IR thermometer recommendations?

[PDutro]

Is there a quality one for $50 or under? If not what would you recommend?

 

[DonTee]

I bought one of the Harbor Freight IR thermometers about a year ago. I think it was around 25 dollars. It works well for what I use it for. Mostly woodstove temps, but also some random temp checking, like my tractor engine to make sure the block heater is working etc.

At work I use a Fluke IR thermometer. I think it’s a Fluke 62. Pretty nice, but more than 50$.

 

[kborndale]

I've been using this one for 5 years now.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DMI62HM?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

[PaulOinMA]

I have a Thermoworks Industrial IR Gun, IR-GUN-S. It is $69. Looks like there is also a sitewide 18% off sale on now for President's Day.

 

[xman23]

I've used a few at work, and see no difference in them. They all work. But I believe there are some problems with reflective surface.

 

[EbS-P]

Get one that goes to 1000 degrees F. Can’t over fire a stove if you can’t read temps over 700 right.

 

[PaulOinMA]

The one I have is on sale for $41.40.

Industrial IR Gun (IR-GUN-S)

Specializing in cool, unique and professional temperature tools. Super-Fast thermocouples, thermistors, infrared thermometers, data logging and more.

www.thermoworks.com

 

[AstroBoy]

I've used a few at work, and see no difference in them. They all work. But I believe there are some problems with reflective surface.

If you get one with adjustable emissivity (like the ThermoWorks one in the previous link) you can correct for different surfaces. The emissivity is a number from 0 to 1 that says how efficient the surface is at radiating heat (in this case in the infrared, where these devices make their measurements). The default setting of that one is 0.95, essentially saying that the surface is assumed to be very black, and thus a very good absorber/emitter. (Both go together.) If the surface is shiny, it doesn’t radiate as effectively at a given temperature. So the IR gun measures less emission from that surface, and interprets it as a lower temperature, rather than as a different surface at the correct temperature.

Figuring out what emissivity to use to measure a shinier surface is a little tricky, but in principle you could do something like this:

- Put some black tape on your shiny surface (when it’s not too hot!).
- Measure the temp of that tape.
- Measure the temp of a non-taped part of the shiny surface; it should read too low.
- Adjust emissivity setting in the thermometer until it reads correctly on the shiny surface.
- Make a note of that setting for future use on that particular surface (but be sure to change it back for use on other, darker surfaces).

Alternatively, if you know the surface is at room temperature, you could do the above adjustment without having to put tape on it - just compare to a darker room-temperature surface.

 

[PaulOinMA]

E-mail from Thermoworks with an IR thermometer sale. I have the IR-GUN-S.

Shop - Products - Infrareds - Page 1 - ThermoWorks

www.thermoworks.com

 

[stoveliker]

If you get one with adjustable emissivity (like the ThermoWorks one in the previous link) you can correct for different surfaces. The emissivity is a number from 0 to 1 that says how efficient the surface is at radiating heat (in this case in the infrared, where these devices make their measurements). The default setting of that one is 0.95, essentially saying that the surface is assumed to be very black, and thus a very good absorber/emitter. (Both go together.) If the surface is shiny, it doesn’t radiate as effectively at a given temperature. So the IR gun measures less emission from that surface, and interprets it as a lower temperature, rather than as a different surface at the correct temperature.

Figuring out what emissivity to use to measure a shinier surface is a little tricky, but in principle you could do something like this:

- Put some black tape on your shiny surface (when it’s not too hot!).
- Measure the temp of that tape.
- Measure the temp of a non-taped part of the shiny surface; it should read too low.
- Adjust emissivity setting in the thermometer until it reads correctly on the shiny surface.
- Make a note of that setting for future use on that particular surface (but be sure to change it back for use on other, darker surfaces).

Alternatively, if you know the surface is at room temperature, you could do the above adjustment without having to put tape on it - just compare to a darker room-temperature surface.

^^That. Otherwise you are reading numbers, but they don't mean anything. Temps read out can vary a LOT if emissivities are wrong for the material (and surface) used. There are many tables online with emissivities for different materials and finishes.

Or get a dual wavelength IR gun, that can approximate the emissivity by itself. Not for $50 tho.

 

[begreen]

This is a popular model

IR Thermometer

www.hearth.com

As others have noted, be sure it can read up to at least 1000ºF.

Which IR Thermometer?

I've searched the forums and haven't quite found my answer yet. I'm wondering which IR thermometer I need to buy. I've realized that the cheap Rutland thermometers that I've been using aren't very accurate, especially since my kids like to play with the needle (while the stove is cold) when I'm...

www.hearth.com

Recommend a good IR thermometer

I could use an IR thermometer. I thought I had a deal going with a Fluke 68IS but it fell through. I prefer Fluke as it's been a known & common tool in the electrical industry. However, I plan on using it to check stove temps, & saw temps during milling.

www.hearth.com

 

[cahaak]

I have the harbor freight one. It has worked well for the multiple years that I have used it and is cost effective.