Infrared Thermometer on Sale

[Brian B-P]

The application which Bryon has worked with - assessing road surface temperature - seems much more demanding of accuracy and challenging in conditions than checking hub or brake temperatures.

The biggest problem working any IR temperature measurement is not the surface temperature...

I meant that measurement of the road surface temperature seems likely to be critical (a couple of degrees would make a big difference) compared to hub, brake, or tire temperatures; and that a road surface is nasty (variable in emissivity, and going by at speed, for instance) compared to mechanical components (such as stationary hubs, brakes, or tires). I understand that ambient air temperature is an issue in either case, but even then we tend to camp in ambient temperatures somewhat closer to the calibration point (e.g. 72°F) than the road icing detection systems work in.

[Byron Kinnaman]

I meant that measurement of the road surface temperature seems likely to be critical (a couple of degrees would make a big difference) compared to hub, brake, or tire temperatures; and that a road surface is nasty (variable in emissivity, and going by at speed, for instance) compared to mechanical components (such as stationary hubs, brakes, or tires). I understand that ambient air temperature is an issue in either case, but even then we tend to camp in ambient temperatures somewhat closer to the calibration point (e.g. 72°F) than the road icing detection systems work in.

Just don't believe the numbers you see on the indicator.
Interesting assumption about camping at 72°F or for that matter traveling only at that temperature.

[peterh]

<chuckle>

So, we bought a travel trailer. No problem. How technical and complicated can owning a travel trailer be?

[Byron Kinnaman]

<chuckle>

So, we bought a travel trailer. No problem. How technical and complicated can owning a travel trailer be?

Doesn't that depend on how many toys we have to have to go with it? <grinz>

[Steve L.]

<chuckle>

So, we bought a travel trailer. No problem. How technical and complicated can owning a travel trailer be?

As technical and complicated as you want it to be. For some the gadgets and toys are part of the fun. Lucky for all of us, one size doesn't fit all.

As a geek by nature and training, I think gadgets are cool. My rule is: As long as the failure of a gadget doesn't curtail my camping...

A sometimes poster (Charles Watts) once posted a cautionary tale about having too much information. His story about having a remote thermometer in the trailer reefer and his angst over one or two degree drifts in it's internal temp serve as a warning to keep things grounded.

But I can understand back-to-basics campers. Been there done that, so over it. It's just not my style any more.

When my buddy first bought his Casita (long before me), I used to stare and poke at it in his side yard. I was so fascinated by all it's "systems" in a small compact package. (The ONLY thing I find fascinating about babies!)

[Nancy]

Gee, almost sorry I brought this thread back to life!

After playing with our new unit (aimed at objects close range) I have noticed that our IR is consistently 8-10 degrees cooler than the regular thermometers on/near the same object.

This should make me feel much cooler in the summer, but I don't need to know the book on my bookshelf (next to my room therm) says it is 52 degrees rather than my 60 degree bedroom. And I like the 9 degree daily high outside (in my protected north alcove) better than the 0 degrees with the IR.

Sure wish we had left the trailer in Tulsa for a January trip to Texas. Now we will have to do the air thing and stay in motels.

Nancy

[Darwin Maring]

Not to worry Nancy, your other thermometer is not correct either, just like your watch does not have the exact time and your ruler does not have the exact measurement. The bureau of standards is the only people that have the exact measurements and everything else is just close. The scientific devices are closer and what we non-scientific people purchase are devices that are not as close – but close enough for our daily life and that is good enough.

If you were a Scientist or the Military where you may require a precision time clock worth millions of $$ and measurements must be exact then close enough is not good enough.

The fact that your IR Thermometer is off a little will be good enough for you to spot cool spots around your doors and windows so you can take corrective action to plug those leeks and save some heating $$ in the winter and by doing so in the colder months it will save you $$ come summer during air condition time.

Your clock being several seconds or billionths of a second off will not matter because you will still get to your appointments on time, that is unless you are retired in which case It just doesn’t matter.

