Cheap Useless Experiment

I don't think I need a thermometer to tell me how the insert is burning but I got a cheap ($5) digital temp. gauge with a thermocouple. I put the thermocouple in a magnet and put that on the top of the insert in whe hole where the air came out. Judging by the smell, I don't think the thermocouple is going to last. It's Celsius. I've read a high of about 453 F so far. The eBay link is here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/280929959185?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
It was cheaper when I got it.

Your title next to that avatar is really messing with my sense of humor.

I got it to 253C/487F on reload. Still hanging in there. Not sure how long the 9 volt battery will last when on all the time.

It looks to be reading low as per the ir gun. It might be reading farther back though,

Ok, I am a newbie here, but why do you need to know the temp??

A lot of people seem to be obsessed about it. Me, not so much, but the price was real low.

The unit is way lower than my ir gun, on a black, accessible surface for testing. Can't recomment. Discontinuing experiment.

I take back what I said. I remembered I had a multimeter with a thermocouple on it. That multimeter/thermocouple gave about the same reading as the subject unit. So, I don't know. I was under the impression that my IR gauge was correct.