New digital thermometer

[JeffinNZ]

Team.

Got my thermometer today. Liquid range up 750C/1382F. Probe type and only USD45.00!!!!!!!

Couldn't believe my luck really.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/JeffinNZ/Shooting%20stuff/IMG_0031-1.jpg

Need to fire up the pot now and try it out. Thought I might put some thermo protection on the leads etc.

[Texasflyboy]

Congrats. If it were mine I would change out the Thermocouple to the one pictured below.

The armored stainless steel types are easily adaptable to your style of plug. You can either fabricate leads that plug in directly where your yellow plug is, or if allowed, open up your yellow connector and see if you can change the wiring.

The stainless steel armored types are much more heat resistant over time and more durable. Sooner or later that plastic on yours is going to get scorched.

My .02...

Tom in NC.

Photo:

http://auberins.com/images/wrnk-171.gif

Link to Site HERE (http://auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=27)

[Texasflyboy]

Here are photos of my original mod to the Harbor Freight Thermometer. It came with a cheap K type thermocouple that I discarded and adapted the connector to take an armored K style that I got off of eBay.

Photos:

http://hgmould.gunloads.com/a/a/1.jpg



http://hgmould.gunloads.com/a/a/2.jpg



http://hgmould.gunloads.com/a/a/3.jpg



http://hgmould.gunloads.com/a/a/4.jpg

[JeffinNZ]

GOOD THINKING! Yes, I have concerns about the original lead. Food for thought.

[uncle joe]

While your on the subject
has any one used a non contact IR thermometer to check the temp of their melt. The ones I use at work go up to 888 degrees I think.
JE

[Ron]

Jeff, did you receive my email?

[686]

TEXASFLYBOY i have the same harbor freight themometer. i bought a small brass tube just big enugh for the thermocoupling to fit in . before puting it in to the tube i flating and bent over 1/2 in at the bottom to seal it. the tube is about 10 in . long. i never knew my lead temp changed so much untill i bought thid thomometer. i used a rcbs 22lb pot and fed it 5 lb ingets and thought as long as i did not freez the nozel i was doing good. i found out my lead was having a 125 de. variation. i now have a magma botom pour 90 lb pot. i do not get it any closer than 1in. from the top, and add at about 2-3 in. from the top. it does not change any more than 10 de. i did buy mine 6 mo before there price went up. thanks to all

[WineMan]

I use the McMaster-Carr #39095K54 which is a K type and has a SS probe, flat mini connector and a fiberglass sheathed cable good to 900 degrees F. The probe is good to read 32-1600 degrees F. At 12" plus the cable it does need a wire/clip to keep it in place, but it works great. It should be less than $30.

Wineman

[eli]

TEXASFLYBOY, where did you find your probe and how much does it run?

Cheers

[Texasflyboy]

TEXASFLYBOY, where did you find your probe and how much does it run?

Auber Instruments. For the Stainless Steel Armored "K" type.

Click the link


Model: WRNK-171

Link to K Thermocouple (http://auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=27)

[montana_charlie]

Auber Instruments. For the Stainless Steel Armored "K" type.

Click the link


Auber Instruments (http://auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=27)
This link takes you to a 'high temperature' probe (2000 F vs. 750 F).
http://auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=22
CM

[Texasflyboy]

This link takes you to a 'high temperature' probe (2000 F vs. 750 F).
http://auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=22
CM

I edited the link but the model number is Model: WRNK-171. This is the K thermocouple with Stainless Steel sheath.

Auber is not the only vendor, you can also find numerous vendors on eBay from time to time.

The difference between these K's and all the others is that the probe is encased in a stainless steel sheath which is impervious to the lead bath and easy to clean.

[alamogunr]

I edited the link but the model number is Model: WRNK-171. This is the K thermocouple with Stainless Steel sheath.

Auber is not the only vendor, you can also find numerous vendors on eBay from time to time.

The difference between these K's and all the others is that the probe is encased in a stainless steel sheath which is impervious to the lead bath and easy to clean.

I missed this thread when it first appeared but noticed it yesterday. I just acquired a digital meter that included a temperature probe that looks to be almost useless in that the probe is just a inch long wire sticking out of the insulation with a blob on the end less than 1/16" dia.

The plug that attaches to the meter looks similar to those pictured. Will one of those work with my meter and is there a disadvantage to getting the higher temp probe?

John
W.TN

[Texasflyboy]

...inch long wire sticking out of the insulation with a blob on the end less than 1/16" dia.

That is what is in the Stainless armored styles. The reason I like the stainless steel armored type probes is that its simply a standard K thermocouple inserted into a stainless steel tube. This extends the life of the probe and protects it without affecting the temperature readings. Win win.


The plug that attaches to the meter looks similar to those pictured. Will one of those work with my meter and is there a disadvantage to getting the higher temp probe?

Almost all plugs can be changed out as long as you can take apart the connector plug end and swap out the leads as pictured above. One end of the lead is negative, the other is positive. The connectors on the Harbor Freight model are sized differently, as pictured. My replacement probe came with instructions that indicated which lead was negative and which was positive.

There is no disadvantage to using wider temp range probe. As long as you swap out a K probe for a K you should be OK.

