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| A Buyers Guide to Infrared Thermometer Resources |
Infrared Thermometers - Introduction Infrared thermometers offer a non-contact means of
measuring surface
temperatures, and they have many applications in the industrial field. Wikipedia says: The most basic design consists of a lens to focus the infrared energy on to a detector, which converts the energy to an electrical signal that can be displayed in units of temperature after being compensated for ambient temperature variation. This configuration facilitates temperature measurement from a distance without contact with the object to be measured. As such, the infrared thermometer is useful for measuring temperature under circumstances where thermocouples or other probe type sensors cannot be used or do not produce accurate data for a variety of reasons. An excellent introduction is at the technical reference pages of the Omega Engineering website, with detailed answers to the following questions: - How do infrared thermometers work? - Why should I use an infrared thermometer to measure temperature in my application? - What should I consider about my application when selecting an infrared thermometer? - What is meant by Field of View, and why is it important? - What is emissivity, and how is it related to infrared temperature measurements? - Five Ways to Determine Emissivity - How can I mount the infrared pyrometer? Leading manufacturers are as follows: Fluke Corporation  Washington-based
Fluke, a subsidiary
of Danaher Corporation, was founded in 1948, and is a leader in the
production of electronic testing tools and software. Among its numerous products is the best-selling Fluke 62 Mini infrared thermometer, about which the company says: ...offers quick and reliable surface temperature readings. This compact and portable tool enables professionals to diagnose heating and ventilation problems and monitor the temperature of electrical motors and electrical panels without contact. Rugged enough for industrial environments with its protective rubber “boot”, the 62 Mini also comes with a handy nylon holster, keeping quick temperature checks at your fingertips. Get the latest price on the Fluke 62 Mini infrared thermometer. ThermoHAWK  ThermoHAWK
products are made by Q3 Innovations,
best known for its range of AlcoHAWK breathalyzers. According to the
company:The ThermoHAWK series touchless, pen-sized thermometers allow you to instantly check the surface temperature of almost any object. The ThermoHAWK units contain a patent-pending thermopile sensor on a chip technology which provides unique advantages over the older pyrometer infrared sensors. This breakthrough technology is what allows the ThermoHAWK to be incredibly compact in size and does not require the units to be calibrated for years. The ThermoHAWK’s unique metal cylinder design is also able to prevent electromagnetic and electrostatic interferences during temperature measurement and eliminates the effect of ambient temperature changes to produce accurate temperature values. The ExtremeMhz website wrote: The ThermoHAWK 200 is a handy gadget that will allow you to easily and accurately capture temps from your hot-running system as well as just about any other device or object. It will instantly read the temperature of components that may not be able to be monitored or components that don't have reliable temperature diodes built-in. It is an excellent tool for hardcore overclockers and PC enthusiasts looking for a quick and reliable way of monitoring all their components. Results are instant and consistent and is what makes it a product worth the small investment. The nForcersHQ website commented: The ThermoHAWK line of infrared thermometers would be a handy gadget for anyone wanting to have some fun or to use in a practical environment. The uses for this small compact product are endless and you will even have some fun while finding out the temperature of the many objects in your environment. In my mind, the price tag for these small thermometers is a steal for what they do. For the computer enthusiast, this product should be a mandatory tool in your overclocking kit right alongside your heatsink lapping kit and your tube of thermal compound. No longer will you have to guess what the temperature of your onboard components are. In a fraction of a second you will know down to a tenth of a degree. Consumer Electronics Net said: Q3 Innovations, the company that manufactures ThermoHAWK, touted the accuracy of the thermometer at a 2.5% margin of error. Although I had no means to verify this, the temperature readings I obtained seemed reasonable enough. As I took a variety of readings around the Midwest Test Facility, it quickly became evident that having the ability to measure the surface temperature of various items without actually having to touch them is a definite advantage. Going into our garage area, I read the temperature of the engine of a car that had just arrived, getting a reading of 143°. Wandering into our kitchen area, I discovered that our Sub-Zero refrigerator's freezer section was not entirely true to its name – it measured 4°. I discovered the refrigerator's temperature was very near its intended setting, though, right at 35.5°, close to the 35° at which the controls were set. Someone was making tea, and as the water was poured into the cup, I measured it at 171°. Get the latest price on the ThermoHAWK infrared thermometer. Extech Instruments  Massachussetts
company Extech makes a very wide array
of instruments, including more than a dozen thermometer models. An
interesting recommendation comes from the website of the
San Gabriel Valley Paranormal
Researchers:This is one of the best economically priced non contact infrared thermometer with built in laser pointer that will take instant temperature readings of any object the beam comes in contact with. This device is very useful in monitoring for changes in temperatures and tracking cold spots. There are a couple of infrared thermometers on the market and regardless of which one you select for your investigations equipment it is among the devices suggested as a 'must have' for any paranormal investigator. Get the latest prices on Extech infrared thermometers. Raytek Raytek, founded in 1963 and based in Santa Cruz, California, is owned by Fluke Corporation. It has a particular specialty in the manufacture of infrared thermometers, with several dozen models for a wide variety of applications. The company website includes a considerable amount of information on infrared technology and non-contact temperature measurement and emissivity, including a glossary of terms. Get the latest prices on Raytek infrared thermometers. |