temperature gun question ....little confused

[beardieaddict]

i recently bought a temp gun spent 80 bucks on it works awesome way better than those probe things but i did have a concerne or maybe just need some conformation when i have the gun at like 20 inch's away it will say 100-105 depending on the time of the day and how hot it is but when i put the gun really close to the basking spot it will say 130 and sometimes higher and i didnt think this was correct so i went back on the website and read up on it a little better and it dosent say anything about how close to have it but it does give a 20 to 40 distance ratio dont really need to explain that though i was just wondering if it was saying the higher number because it is so close and why does it do that any questions just ask and ill try my best to answer thanks

 

[Triage]

I use a gun like this too for my tank. I think the premise on the gun is, the closer you are the more narrow the field of "view" by the gun. Stand further away and the "field of view" gets bigger thus giving you a lower reading because your picking up temperatures from around the area your pointing. The gun then averages, I believe. I'm not too sure about your 20-40 gun, but my gun, when I get closer to the object I am trying to read is more accurate. I also have a indoor/outdoor digital thermometer in my tank. I leave the outdoor sensor sitting on "Buddy"'s basking spot and main unit near his sleeping plant. When I point my gun from the top of the tank, I get a lower reading than actual, as defined by the probe. If I get real close to the spot I am testing I get more accurate. I hope this helps in some way. Of course, I have only been at this for about two weeks. Buddy is 12 weeks old I believe. (Name might have to change if I find out he's a she) The shop told me he was 4 weeks when they got them and they had cared for them for 6 weeks and I have had him for two. The shop also told me to use calcium sand, which I have been. (I feed him in a small tank with paper towels, though) I am going through the site now to find ideas on building my own vivarium and I will use tile on that.

Triage

 

[beardieaddict]

yea i think i need to keep mine around 20 inchs away because the closer i get the hotter it get and right now my bulb is about 18 inches away and it reads 130 when i am really close so i think that cant be rite and its only a 75 watt bulb but so i think further away is better idk stupid technolgy kills me lol ill figure it out thanks for ur help