When you take your IR thermometer camping and you read the hub temp you will most certainly know when something is wrong because it will not be just a few degrees off because a hub going bad will increasingly get hotter until it is really – really hot and you can track it by taking the temp every time you stop for a break.

So relax and use your IR Thermometer as it was designed for and spot those leaks in your house and trouble spots on your vehicles and enjoy a trouble free life and we’ll let the scientist worry about the small inaccuracies in our affordable daily measurement devices.

[Byron Kinnaman]

I guess this all depends on what you call "small inaccuracies". A degree or two? how about 30 to 50 degress off or more?

[Brian B-P]

Your clock being several seconds or billionths of a second off will not matter because you will still get to your appointments on time, that is unless you are retired in which case It just doesn’t matter.

A clock for all of you retired people...

[Darwin Maring]

To Brian B-P, You have a great since of humor, thanks, that is what I call a retired clock.
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For everyone: The least costly model in Northern Tools has the listed specs of 2.5% and the $600 model is listed at 1%. It did not state + or - percentage. If it is +- 2.5% then the range of error on the cheep one for 100 degrees would be from 97.5 to 102.5 degrees and that is something us camper people can live with.

I for one would take a static reading of the hub and wheel before starting and the reading should be relative the same and do it on my truck also and it still should be relative the same as the egg and I suspect it would be very close to the ambient temperature outside. Do the same thing when I stop to take a break and the readings should be relative the same when compared against each other.

As my truck has a thermometer in the rear view mirror it should be easy to use it to compare with the IRT to see if there is a wide margin of differences.

Even the most expensive device can malfunction so right now I'm going to trust their specifications. As far as 30 to 50 degrees I guess we'll just have to rely on our own brain power to figure out if something is wrong with the IR device.

[Byron Kinnaman]

To Brian B-P, You have a great since of humor, thanks, that is what I call a retired clock.
------------------------------------------
For everyone: The least costly model in Northern Tools has the listed specs of 2.5% and the $600 model is listed at 1%. It did not state + or - percentage. If it is +- 2.5% then the range of error on the cheep one for 100 degrees would be from 97.5 to 102.5 degrees and that is something us camper people can live with.

I for one would take a static reading of the hub and wheel before starting and the reading should be relative the same and do it on my truck also and it still should be relative the same as the egg and I suspect it would be very close to the ambient temperature outside. Do the same thing when I stop to take a break and the readings should be relative the same when compared against each other.

As my truck has a thermometer in the rear view mirror it should be easy to use it to compare with the IRT to see if there is a wide margin of differences.

Even the most expensive device can malfunction so right now I'm going to trust their specifications. As far as 30 to 50 degrees I guess we'll just have to rely on our own brain power to figure out if something is wrong with the IR device.

Ahh, Over what ambient range does that specification apply to?
That's my point. They'll work at room temperature. The farther away from room temperature you get the larger the error.

Having dealt with marketing types on specifications ± any percentage is a cop-out. 2.5% of what. Since according you, they don't say it can be anything such as the maximum reading. Makes a big difference.

[jerry l elven]

I wasn't to sure about the usfulness of this heat reading device beyond checking axle bearings. But I think I've thought of more uses on everyday things around the house. 1, when I get a bowl of chili and start adding my tabasco sauce to it I just point and get a reading as to how hot it is. 2, when I take the cover off my old tube radio I just point this thing in at the wires to find out which one is hot. 3, When I come home late from the saloon and see my wife I just point this thing at her and see if she is hot. 4, when I go to the news stand I'll point his thing to see which paper is hot off the press. 5, If I ever see Paris hilton I'll point and see if she is really as hot as she claims to be. 6, When I go to the the think tank I can easily see if they have any hot ideas. 7, When I go to the kennel I'll check for hot dogs. 8, When I go to cabella's I'll see if they have any hot rods. And then this thing also does cold. 1, When I return from the saloon maybe I'll get the cold shoulder it sure is easy to check. 2, And if I could aim it at you folks reading this I may be getting a real cold stare. so I'm done. Jerry

[Brian B-P]

...And if I could aim it at you folks reading this I may be getting a real cold stare. so I'm done.

