Thermometer For Those Hard To Check Inserts

A lot of people have lamented not being able to get temp readings from their inserts because of the flush fit or because of the shroud. Well, in curing the paint and testing the new gaskets on my stove today I discovered something. A few months ago I bought one of these at Harbor Freight:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91778

According to the documentation it is supposed to measure up to 470 degrees F. Well guess what. I pulled it out while the insert was burning and the sucker not only tracks with the stove top thermo but didn't miss a beat gauging the exhaust temp coming up to around 700. That got me curious so I opened the door and beamed it at the burning wood. The meter jumped right up to 1017 degrees.

This thing is the answer to checking the temp on those hard to measure inserts. You can also stand flat footed on the ground and check the temp of the chimney up at the rain cap. Not to mention checking the stove from across the room without having to get out of the Lazy Boy.

Technology. Ya gotta love it.

Actually I gave $19.99 for it at the local store. They send out coupons if you are signed up on the website and one came in for it. The list price was $79.99 back then. When I dropped the coupon on the guy at the store his eyes got big. He said "That one is a mistake.". I laughed and said that he had known me a long time and I would give him just one guess how much I cared.

He laughed and went and got it. They go on sale pretty often on the coupon thing. Usually for $29.99 or less.

Howzitwork? Does it only measure surface temp reflected back at the device?

If you point it to a room wall does it measure the surface temp? That might be handy for checking insulation in walls. How low will it go?

Mine says it will do -4F which I hope I don't get a chance to test. It measures surface temp. I checked to see if it would measure firebox temp through the glass and it won't. Just the surface.

Pretty much measures the temp of anything you can point it at and punch the "laser" button. You aim it using the red dot the laser emits just like a laser gun sight.

The spec says -4 but I don't know. The coldest things around here are ice cubes in the freezer and it says they are four degrees above zero.

If it ever gets to minus 4 around here I will be in the Marriott in town so I don't think I will ever get to try to see if it will go lower than spec.

Yep. They are pretty slick. The only problem I have with it is when I click on the laser and start beaming at the stove, the ceiling, the pipe etc., I start hearing this deep voice in my head that says "The force is with you young Skywalker, but you are not a Jedi yet."