

Moving the fusion square

Move the area up ESC + UP

Move the area left

ESC + LEFT

Move the area down

ESC + DOWN

Move the area right ESC + RIGHT

Shooting

Making Camera Adjustments

Making Image Adjustments

ou can adjust the level (brightness) and span (contrast) of thermal

images manually or automatically.

uto Adjust

The camera will aut o matically adjust the brightness, sp a n o r b o th parameters when you press the Auto Adjust button. How you set the Auto Adjust line of the Camera Setup menu (see p. 30) determines which of the three possible adjustments is made.

Shooting

Making Camera Adjustments

Making Manual Adjustments

You can manually adjust the level and span of thermal images by using a menu or the arrow buttons. Use

an image and the LEFT and RIGHT arrows to change its level (brightness).

Using the Manual adjust menu

Press the MENU/ENTER button to call up the Main Menu.

Press the UP or DOWN arrow to

navigate to the Manual Adj. line. Then press the MENU/ENTER button to open the Manual Adjust menu.

Setting Level and/or Span

a) Use the UP and DOWN arrows to select Level or Span. (Range refers to the Temperature Measurement Range of the camera’s lens, which is not adjustable. Appendix I correlates this line to the kind of lens installed) b) Use the LEFT and RIGHT arrows to adjust the level or span. Then press the MENU/ENTER button to save the change, or the ESC button to return to the System Setup menu without making a change.

the UP and DOWN arrows to change the span (contrast) of

Shooting

Making Camera Adjustments

Palette Settings

Press the MENU/ENTER button to open the Main Menu.

a) Press the UP or DOWN arrow to

navigate to the Palette Setup line. Then press the MENU/ENTER button to open the Palette Setup menu. b) The default palette is Iron. Use the LEFT and RIGHT arrows to change the palette. The other options are Iron Inverted, Rainbow, Feather, Grey and Grey Inverted.

After you make your choice, press the MENU/ENTER

button to save the selection, or press the ESC button to return to the Main Menu without saving.

Shooting

Making Camera Adjustments

Image/camera Settings

Press the MENU/ENTER button to open the Main Menu.

Press the UP or DOWN arrow to navigate to

the System Setup line. Then press the MENU/ENTER button to open the System Setup menu.

Press the UP or DOWN arrow to navigate to

the Camera Setup line. Then press the MENU/ENTER button to open the Camera Setup menu.

Use the UP and DOWN arrows to select a

parameter.

a) Use the LEFT or RIGHT arrows to select IR Only, Vision Only, or BiV isio n . b) Press the MENU/ENTER button to save the selection, or the ESC button to return to the System Setup menu without making a change.

Shooting

Making Camera Adjustments

About Image Settings

Sets the function of the AUTO ADJUST button

The camera will au tomatically adjust the

and

level (brightness) and span (contrast) of the image to the optimum setting. The camera will automatically adjust the level (brightness) of the image. The camera will automatically adjust the span (contrast) of the image.

Level

None

Auto adjust

Continuous

adj

Level

Span

Level

Span

Determines whether or not the brightness and contrast of images shown on-screen are adjusted automatically

Level and span

Brightness and contrast are adjusted automatically. Only brightness is adjusted automatically. Brightness and contrast are NOT adjusted automatically.

Shutter

period

USB TYPE

Sets the period of auto-adjusting.

The options are USB Realtime and USB Remove Disk

Sets the Auto Power Off interval—the time at wh ich

Shut Down

the camera will automatically power off if no keypad entries are made. The options are 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes and never.

Laser Adjust Turns the laser pointer on or off.

Menu Style

Sets the menu style. The options are Normal, Translucence and Lucency.

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