Thermal Protection

[ChristianTaylor]

I am curious about products that claim to protect against Thermal imaging. People have told me that the technology they have can see right through insulation.

Here's one product that claims to protect:
http://www.polyshield.ca/

Does anyone know of any other products? Does anyone have a understanding on how thermal imaging works and how you would go about protecting yourself against it?

I know this is not a common issue that people are concerned about but I believe it deserves a thread.

Later,

-CT

 

[ChristianTaylor]

Anyone know ANYTHING about this topic.

 

[Ganja Guerilla]

Reflectix claims to reflect up to 97% of radiant energy, which is I believe what a thermal imager would pick up on.

Hope this helps
GG

EDIT: Reflectix is that mylar like bubble wrap insulation...

 

[ChristianTaylor]

Thanks, I don't know how a thermal imaging works. Does anyone know how thermal imaging works and what can be used to combat it.

-CT

 

[Guest]

I was under the impression that thermal imaging can only see the temperature of your home's outside walls. So for example, all outside walls, front back and both sides, plus the roof.

So I think to combat this you really just need to keep your grow area cool, and not let it get really hot. Because if one side of your house is really hot on the thermal image, but the other side isn't... it may raise suspicion. Or if 1 part of your roof is a lot hotter than another, etc.

But I have no fact to base this on other than what I have read here and there... anyone confirm this?

 

[ChristianTaylor]

I have no clue how it wors, but I wish someone who does would chime in here.

-CT

 

[Ganja Guerilla]

From Wikipedia

Thermography, thermal imaging, or thermal video, is a type of infrared imaging. Thermographic cameras detect radiation in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum (roughly 900–14,000 nanometers or 0.9–14 µm) and produce images of that radiation. Since infrared radiation is emitted by all objects based on their temperatures, according to the black body radiation law, thermography makes it possible to "see" one's environment with or without visible illumination. The amount of radiation emitted by an object increases with temperature, therefore thermography allows one to see variations in temperature (hence the name). When viewed by thermographic camera, warm objects stand out well against cooler backgrounds; humans and other warm-blooded animals become easily visible against the environment, day or night. As a result, thermography's extensive use can historically be ascribed to the military and security services.

 

[ChristianTaylor]

I also checked out wikipedia on this topic. This still leaves me with questions on how to combat it though.

For example, the Reflectix product says that it reflects 97% of the radiant energy, but does this mean it masks it from such detection devices?

I have also heard numerous stories of the police flying over houses where they are lit up on the thermal imagers alerting them to growing in progress. It doesn't seem to me like a well ventilated grow and/or well insulated roof/walls would produce enough heat to significantly raise the temperature on the outside of the walls and roof. So if these thermal imager are not reading surface temperature then how do you combat it.

Here is a question that I asked a very experienced grower. If I were to blow very cold air into a cool tube effectively cooling everything except the actual bulb to room temperature then would this mask it to a thermal imager? His response was that he has seen thermal pictures where the bulb itself is lit up like a little sun. So what are our options here?

What will effectively mask grows from these devices?

Later,

-CT

 

[yamaha_1fan]

How many lights are you talking about? 1 or 10? I also believe it is illegal for LEO to use use this method w/o a warrant or use it as a basis to get a warrant. Basically they cant fly around scoping every house on the block, thats my understanding.

I believe there may be diferent variables as well. If the grow is in a building with solid concrete walls, and the wallas are kept cool, I would imagine they wouldnt be able to see the lights. How far back and through how many surfaces can the camera read?