TheSamba.com :: View topic - Infrared Thermometer

Sun Jan 09, 2005 2:36 pm

Infrared Thermometer – Use One?

Has anyone used an infrared thermometer on an air-cooled engine? If so, how did it work? Good, Bad and Ugly?

Kris (Kansas)

Sun Jan 09, 2005 5:15 pm

I've aimed one at various parts of my engine after I did the rebuild. It worked well. This was a hand-held, trigger activated unit. Do they make infrared temps to install with a reading at the dash?

neal

Sun Jan 09, 2005 6:09 pm

These are only semi accurate at measuring the surface temperature which are greatly affected by any draft, even minisule drafts. So if that is what you want them they work great. They are designed primarily for the food industry where they need to scan the temp. range of foods that are being held hot and ready to serve around 140 - 180 F max. There might be some that work at higher temps.

Sun Jan 09, 2005 7:38 pm

i heard they work great for finding brake problems

Sun Jan 09, 2005 9:55 pm

Amskeptic used one when he came to work on my bus this spring...I believe it was reading well above 'foodservice' levels...He had it pointed at the exhaust pipes near the head and I think I saw 750 degrees. Seemed to work well.

Mon Jan 10, 2005 1:04 am

Yeah the one I borrowed wasn't a food-service model. Point and pull the trigger gave readings from quite a distance. It was accurate, too. Hands, arms, etc. registered right in there at 98 degrees.

neal

Mon Jan 10, 2005 1:53 am

I have a Raytek MINITEMP .. Cost me 100 bucks. i use it for my gas powered rc cars... Works real good . Never tried in on my bug though.. But its accurate on my rc car...

Mon Jan 10, 2005 9:57 am

I have a Raytek Model MT4 and it works great. Here is a link describing it.
http://www.infrared-usa.com/Product.asp?Param1=RAYMT4&Param2=22

Mon Jan 10, 2005 10:21 am

I have one and while it reads the exhaust temp well I have not really found any useful purpose to having one with me in the bug.

Mon Jan 10, 2005 3:55 pm

Bugboy 1 yes the one your talking about works good on the rc cars i wonder if the mini head temp guage would work on a vw head works good on the gas rc cars..

Tue Jan 11, 2005 3:44 pm

luis wrote: These are only semi accurate at measuring the surface temperature which are greatly affected by any draft, even minisule drafts. So if that is what you want them they work great. They are designed primarily for the food industry where they need to scan the temp. range of foods that are being held hot and ready to serve around 140 - 180 F max. There might be some that work at higher temps.

Not sure when you played with one of these, but they work fantastic! I've used them for everything from tires to turbos. From minus temps to well over 900F.

As far as the food industry, I don't know about. But I DO know that the Pacificorp (Power company in the PacNW) uses them for transformers. They have a big sucker that mounts to a chopper. They then fly around the transformers and take readings. Too hot means a bad connection, or faulty transformer.

-kf

Wed Jan 12, 2005 6:39 pm

Kaferfiend wrote: luis wrote: These are only semi accurate at measuring the surface temperature which are greatly affected by any draft, even minisule drafts. So if that is what you want them they work great. They are designed primarily for the food industry where they need to scan the temp. range of foods that are being held hot and ready to serve around 140 - 180 F max. There might be some that work at higher temps.

Not sure when you played with one of these, but they work fantastic! I've used them for everything from tires to turbos. From minus temps to well over 900F.

As far as the food industry, I don't know about. But I DO know that the Pacificorp (Power company in the PacNW) uses them for transformers. They have a big sucker that mounts to a chopper. They then fly around the transformers and take readings. Too hot means a bad connection, or faulty transformer.

-kf

I concur, they work fantastic and I am very pleased with mine.

Wed Jan 12, 2005 8:18 pm

When we drove to the top of Pike's Peak in Colorado, on the way down they made you stop while they took an infrared reading on your front brakes. If it was too high they made you pull over to the side and wait for them to cool.