[montana_charlie]

The plug that attaches to the meter looks similar to those pictured.
The color of the connector indicates the type of probe (if it hasn't been fiddled with). The K-type probes use the yellow connectors...because the metal parts in those are compatible with the metal in the K-type wires.

There are two sizes. One is larger, and has round pins. The smaller one has flat pins.
You can use either size with the K-type probe, but be sure it has pins which correspond to your meter.
CM

[JeffinNZ]

Team.

Finally got around to doing my first run of casting since we moved house. Have been using the digital thermometer and it works GREAT.

Invaluable especially since I had to put a new, non Lyman element in my 20lb Mag furnace. It runs WAY hotter than it used to for the same dial setting.

Real happy.

[Just Duke]

Hmmmm....

[boogerloo]

So would it be a good deal to get the Harbor Freight Thermometer and purchase the Auber Instruments probe to it? Is it hard to figure out how to attach it? Is there a Thermometer that already has a good probe attached for a reasonable price?
Kevin

[Just Duke]

That's what I was thinking

[Texasflyboy]

Guys,

Modding the Harbor Freight Thermometer is fairly easy. If anyone has problems doing the conversion I will convert it for free if you contact me and send me the parts.

I can post an online tutorial on how to convert the Harbor Freight digital thermometer, or answer questions via email or phone call.

Just PM me if you need help.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

Flyboy,

the site says the unit is only good to 750-Degrees.

Rich

[boogerloo]

Texasflyboy- I went to Harbour Freight today and couldn't find the Thermometer. Can't find it on their internet site either. Do you have a part number for it?
Kevin

[Russel Nash]

That first picture gives the model number of the digital thermometer as:

tm6801b

This is what google gave me:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=tm6801b&aq=f&oq=

I'm not all that internet savy, so I don't have a clue about navigating my way through some of those vendor sites.

I never purchase anything online. I always call and talk to a warm body.

[DanM]

I found this unit: http://www.allqa.com/aqa62812.htm which looks just like the one shown in the first post of this thread. However if Harbor Freight or someone else has it cheaper, I don't see it. Have been all over the HF site, looking for one like it with no joy. Could someone post a link to the HF gadget?

[GLL]

Here is the original Harbor Freight unit (not the original probe). They were sold at a good discount when discontinued. About $24.00 !

Jerry

http://www.fototime.com/11E8391FEDF1E74/standard.jpg

[Russel Nash]

I ducked into Harbor Freight while I was in St. Louis to shoot a steel plate match today.

What they have now is like a do everything meter.

Ohms,

Amps,

Volts,

and all sorts of things I have no clue about (like transistor testing, NPN, or PNP),

and then it has two input holes for a K style thermocouple.

The thermocouple is flimsy at best,so yeah I would be good idea to replace it with the stainless steel version pictured previously.

This new fangled do everything meter was priced at 26 dollars.

Which didn't seem bad at all considering the prices I saw last night on the McMasster-Carr website..... :shock:

The little tiny owners manual that came with it said that it's temperature range went up to 1,00 degrees Celsius.

I totally forgot to call Cummins Tools.... doh! :roll:

To ask them if they had a digital thermometer.

[TomT]

Just ordered this digital thermometer from:
http://webtronics.stores.yahoo.net/digtherwkpro.html

Plan to mate it up with this 5" emerssion k-type thermocouple probe on a SS braided 6 foot cable. Bought through an evilBay store:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Thermocouple-K-Type-Probe-Temperature-Sensors-2m-6-6_W0QQitemZ250306166288QQihZ015QQcategoryZ50926QQc mdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

Total cost shipped is under $45.00. The thermometer has a large 2% error range at the temperature of melting lead, but at least it carries a year warranty. Most things bought via auctions do not. If it ends up being junk I'll let you know.

[TomT]

Product Review from prior message:

Yes, the thermometer came in quickly, but the SS thermocouple probe was shipped from China and didn't come in until Thursday. The thermocouple that comes with the thermometer is not usable for our type of application. The connector on the included thermocouple comes apart and makes it very easy to connect the replacement probe.

Have cast 2 batches of boolits and having a decent thermometer is the only way to go. Using a Lee bottom pour pot, I found that as the pot got lower, the temperature dial need to be turned down to keep lead temp consistent. Best temp for pouring and .45 6-cav. mold fillout was 685-695F using Lee molds and my alloy mix of 49% WW + 49% range pickup + 2% tin added.

The 6'+ cable length is a bit long for using around the casting pot, but I also want to use it when smelting with a turkey fryer and large pot. Haven't done any more smelting since getting the thermometer, but the setup should work very well. The accuracy of the thermocouple and thermometer is plenty good enough for me.

Tested the batch that was water quenched 1 day after casting (not much time given to age harden). I was very happy with the results!

[yodar]

Auber Instruments. For the Stainless Steel Armored "K" type.

Click the link


Model: WRNK-171

Link to K Thermocouple (http://auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=27)

HEY ! Thanky for the lead. my reflux soldering machine thermocouple was getting a little "intermittent" and that replacement can be used for my beer making and I'll use the fussy one for lead!

yodar