G+_Jim Vandiver Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Is it possible to design the lunchbox so it could run through hvac ductwork? Then if it had a camera and led lighting you could examine the condition of a system and detect problem areas. Probably need fpv capability and a retrieval wire which could also double as a control cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Travis Hershberger Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I'd be interested to find a drive system that could clime the vertical surfaces in an hvac system. Might also want a little smaller of a platform, I'm thinking of something controlled by an Arduino Mini. http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardMini Some of those ducts can be really small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_610GARAGE Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Not with the lunchbox. You would need a mighty small robot (think the size of your palm) and extremely light. Unfortunately, some hvac contractors use something called fiberboard for there ductwork. This is some nasty stuff. It is made out of fiberglass insulation that is harden be an adhesive. This stuff can be fairly delicate (especially if not hung properly). So a robot could cause serious damage and stir up a bunch of fiberglass that gets shot around your house. It is also not magnetic, so you would need some sort of spike system. Even if you do have nice metal ductwork. this is sometimes only for the trunk duct. After that, flex is ran to the register. This is usually the case in an attic. This flex is a thin plastic duct with a wire spiraling down it to give it form. Then there is a fiberglass wrapped around it, and another thin plastic covering. Anything going through this will tear it up. While in a commercial building, about %90 of the ductwork is metal, it would be nearly impossible to get something through (unless it was super small). There are a ton of screws poking up and turning vanes in elbows (to direct the air). Also, what problems would you expect to see that couldn't be seen by a pressure test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jim Vandiver Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share Posted September 25, 2014 I guess a pressure test woud show system integrity, but I was wondering about mold, low areas with water puddles, dead critters, and how deep the dust bunnies are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Chad Winters Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 probably better off with a fiberoptic camera Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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