Folks, we’re going to get through this. I know it seems like it’s been about 5,000 years since January, but it hasn’t. And I know it’s going to seem like about 5,000 more until things get back to normal. But it won’t. Every day brings more research and every day brings new opportunities.
The importance of temperature screening
Temperature screening is one of the tools available to us now to help people feel comfortable going to work, to the store, and to places they want to be. Quick and easy temperature screening helps identify people who don’t know they’re sick. You don’t need a fever to be contagious, but having one is a good indicator that you should stay home.
We’ve talked before about temperature screening, and how many companies just do it with a regular thermometer like you’d use at home. Smart companies are starting to put no-contact thermometers in place. These devices can take temperatures quickly without the need for an employee in full PPE standing at the front door. People just walk up and the temperature is shown in under a second.
One of my favorite devices
I’ve told you before about the Thermscan, an innovative low-cost temperature screening system. My friends at NACE Products designed this to be a much better option than some of the products you see out there today. It works quickly and accurately and has a variety of mounting options.
In my recent video, I showed you how the Thermscan has a mount point on the bottom that can be used with most camera tripods:
This is a good option but I found that on my tripod, the mount covered up the power connection. So that’s a problem, right?
Using this product on battery power
When I opened up the back of the Thermscan, I discovered it does have a connector for a battery.
The battery you’ll need is a 18650 cell. This is a common battery in flashlights and other devices that need a lot of power from a rechargeable battery. It’s the same cell that’s used in some electric cars, too. It looks like a AA but it’s quite a bit bigger as you can see in this comparison:
I asked my friends at NACE Brands about this. They said they prefer the unit to be plugged in because the batteries don’t last very long. So I decided to find out what the deal was.
Yes you can use this with battery…
After buying a garden-variety 18650 cell from the internet, I put it in and tried it. The battery was discharged when I got it, not uncommon for rechargeable batteries. But, I didn’t have a battery charger. So I plugged in the Thermscan, with battery installed, just to see what would happen. I couldn’t tell from the circuit board if it would recharge, so I left it for a couple of days.
My results
I tested this out while working from home and I discovered that this device will charge the battery while it’s plugged in. I also discovered that it will work for about 2-3 days on a charge while taking 100 temperature tests.
In my mind that’s enough to recommend it for daily use in most small businesses. If you put it on a tripod because you want a temporary installation, you can take it off and charge it every night. If you wall mount it, you could charge it every night and take the cord away in the morning. Keeping it plugged in is a better option in the long run but it’s nice to know that there are options.
When you’re ready for your own Thermscan, get yours at Solid Signal!
