Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: michael papworth on July 26, 2008, 03:05:46 pm
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I wanted to have a look inside my own gutters today - I'd noticed a roof tile that had slipped down an inch or two. A trip to Halford's for a bicycle mirror (£4.99) and five minutes back home with a 6 mm drill gave me this.
(http://www.wally-the-window-washer.co.uk/guttinsp01.jpg)
(http://www.wally-the-window-washer.co.uk/guttinsp02.jpg)
Stuck it on the end of a 12 foot pole.
It works.
And even my wife (who is VERY non-technical) could use it to have a look in the gutters.
And this is what you can see. The picture isn't clear, but it gives you the idea. It's a little fiddly to use at first, but you'll very quickly get used to using it - a bit like a dentist, I suppose.
(http://www.wally-the-window-washer.co.uk/guttinsp03.jpg)
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like it a really simple way to inspect the gutters :)
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Its an idea if your really close (12 ft as you said) but it wouldn't work on a two storey house as the mirror would be too far away to see any detail and it would be difficult to hold the mirror still enough to see a clear image. Also when the gutters are dark (brown or black) or deep, the resolution would not be good enough as not enough light could be transmitted at that distance.
Keep trying you'll come up with a high resolution camera and monitor eventually ;)
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hi wally
looks like another brilliant invention, 8)
keep up the good work
regards mike
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Wally I thought you were going to make one of these????????
(http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k23/jeffo_01/lanceandcctv019.jpg)
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Its an idea if your really close (12 ft as you said) but it wouldn't work on a two storey house as the mirror would be too far away to see any detail and it would be difficult to hold the mirror still enough to see a clear image. Also when the gutters are dark (brown or black) or deep, the resolution would not be good enough as not enough light could be transmitted at that distance.
Keep trying you'll come up with a high resolution camera and monitor eventually ;)
You're doing it again, Kev. You ALWAYS do this. It's a pattern that you run as regular as clockwork. You're criticising donkeys for not being horses.
I wanted to inspect the gutter of a regular 2-storey house and I've come up with a way of doing it. So why are you criticising it for not being suitable for inspecting the gutters on a multi-storey building?
It can be held perfectly still simply by resting the pole against the gutter - and the level of detail is quite sufficient. We are talking gutters here, NOT laser surgery.
Why not get a handle on this?... Your solution is suitable for your problem. My solution is suitable for mine.
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nice idea wally,
here is another way of inspecting gutters using either an old mobile or camera
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_bueA4S4uI
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I agree with wally on this one, the pole can be held against the guttering for a steady image.
If you look at my picture you will see it held against the guttering, trying to get a clear digital image by not holding it steady will be nigh on impossible.
Wally I'm just about to add a small wheel to my system the wheel has a small groove all the way around it, I will sit the groove onto the guttering lip and just roll the camera along, you could do the same for your mirror system.
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nice idea wally,
here is another way of inspecting gutters using either an old mobile or camera
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_bueA4S4uI
looks like marley classic,the best to clean ;D
sad i know
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nice idea wally,
here is another way of inspecting gutters using either an old mobile or camera
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_bueA4S4uI
I spent the first 20 seconds wondering why Billy Connolly was inspecting his gutters!!!
Nice one, and works VERY well.
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Its an idea if your really close (12 ft as you said) but it wouldn't work on a two storey house as the mirror would be too far away to see any detail and it would be difficult to hold the mirror still enough to see a clear image. Also when the gutters are dark (brown or black) or deep, the resolution would not be good enough as not enough light could be transmitted at that distance.
Keep trying you'll come up with a high resolution camera and monitor eventually ;)
You're doing it again, Kev. You ALWAYS do this. It's a pattern that you run as regular as clockwork. You're criticising donkeys for not being horses.
I wanted to inspect the gutter of a regular 2-storey house and I've come up with a way of doing it. So why are you criticising it for not being suitable for inspecting the gutters on a multi-storey building?
It can be held perfectly still simply by resting the pole against the gutter - and the level of detail is quite sufficient. We are talking gutters here, NOT laser surgery.
Why not get a handle on this?... Your solution is suitable for your problem. My solution is suitable for mine.
