Temp gun and probes

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3magpie3

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So... I have read that temp guns are great and one was recommended that was only about $11 so I got it... but I also read about how important digital probes are for the warm and cool side of the tank.

So when do you use the gun if you have probes?

And if anyone has a dual probe thermometer that they can recommend for US people, that'd be great. :)

Thanks.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
The non-contact thermometer will be OK for getting an indication of THE SURFACE TEMPERATURES in the tank and the bath water.
Bear in mind the type of thermometer you bought will set up with a very wide measuring spot and an unchangeable / untuneable emissivity setting which will be fine for some materials , but will make it very inaccurate at reading the surface temperatures of other materials who have surface emissivities very different to the general e = 0.9 commonly used.
You need to know the diameter of the measuring spot at any given distance from the "gun" and be sure to avoid holding the "gun" too far away when measuring else you risk averaging the temperature of the spot you want to measure and those of background surfaces which are likely to be colder.

Probe style digital thermometers with probes on the end of long wires are better as you can measure surface and fluid / air temperatures very accurately and need not worry about emissivity values.
I use these in all my vivs , several per viv : http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4x-LCD-Digital-Temperature-Thermometer-Fridge-Freezer-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Reptile-/391259141696?hash=item5b18dcb640:g
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
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I have a probe on the cool side of the tank and one on the basking site and just leave those in place so I can easily glance and check the temp gradient. I use a cheap temp gun to spot check surface temps around the tank (and my dragon's back) (and to harass him with the laser a bit) and to check surfaces outside of the tank. They both have a useful purpose.
 

3magpie3

Member
Original Poster
Thanks! That helps clarify.

This post was helpful but regarding emmisivity... how do you know those properties of different objects to know if it will be accurate or not?

I’m assuming the distance from the object is also dictated by the brand and it should mention how far away you should be when measuring...



kingofnobbys":195g7lc8 said:
The non-contact thermometer will be OK for getting an indication of THE SURFACE TEMPERATURES in the tank and the bath water.
Bear in mind the type of thermometer you bought will set up with a very wide measuring spot and an unchangeable / untuneable emissivity setting which will be fine for some materials , but will make it very inaccurate at reading the surface temperatures of other materials who have surface emissivities very different to the general e = 0.9 commonly used.
You need to know the diameter of the measuring spot at any given distance from the "gun" and be sure to avoid holding the "gun" too far away when measuring else you risk averaging the temperature of the spot you want to measure and those of background surfaces which are likely to be colder.

Probe style digital thermometers with probes on the end of long wires are better as you can measure surface and fluid / air temperatures very accurately and need not worry about emissivity values.
I use these in all my vivs , several per viv : http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4x-LCD-Digital-Temperature-Thermometer-Fridge-Freezer-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Reptile-/391259141696?hash=item5b18dcb640:g
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
CooperDragon":15ydk8u0 said:
I have a probe on the cool side of the tank and one on the basking site and just leave those in place so I can easily glance and check the temp gradient. I use a cheap temp gun to spot check surface temps around the tank (and my dragon's back) (and to harass him with the laser a bit) and to check surfaces outside of the tank. They both have a useful purpose.

Yep, all my temps are available at a glance to me too.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
3magpie3":aoaepstm said:
Thanks! That helps clarify.

This post was helpful but regarding emmisivity... how do you know those properties of different objects to know if it will be accurate or not?

I’m assuming the distance from the object is also dictated by the brand and it should mention how far away you should be when measuring...



kingofnobbys":aoaepstm said:
The non-contact thermometer will be OK for getting an indication of THE SURFACE TEMPERATURES in the tank and the bath water.
Bear in mind the type of thermometer you bought will set up with a very wide measuring spot and an unchangeable / untuneable emissivity setting which will be fine for some materials , but will make it very inaccurate at reading the surface temperatures of other materials who have surface emissivities very different to the general e = 0.9 commonly used.
You need to know the diameter of the measuring spot at any given distance from the "gun" and be sure to avoid holding the "gun" too far away when measuring else you risk averaging the temperature of the spot you want to measure and those of background surfaces which are likely to be colder.

Probe style digital thermometers with probes on the end of long wires are better as you can measure surface and fluid / air temperatures very accurately and need not worry about emissivity values.
I use these in all my vivs , several per viv : http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4x-LCD-Digital-Temperature-Thermometer-Fridge-Freezer-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Reptile-/391259141696?hash=item5b18dcb640:g


There are tables of emissivities for different material surfaces available online, I personally refer to my Perry's Chem Engr's HB and my Furnace Engineering Reference books and my CRC HB of Physics & Chemistry.
This table is handy too https://www.omega.com/temperature/Z/pdf/z088-089.pdf

To get the correct temperature when the emissivity is set poorly this is how you correct for the emissivity :https://www.apogeeinstruments.co.uk/content/SI-emissivitycorrection.pdf
 
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