This tiny gadget lets your phone detect leaks

Summary

The Thermal Master P2 is a tiny thermal camera that plugs into Android devices.
The setup process is straightforward and easy, and the gadget doesn’t need Wi-Fi to function.
The camera detects subtle temperature differences but doesn’t “see” leaks (this makes it useful for homeowners).

I love gadgets, especially when they’re cute and actually useful.

So, when Thermal Master reached out to ask if I wanted to try the “world’s 2nd smallest thermal camera” (yes, that really is how it’s marketed), I jumped at the opportunity. What would I do with a thermal camera that plugs into my Android device? I wasn’t sure, but it quickly came in handy a few weeks ago.

Thermal Master P2

The tiny Thermal Master P2 transforms your Android phone into a thermal camera, allowing you to detect the temperature of objects (and people) around you and, of course, see in the dark.

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Seeing in the dark never felt so cool

The setup process is very straightforward

Thermal Master P2 pointed at a thermostat.

Setting up the Thermal Master P2 is very easy. All you need to do is pop it out of its case and slide it into the USB-C port of any Android device (it even fits when you have a thin case on the phone). The device, thankfully, doesn’t require a Wi-Fi connection like some other thermal cameras and works right away.

Hunting down the Temp Master app needed to use the P2 took some time, but that’s more related to how confusing app stores can sometimes be when you’re looking for a specific, yet obscure app. Conveniently, the Temp Master app launches when you plug the Thermal Master P2 into your device, making it easy to jump right into temperature scanning.

Regarding features, the thermal camera is capable of 1x, 2x, 3x, and 4x zoom, as well as several colored overlays, including the traditional “iron red” thermal view you might recognize, alongside the scary-looking green “low light,” and the wild-colored “medical.” As a side note, I find it odd the Thermal Master P2 doesn’t work with the iPhone, especially since the Temp Master app is available on iOS, but I imagine it’s due to some sort of limitation imposed on third-party developers by Apple, despite the Thermal Master P2 featuring a USB-C port.

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Hunting for leaks

This tiny gadget offered ample peace of mind

My house isn’t that old, but it has very noisy pipes — I’ve run into a couple of unforeseen minor leaks since my partner and I purchased it roughly five years ago. I spent the first few weeks with the Thermal Master P2 checking the temperature of my desk, random objects in my backyard, my cat, a lumbering raccoon perched on my backyard fence in the dark, and a few review devices that were running a little hot (these are all silly but fun purposes). However, the gadget really came in handy when it looked like we might have a leak in our house.

To be clear, the Thermal Master P2 doesn’t necessarily allow you to “see” a leak, but it is capable of detecting subtle temperature differences and patterns, which can reveal that you have water issue on your hands.

Don’t ever point the Thermal Master P2 at you or a pet unless you want to be terrified. It makes you look like a warm, spot-filled demon.

One evening, a rather sharp-sounding, dripping-like noise appeared randomly in my living room ceiling every few hours. It sounded like a loud click or water consistently dripping. While my partner and I weren’t sure, it started to feel like it only happened when it was raining or snowing outside. Can you tell where I’m going with this? We couldn’t entirely pinpoint where the sound was coming from, but it seemed to be in the ceiling of our living room. I removed a potlight and peaked above the ceiling drywall, but I couldn’t see anything that indicated a leak.

A quick Google Search revealed that the noise could be caused by pipes expanding and contracting in the cold/warm weather flashes the Toronto, Canada, area was experiencing at the time. Having dealt with pipe and shower leaks before, we wanted to be sure we were in the clear and considered contacting a plumber for extra peace of mind.

That’s when I remembered the Thermal Master P2. I whipped it out, hooked it up to my Pixel 9 Pro, and nervously pointed it around my living room. Thankfully, there weren’t notable temperature differences, indicating that there were no leaks in my home. I haven’t done this yet, but I plan to use the Thermal Master P2 to detect cold spots around my home to see if there are insulation or window sealing problems in certain rooms.

I’ll also probably still point it at my face occasionally to see how warm my eyebrows are, just like I did when I first played around with it. The Thermal Maser P2 is the type of somewhat pricey gadget I probably won’t use often, but as a homeowner, I’m glad I have it, especially when dealing with something as serious as a possible leak.