Try it on an overcast day on a normal domestic house, it doesn't work - been there done that, got the tee shirt.
Im not criticising at all, Forums are spreading ideas, advise etc. Im just letting you know this does not work
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Why not get a handle on this?... Your solution is suitable for your problem. My solution is suitable for mine.
Amateur vs Professional approach - maybe I'll not offer any advise about gutter cleaning anymore, you seem to have it sorted. How are you going to empty them with a spade from the garden centre tied to a bamboo cane? good luck ;)
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Kev I see your point regarding ambient light conditions, if you notice on the video on UTube the guy with the camera had the same issue in the odd spots.
The way I combat this issue is to turn the camera around and work in the opposite direction this often cures the problem.
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Kev I see your point regarding ambient light conditions, if you notice on the video on UTube the guy with the camera had the same issue in the odd spots.
The way I combat this issue is to turn the camera around and work in the opposite direction this often cures the problem.
Not on dark or deep guttering is the quality sufficient in my opinion. I have tried all sorts including a camera very similar to the one you have in the picture. We gave up on that type of wireless cameras just because of electrical interference from our generator, Omnivac or from within the building. We now use a wired camera. However I am considering a camera with a ring light as some of our gutter have been to dark to inspect properly.
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I like the mirror, a gadget that I might actually use myself (I generally have a low threshold for gadgets in my work vehicle!).
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Kev I see your point regarding ambient light conditions, if you notice on the video on UTube the guy with the camera had the same issue in the odd spots.
The way I combat this issue is to turn the camera around and work in the opposite direction this often cures the problem.
Not on dark or deep guttering is the quality sufficient in my opinion. I have tried all sorts including a camera very similar to the one you have in the picture. We gave up on that type of wireless cameras just because of electrical interference from our generator, Omnivac or from within the building. We now use a wired camera. However I am considering a camera with a ring light as some of our gutter have been to dark to inspect properly.
The one in the picture is a night cam and more than capable of seeing in the dark, I have to wait about a minute for the infra red to switch on, thats why I just face the other way.
I must say I have never suffered from electrical interference (yet), if you do then you can buy capacitors to fit across it to reduce it.
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I have to admit I do like a true to life image, I have thought about infrared but I think a led ring light would make the recordings I do for my clients a little more understandable.
We had quite a problem with electrical interferance, thats when we gave up on the diy and went for the Omnicam system. Im not too good at capacitors etc.
Just out of interest a thing I never tried was a magnifying mirror. I wonder if that would work better or worse. One for wally to experiment with I guess ;)
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Concave (magnifying ) mirror wouldn't be much use IMHO. I can see that a convex mirror might be a good idea. A concave mirror is fine for shaving when you want to see fine detail on your face. But as you know, when you move back from it, the image becomes very distorted and then actually inverts. This wouldn't be useful for guttering inspection.
(If you don't shave, or use your mirror for putting on make up, the same is true.)
My reasons for saying that are that you don't really need to be seeing much detail. You want to know that there is a certain depth of muck in a gutter, you don't need to do a chemical or colormetrical analysis of the soil type.
A bit of physics here: the image that you see in a plane (flat) mirror depends on two things: the size of the mirror and the distance you are away from it. They both change at the same rate when you move towards or away from a mirror. Therefore moving the mirror back and forth doesn't alter how much you can see. (I know that this is non-intuitive, but it's true.)
You can test this the next time you go into a clothes shop with a full-length mirror. No matter where you stand, you can always see the same amount. So stand closer and you'll see better! Incidentally, a full-length mirror for you is one which is exactly half as tall as you are. Anything more than this is more than full length.
(http://www.wally-the-window-washer.co.uk/mirror.gif)
With a convex mirror, you'd see more as you moved the mirror back, but it would appear smaller.
I agree with Kev that it might be worth experimenting with at some time. If I do, I'll report back.
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Wally you have given me a brain wave. :o
When using the omnivac its difficult to look at a monitor at the same time as you have your hands full. If someone else holds the monitor because of the light (especially on a sunny day) you cant see the image. so mostly I record a section of guttering blind and then review the recording. Also I dont like fitting my camera to the omnivac nozzle as it gets knocked about and wires are everywhere.
