How to Use the Fluke Acoustic Imaging Camera

Leak detection

Out of the box, the Fluke ii900 Industrial Acoustic Imager is something to behold. It has the rugged feel Fluke customers are accustomed to and a large 7-inch LCD touchscreen where the sound of leaks is visually displayed.

Once you’ve got the acoustic imaging camera out of the box, take a few minutes to get to know the tool.

Anatomy of the Fluke ii900 Industrial Acoustic Imager
  1. On/off switch. To turn on, push and hold for about 2 seconds. To turn off, push the switch once and tap “OK” on the screen.
  2. Hand strap. Adjust the hand strap to make it easier to hold onto the tool while you scan and use your other hand to engage with the interface.
  3. Touchscreen. The 7-inch LCD touchscreen includes an interface that is where you’ll personalize your preferences, save files to, and make selections about output types. (More on this later…)
  4. Image and video. This green button is the capture button for images and the stop/start for video. (That’s right – the Fluke ii900 takes videos.)
  5. Microphone array. All those tiny little microphones in the acoustic sensor are listening for what your human ears can’t hear, in places filled with a variety of noises.
  6. Battery. Identify the location of the battery on the back, toward the bottom. Your Fluke ii900 comes with two batteries and a charger.
  7. USB connector. Moving images and video from the tool to your computer uses a USB-C connector.
  8. Neck strap. Your Fluke ii900 comes with a neck strap that can be connected to this anchor.

Is it easy to use an acoustic imaging camera?

The short answer is, yes. Acoustic imaging cameras, such as the Fluke ii900, are not only easy to use, they only take about 10 minutes to start using with confidence. When Fluke engineered the ii900, it considered what level of experience the user would need to be able to use it. So, they built in all the necessary components to allow someone with no experience to start using it virtually right out of the box.

Finding compressed air, gas, or vacuum leaks shouldn’t take a lot of training or time. In fact, we put our theory to the test. We put a Fluke ii900 in the hands of a novice and provided them with 10 minutes of training on how to use the tool. We put the novice in the same space with a trained ultrasonic leak detector technician to see who could find leaks faster. Here’s what we found.

Tips for using your acoustic imaging camera

Once you’ve turned on your Fluke ii900 Industrial Acoustic Imager, here are a few tips to make your experience easier:

  • Tap anywhere on the display outside the menu you’re in to hide that menu.
  • Scan smoothly across your target to find leaks, rather than “spot” scanning.
  • Select your capture mode based on how you want to use the information.
    • Images are great for including in a report and showing where the location of the leak is.
    • Video demonstrates the volatility or rate of change in the leak.
  • Use folders to keep your image/video files organized.
    • This makes it easier to find what you’re looking for.
  • Use the annotation mode to add notes about the leak, the timing, or other factors that might be useful.

Here are a few guides for learning how to use your Fluke ii900 Industrial Acoustic Imaging Camera.