Non Contact IR Infrared Digital Temperature Thermometer

[Capt Mike]

Does anyone use one of these to keep check on their lead temps? The one I am looking at reads up to about 1100 degrees f. and cost about $22.

[Frozone]

Does anyone use the search feature?

[el34]

Does anyone use one of these to keep check on their lead temps? The one I am looking at reads up to about 1100 degrees f. and cost about $22.

Howdy Capt, welcome to the forum.
I've had occasion to use one in my day job but it's several hundred dollars. If you discover something cool please post it, I'm interested, especially at 22 beans.

[theperfessor]

There have been MANY threads on this topic. Conclusion: They are useless for accurate readings of melted lead.

Edit ti add:Here is the best thread on it I could find in a three minute search:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?190209-Infrared-Thermometer-Test&highlight=infrrared+thermometers

[el34]

My interest is for monitoring mold temps. Discovering a mold's 'happy temp' then keeping it close would (for me) beat watching for frosted boolits or rock hard sprues.

[khmer6]

These take surface temps. They are useless for lead and possibly mold. You would need a drilled hole. Same reason the health department doesn't approve use of then cause most temps are taken at internal.

[Capt Mike]

Thanks to all of you for your reply's. I have used a similar devise for lesser tasks and also found it lacking. The one I have only goes up to 500 degrees, but was hoping the one I found on ebay would be adequate for the task. Maybe I should look at the RCBS analog thermometer. to Frozone: maybe I just don't understand how to use the search feature here, but I did not turn up anything when I tried. I knew there had to be threads on this forum about the subject, but did not have hours to look manually. I find this site to be extremely helpful, but sometimes you have to give a new user time to learn the ropes. Just a note, if you are selling a product, maybe you should be more helpful or just not comment. Everyone else, thanks for the input and I will figure out how to use the search feature here.

[theperfessor]

Capt Mike - I wasn't trying to be abrupt with you, it was pretty late when I posted on this thread and i was just keeping my answer short. Welcome to the forum! The Search feature here isn't all that great, but it does work. I found that thread I posted the link to by putting in "IR thermometer" (in quotes).

You will get a lot of results and while it may seem annoying sometime to have to comb through all the threads one good side effect is that you can learn an awful lot of useful information related to what you are trying to find. It will give you a sense of the history and wide ranging nature of the topics and personalities here.

It is also very helpful to read the threads in the Classic and Stickies area.

Again, accept my apologies for not recognizing you as a relative newcomer and adjusting my response appropriately.

[Dale in Louisiana]

I just posted a comment on this thread:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?190209-Infrared-Thermometer-Test&highlight=infrrared+thermometers

The problem with checking the surface of molten lead is that of emissivity. If you don't account for this, your thermometer is not going to give you good numbers. Molten lead has poor emissivity. The amount of IR energy it puts out is not going to translate properly in an inexpensive IR thermometer.

I use an few expensive IR thermography devices at work. They allow me to set the emissivity. It makes a BIG difference in the temperature reading. Oxidized steel has an emissivity of around 0.95. Molten lead is 0.05. Your thermometer takes the amount of IR energy it sees, applies the emissivity number and calculates the temperature it displays. In an instrument with a fixed emissivity setting, it will be darned close on dark and dull surfaces but way off on shiny ones. Try floating a disk of dark iron on top of your lead and shoot the temperature when that disk is hot. You'll get an education.

Cheapo thermometers are probably looking for an emissivity of 0.8, which is a good 'ballpark' figure for most things. A molten pot of lead is not in the manufacturer's idea of 'most things'.

A common trick I use when doing thermal surveys with IR is to compare like objects. Much of my electrical equipment is three-phase, so when I shoot it, I have three identical terminals to look at. If one shows up hotter than the other two, even though I might have the wrong emissivity setting and therefore an inaccurate actual temperature, the temperature difference between the like objects will be accurate. Translating that to your lead pot, if it says 400 degrees today and it's really 750, then tomorrow when it reads 400 on your thermometer it will really be 750 again.

dale in Louisiana

[Duckiller]

Dale just explained to me why my Harbor Tool and Freight dosn't work on shiney surfaces. Instructions said it wouldn't but didn't say why. I gave up on taking the temp of my melt. Make sure it is liquid, if spue takes too long to set up turn down the heat, if everything sets up too fast turn up the heat.
Capt Mike I have been here for some time and have had very little luck with search feature.

[Dale in Louisiana]

Dale just explained to me why my Harbor Tool and Freight dosn't work on shiney surfaces. Instructions said it wouldn't but didn't say why. I gave up on taking the temp of my melt. Make sure it is liquid, if spue takes too long to set up turn down the heat, if everything sets up too fast turn up the heat.
Capt Mike I have been here for some time and have had very little luck with search feature.

I accept check, money order or bank draft....

:bigsmyl2:


dale in Louisiana
(training classes $1500/day (plus expenses) for up to 12 students)