Occasionally something blocks the path of the omnivac nozzle. A mirror of the correct size / type for a quick look (not a full survey) would be ideal.
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Wally you have given me a brain wave. :o
When using the omnivac its difficult to look at a monitor at the same time as you have your hands full. If someone else holds the monitor because of the light (especially on a sunny day) you cant see the image. so mostly I record a section of guttering blind and then review the recording. Also I dont like fitting my camera to the omnivac nozzle as it gets knocked about and wires are everywhere.
Occasionally something blocks the path of the omnivac nozzle. A mirror of the correct size / type for a quick look (not a full survey) would be ideal.
Delighted to be of help.
You've come round to the way of thinking that created the solution in the first place. All you want to know is whether there is a brick in the way or something like that. And for that purpose, the solution is more than adequate.
I'd humbly suggest that you go for a motorcycle rear view mirror. It will be bigger and more substantial and hence better able to take the inevitable knocks.
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Kev, how do you find the Omnicam?
Used my Ionics upkeeper today at 30ft at a really awkward angle over a very, very, wide pitched roof. Done the job ok but there's a few improvements I need to make to it to make it simpler to use. I won't mention what changes I'm making to it until it's all complete and I've overcome my challenges.
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Kev, how do you find the Omnicam?
Used my Ionics upkeeper today at 30ft at a really awkward angle over a very, very, wide pitched roof. Done the job ok but there's a few improvements I need to make to it to make it simpler to use. I won't mention what changes I'm making to it until it's all complete and I've overcome my challenges.
So you've decided to go Omnivac........... LOL ;D ;D ;D
The Omnicam is a good bit of kit. On 99% of gutters I do its fantastic but I am thinking of possibly adding some form of light as a couple of really deep gutters on overcast days have caught me out. ;D ;D
Only joking about the Omnivac ;D
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Omnivac or Ionics or a mixture of both. I'm really not bothered which I use.
I have an Omnipole 36ft pressure washing pole which I use with a petrol pressure washer anyway.
I'll use whatever it takes to make gutter work even easier, even if it means using parts from both systems and mixing/combining them together to get the best from both suppliers.
It's a learning curve, the more I use it, the more problems I'm discovering, which I need to resolve to make the job easier the next time around, to make life easier as I suffer from arthritus and am very determined not to let anything get the better of me. I have three ideas in my head to sort out the three problems I come across today, so that next time I use it I won't have them three same problems :) I hate anything getting the better of me. Where there's a will, there's a way ;)
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found this on the nett looks good and cheap to use for guttering,
www.spycameracctv.com/spycamera/wireless-birdbox-day-night-hidden-camera-receiver
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It looks like a useful idea. Plumbers and car mechanics also use a dentists mirror on a telescopic rod like a car aerial to look for leaks etc behind awkward areas like baths and engine compartments.
I also had a couple of ideas - one is a clamp which can hold a paintbrush (which can be dipped in gutter sealant to seal small gutter leaks and brushed on the gutter from ground level using the pole). Also, wouldn't it be slightly easier if the were a couple of small adjustable wheels which could be attached near the top of the pole and leant against the wall to take the lateral strain off the pole when holding it.
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Omnivac or Ionics or a mixture of both. I'm really not bothered which I use.
I have an Omnipole 36ft pressure washing pole which I use with a petrol pressure washer anyway.
I'll use whatever it takes to make gutter work even easier, even if it means using parts from both systems and mixing/combining them together to get the best from both suppliers.
It's a learning curve, the more I use it, the more problems I'm discovering, which I need to resolve to make the job easier the next time around, to make life easier as I suffer from arthritus and am very determined not to let anything get the better of me. I have three ideas in my head to sort out the three problems I come across today, so that next time I use it I won't have them three same problems :) I hate anything getting the better of me. Where there's a will, there's a way ;)
Good man - if you need help you know where I am Wayne ;)
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Also, wouldn't it be slightly easier if the were a couple of small adjustable wheels which could be attached near the top of the pole and leant against the wall to take the lateral strain off the pole when holding it.
