TOOLTOP ET11S Thermal Imager & Multimeter 2-in-1, 24 × 32

Find the Hot Spot, Then Test it.

The inverter keeps dropping out and the battery bank reads fine at the terminals. Somewhere in the loom a lug has worked loose. A loose lug runs hot for weeks before it cooks the terminal, and a cooked terminal in a battery box is how a wiring fault turns into a fire. You can't see it, but it shows as heat, and the voltage tells you the rest.

The ET11S puts a basic thermal camera and a digital multimeter in one handheld, 134 × 69 × 25 mm and 125 g. Point it at the battery bank, the fuse block or the pump motor and the hot spot shows as a bright patch, with the centre-point, maximum and minimum temperatures on the screen. One button swaps it to a 4000-count multimeter for DC and AC volts, resistance, continuity, diode, capacitance and duty cycle, and the same probes go straight on the connection you just found.

Be clear on what you're buying. The thermal side is low resolution: 24 × 32, which is 768 pixels. The seller says so itself: it needs a large temperature difference, suits a general look at where the heat is, and is not for detailed inspection. That's fine for picking the one connection running far hotter than its neighbours. It's no good for picking one hot part on a circuit board; for that, look at the ET13S at 192 × 192. It also has no current (amps) range listed.

What it Solves

• Finds the Hot Terminal: a loose or corroded lug on a battery bank, an inverter lead or a fuse block shows warmer than the rest, then you check the voltage across it on the same tool.
• Chases 12 V Faults in the Van: continuity on a cable run, voltage at the fridge plug, and a quick look for the joint that is cooking under load.
• Checks Motors, Pumps & Bearings: a pump motor or a bearing working far harder than it should shows hot against a cool frame.
• Finds the Hot-Water Pipe: a hot pipe against a cool wall or slab is a big temperature difference, the kind this sensor picks up.
• One Tool in the Bag, Not Two: one battery to charge, one screen, one set of leads in the ute or the crib bag.

Key Features

• Thermal Camera & Multimeter in One: a button on the front switches between the two, and you can set which one it starts in.
• 24 × 32 Thermal Sensor: uncooled, 16 frames a second, 55° × 35° field of view, -40 to +300 °C.
• Adjustable Emissivity: 0.1 to 0.99, set to 0.95 out of the box.
• 4000-Count Multimeter: DC volts to 1000 V, AC volts to 750 V, resistance to 40 MΩ, capacitance to 100 µF, diode, continuity and duty cycle, with auto ranging and data hold.
• Data Chart Recording: logs multimeter readings as a chart on the screen and saves them to the meter.
• 2.8 in (71 mm) Touch Screen: 320 × 480, resistive, so it works with a fingernail or a stylus.
• Saves Thermal Images: a screenshot button stores the picture as a BMP file in 3.5 MB of storage, and USB-C moves images and chart data to a computer.
• Built-in Rechargeable Battery: 3.7 V 850 mAh lithium-ion, charged over USB-C, with auto screen-off and auto power-off.
• Small & Light: 134 × 69 × 25 mm and 125 g, test leads included.

Limits

The thermal picture is coarse. At 24 × 32 pixels you get blocks of colour, not a sharp image. The seller says it needs a large temperature difference and is for general heat distribution, not detailed inspection. If you want to see fine detail or work on circuit boards, the ET13S (192 × 192) is the better buy.

It pauses every 10 seconds or so. A mechanical calibration shutter in front of the sensor closes about every 10 seconds and the picture holds for 1 to 2 seconds. The seller says this is normal: it is the sensor recalibrating itself.

Use a fingernail, not a fingertip. The screen is resistive: it responds to pressure, so a fingernail or a stylus works and a soft fingertip may not.

No current (amps) range. The supplier lists volts, resistance, continuity, diode, capacitance and duty cycle, and the meter has two probe sockets only. It will not tell you what a load is drawing; for that you need a clamp meter or a shunt.

Marked 600V CAT II. That marking is printed on the front of the meter. CAT II covers appliances and power points; it is not rated for work at the switchboard or meter box, which is CAT III and CAT IV territory. No fuse rating is published. Measuring mains voltage is for people who know what they are doing; if in doubt, call an electrician.

No USB-C cable in the box. The supplier shows the USB-C port as "cable not included", and you need one to charge it. The maker has PC software for downloading images and chart data; we do not supply or link it, so treat the computer side as a bonus, not a reason to buy.

It reads surfaces, not through them. Shiny metal and glass reflect heat and read wrong; the emissivity setting helps, but a polished bus bar can still fool it.

Keep it dry and off the dash. No water rating is published. The supplier rates it for 0 to 50 °C working and -20 to 60 °C in storage. Battery life and charge time are not specified by the supplier.

Q & A

Is 24 × 32 Enough?

For finding the connection, bearing or pipe that is a lot hotter than what is around it, yes. For seeing detail, no. The seller itself calls the pixel count low and says it suits general temperature distribution, not complex inspection. If you want a clearer picture, the ET13S has 192 × 192.

What Voltage can it Measure?

DC up to 1000 V and AC up to 750 V by the supplier's figures, with the lowest range at 400 mV. That covers 12, 24 and 48 V battery banks with plenty to spare. The meter is marked 600V CAT II, so it is not a switchboard tool.

Can it Measure Current?

No current range is listed and there are only two probe sockets. For amps you need a clamp meter or a battery monitor with a shunt.

Why does the Picture Freeze Every Few Seconds?

That is the calibration shutter. It closes about every 10 seconds and holds the picture for 1 to 2 seconds while the sensor recalibrates. The seller says this is normal.

Does it Come with a USB Cable?

No. The box holds the meter, a pair of test leads, the user manual and the box itself. You need your own USB-C cable to charge it and to connect it to a computer.

Will it Take Someone's Temperature?

No. It is not a medical device and is not sold for measuring people.

Do you Have a Sharper One?

Yes. The ET13S is the same idea with a 192 × 192 thermal sensor and a 9999-count multimeter.

Specs