Not from me!

[Byron Kinnaman]

Sometimes new technology is placed on the market before it's mature enough to be practical for most users. That's the case with IR thermometers (technically they are radiometers). Radiometers are quite useful in some applications. At this point in time there are limitations that most users are not aware of. I also firmly believe that most of those limitations will be gone in 3 to 5 years. We (meaning another engineer and myself) have created designs that overcome most those limitations. The design is not quite perfected enough for a general market device. It's getting there. My advice is to wait a couple years and let the technology catch up with the desire to have a practical instrument rather than purchasing an unreliable toy.

[Art VanDelay]

If it wasn't for Edison, we would be watching TV by candle lite.
If it wasn't for Bessemer, we'd be driving around in cast iron automobiles.

I for one, I'm going to go out and put carbide lamps on the egg and tug.

[Bigfoot Mike]

If it wasn't for Edison, we would be watching TV by candle lite.
If it wasn't for Bessemer, we'd be driving around in cast iron automobiles.

I for one, I'm going to go out and put carbide lamps on the egg and tug.

Art,

Please update your location and RV type.

[Pete Dumbleton]

Brian, you can easily get the hub temps even with the covers on -- Either put your hand around blind on the back and squeeze the button OR shoot the opposite wheel from underneath! (Byron, before you jump on me, this last would be a case where one really doesn't care about 50* or so inaccuracy -- If both cross-trailer readings are close, the hubs are OK).

I have found that the readings will vary a lot from trip to trip, depending on road temp, air temp, rain, sunshine, speed, etc. The important thing is to check everything, looking for something that stands out from the rest. The more often you check, the quicker you will build up a personal data base of what falls within the "normal" range for varying conditions.

A couple of years ago, I showed my Radio Shack IRT to a retired helicopter mechanic and he said he really wished he had had one when working. A friend bought his from Snap-On after his mechanic was examining exhaust temperatures cylinder by cylinder. Also good for shooting moving parts, like alternator bearings, when they are moving.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Brian, you can easily get the hub temps even with the covers on -- Either put your hand around blind on the back and squeeze the button OR shoot the opposite wheel from underneath! (Byron, before you jump on me, this last would be a case where one really doesn't care about 50* or so inaccuracy -- If both cross-trailer readings are close, the hubs are OK).

I have found that the readings will vary a lot from trip to trip, depending on road temp, air temp, rain, sunshine, speed, etc. The important thing is to check everything, looking for something that stands out from the rest. The more often you check, the quicker you will build up a personal data base of what falls within the "normal" range for varying conditions.

A couple of years ago, I showed my Radio Shack IRT to a retired helicopter mechanic and he said he really wished he had had one when working. A friend bought his from Snap-On after his mechanic was examining exhaust temperatures cylinder by cylinder. Also good for shooting moving parts, like alternator bearings, when they are moving.

Not gonna jump on you. I've said my piece and in 2 or 3 years that'll all change. My poor old bones are telling me that new and better radiometers are coming. Well, maybe not my bones, more like magazines and other publications.

Besides accuracy over ambient temperature, there's one more improvement I'd like to see. Some sort of good aiming system. Laser diode light goes right through glass, water, and such where these things are opaque to IR.

[Pete Dumbleton]

Besides accuracy over ambient temperature, there's one more improvement I'd like to see. Some sort of good aiming system. Laser diode light goes right through glass, water, and such where these things are opaque to IR.

How about some IR glasses to see the IR spot and KNOW where it is (and how big it is) ?

[Byron Kinnaman]

How about some IR glasses to see the IR spot and KNOW where it is (and how big it is) ?

You don't need glasses to know where IR is, it's everywhere, so it's big, very big. Everything with a temperature above 0 degrees K emits IR energy. Now how do you keep IR energy from adversely effecting people?