I've only had it since about 2:30 today, but I've played with it lots!
There isn't much strain in holding it. It's not like you're staring at it for very long ... probably not more than a couple of minutes ... and it's not very heavy either.... less than 800g.
I've found it easier to just let the pole rest against the side of the gutter and then I can lift it, turn it and tilt it to get the best view.
By angling the mirror I've been able to look either straight down into the gutter or along the length of the gutter.
Of course, other people are going to take the idea and improve it and make it more suitable for their own particular purposes. For myself, I think simpler is better and that addition of wheels would over-complicate things.
I'm not writing a report for a third party or preparing evidence for a tribunal. I'm just inspecting a gutter. A simple guy doing a simple job and thinking that, for me, a simple solution is best!
I can easily understand that wheels would be VERY useful for a camera. A pair of wheels (like a bogey) would locate the camera fairly rigidly in two dimensions and allow for one degree of freedom parallel to the gutter to make a nice smooth video right along its length.
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I just lean my pole against the gutter an pull it along much like Wallys mirror. Its easy.
If you did fit wheels would it not catch on some of the joining clips that over lap to the inside of domestic gutters?
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I just lean my pole against the gutter an pull it along much like Wallys mirror. Its easy.
If you did fit wheels would it not catch on some of the joining clips that over lap to the inside of domestic gutters?
Yes it would I tried it today.
I have 2 different types of wheels, one had just a single groove around it and that was the first one I tried, when it came to a joint I would have to lift it over the joint and spend a few seconds trying to resight it back onto the guttering.
Wheel 2 has a series of six grooves around it, when it came to a joint I was able to roll it over the joint and it would find one of the other grooves its self.
So the answer is to have a series of grooves on a wheel.
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I just lean my pole against the gutter an pull it along much like Wallys mirror. Its easy.
If you did fit wheels would it not catch on some of the joining clips that over lap to the inside of domestic gutters?
Yes it would I tried it today.
I have 2 different types of wheels, one had just a single groove around it and that was the first one I tried, when it came to a joint I would have to lift it over the joint and spend a few seconds trying to resight it back onto the guttering.
Wheel 2 has a series of six grooves around it, when it came to a joint I was able to roll it over the joint and it would find one of the other grooves its self.
So the answer is to have a series of grooves on a wheel.
Groovy ;D
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I asked for that ;D ;D
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I asked for that ;D ;D
;D
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Don't I remember somebody on here a while back saying that Maplin do a wireless TV camera and monitor for about £100?
I was going to look into it but like all these things it never quit happened
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Don't I remember somebody on here a while back saying that Maplin do a wireless TV camera and monitor for about £100?
I was going to look into it but like all these things it never quit happened
Thats where I got my first wireless camera and monitor from. The problems with it are its really hard to hold the pole and the monitor at the same time. Its hard to see the monitor in bright light conditions. Electrical interference was a problem for us with the wireless version. Also most of these cameras are not waterproof which makes gutter cleaning hard on the rainy days.
They are ok for a starter but they will become annoying on bigger jobs.
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Don't I remember somebody on here a while back saying that Maplin do a wireless TV camera and monitor for about £100?
I was going to look into it but like all these things it never quit happened
I bought mine from Maplins, use the external cameras and you won't get the problems Kev had.
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Can the Maplins system also record & burn onto DVD?
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Wally I thought you were going to make one of these????????
jeff can we have a close up of how that camera is attached to the pole??? would be well helpful if I didn't have to knacker 2 or 3 units to get it right!!!
thanks
greg
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Can the Maplins system also record & burn onto DVD?
No, not unless you purchase a small monitor/dvd recorder, always check when buying CCTV systems that they record 1v peak to peak (this one does so can be used to record the images)
Wally I thought you were going to make one of these????????
jeff can we have a close up of how that camera is attached to the pole??? would be well helpful if I didn't have to knacker 2 or 3 units to get it right!!!
thanks
greg
Sorry Greg just got home.
OK how I fitted it was I attatched the camera to a cycle lamp bracket with cable ties then you just slip the clamp over the end of your pole and fasten the clamp.