Double Check your Stove Thermometers (now with picture)

[bsa0021]

Any how do you know that your IR gun is accurate? Do you have 2 guns? just kiddin

That's no joke. Just because the IR gun is high tech and electronic does not mean it will always read accurately. For example, the IR ear canal thermometers have much higher variation in indicated temperature than a properly used sublingual (under tongue) thermometer.

IR temperature measurement is fraught with difficulty. Two objects with exactly the same temperature, but different surface colors or textures will often read very differently to an IR device. The different surfaces have different "emissivity", which means that they radiate a different amount of energy at a given temperature.

I would imagine that if a manufacturer wanted to supply an IR gun specifically for the stove market, they would calibrate it for a matte black painted surface. How well it would read on a shiny enamel, or glass, or any other surface is uncertain.

shiny or glass is bad for ir to read! a matt is best i believe..

You are correct sir! Any highly reflective surface (glass) is hard for IR to read.

 

[flash49]

You guys are weird!!

 

[grommal]

You guys are weird!!

Hey, I resemble that remark!

Don't get me started on measurement system analyses, gauge repeatability and reproducibility studies, or linearity and bias evaluations. You really don't want me to go there!

 

[strawman]

tclape1----- I have double wall pipe. The therms I refer to are for single wall pipe. How's the weather in Spain this time of year?

 

[mxvet747]

Try puting your thermometer in the oven to check its calibration.

 

[bsa0021]

Try puting your thermometer in the oven to check its calibration.

Not the IR though....it will make a sticky mess.

 

[pgmr]

Try puting your thermometer in the oven to check its calibration.

But how will we know the oven is correct?

 

[woodjack]

Point the red dot of the IR gun at the center of your wife's forehead to see if it reads 98.6, then duck quickly when the shoe comes flying at your face.

 

[jadm]

Yup, I have in my showroom right now, on a piece of stove pipe a thermometer that is reading 180 degrees. The stove hasnt been lit in 6 months. Now that's efficient.

Longest burn time on record if you ask me. Send me a brochure on that stove. ;-)

 

[PunKid8888]

I am firm believe that the IR gun is not very accurate. I actually have had that gun since 2001 (part a prize for placing first in the AAA states automotive contest) And have gone through many of batteries testing the temp of anything. Anyways I know well in fact that there will be difference between any thermometers you can buy, but I was really surprised to see such a huge difference in the two, and IR was really more like a 3rd data point. I will post pic tonight of a 4th temp and then we can all discuss some more

 

[bsa0021]

Try puting your thermometer in the oven to check its calibration.

But how will we know the oven is correct?

Use a single guy's stove......just ask him if his tv dinners come out burned or just right.

 

[bsa0021]

I am firm believe that the IR gun is not very accurate. I actually have had that gun since 2001 (part a prize for placing first in the AAA states automotive contest) And have gone through many of batteries testing the temp of anything. Anyways I know well in fact that there will be difference between any thermometers you can buy, but I was really surprised to see such a huge difference in the two, and IR was really more like a 3rd data point. I will post pic tonight of a 4th temp and then we can all discuss some more

All thermometers have a range of accuracy stated in percentage of full range. The Rutland is 5% which means it may be +/- 40 degrees in error. Even a certified mercury thermometer has a rande of error although it is very small. IRs accuracy depends on the number of laser points. Two or more being better than one.

 

[tclapes1]

oh, sorry strawnman, i didnt know you have double wall.
Now , the weather, inside the house is 75 (without stove) and outside a bit less, about 60 early in the morning.

 

[stone hands]

You could take a reading from warm, running car engine{thats really what they are designed for} It should be within 10 degrees of car temp gauge.{if car gauge works }

 

[FSRBIKER]

Boil water on the stove and verify the IR gun.

 

[semipro]

Point the red dot of the IR gun at the center of your wife's forehead to see if it reads 98.6, then duck quickly when the shoe comes flying at your face.

I really did this the other night to my wife as I was checking temps on my new Oslo. Here forehead temp was well below 98.6 though....explains a lot

 

[LLigetfa]

Try puting your thermometer in the oven to check its calibration.

But how will we know the oven is correct?

Go to a welding supply house and buy some temp sticks. They use them to verify that the pre-heat temp is right.

 

[LLigetfa]

Point the red dot of the IR gun at the center of your wife's forehead to see if it reads 98.6, then duck quickly when the shoe comes flying at your face.

I really did this the other night to my wife as I was checking temps on my new Oslo. Here forehead temp was well below 98.6 though....explains a lot

Probably explains the icy stare you got.

 

[Todd]

Do we really need all these different thermometers? How did they ever burn wood without them in the old days?

 

[Corey]

In the old barrel stoves, we'd just go by color...dull red, cherry red, orange red, bright orange, etc. Anything brighter than bright orange was 'overfire'.

 

[LLigetfa]

In the old barrel stoves, we'd just go by color...dull red, cherry red, orange red, bright orange, etc. Anything brighter than bright orange was 'overfire'.

LOL... IKWYM

 

[international5288]

You guys are going to get a good laugh out of me, but my "science project" last week was to rig up 2 temp controllers from eBay with K wire, 1 to the stovepipe and 1 to the top/center of the stove. If that's not bad enough, I rigged the relay outputs to drive a piezo alarm, and programmed everything to set off the alarm when either the stove or pipe reaches "OMG" temp levels. Now I can sit in my easy chair and easily see what the stove is doing, and if something goes Bad Wrong in the night, the piezo will def. get my attention! Total investment less than $100, peace of mind, priceless!

 

[rathmir]

But what if you are not home? You need an internet connectable device that sends SMS messages to your phone!

 

[danking49]

I have one thermometer...IT"S ME ! if I am warm the stove is hot...

Same here; if I'm warm and the neighbors aren't complaining about the smoke, all is well. Watching the thermometers becomes less functional and more amusement as time goes on.

 

[CarbonNeutral]

You guys are going to get a good laugh out of me, but my "science project" last week was to rig up 2 temp controllers from eBay with K wire, 1 to the stovepipe and 1 to the top/center of the stove. If that's not bad enough, I rigged the relay outputs to drive a piezo alarm, and programmed everything to set off the alarm when either the stove or pipe reaches "OMG" temp levels. Now I can sit in my easy chair and easily see what the stove is doing, and if something goes Bad Wrong in the night, the piezo will def. get my attention! Total investment less than $100, peace of mind, priceless!

pics or it didn't happen....