Infrared thermometer maybe sensitive to sweat

[malagas_on_fire]

Hi
i've recently got from asia  a Infrared thermometer, the unit ut300s , which i believe is sensitive to sweat because after using for a while the values for the same conditions, start to drop 2ºC in room temperature 19ºC , room humidity 40 ~ 50%. . what i do ill let it dry and then reads perfect fine.

With gloves it's okay but my question if this is normal for low end models.

[eKretz]

Doubt that it's sweat.  Probably not very well thermally isolated and your hand is warming it up from room temperature. Not a sign of quality, but depending on what you're using it for it might be no problem. Whether it's normal for that model I couldn't say.

[Max Planck]

Educated guess mode on.
Holding the thermometer you are heating it up, thus influencing the measurement results.

Mode off.


Max

[coppercone2]

put it in a clamp and hold the trigger down with a string or wire

[malagas_on_fire]

Thanks for you're information. Was going to use for monitoring temperature in power IC /  transistors ( mostly Mains)  for short distances or even remote areas , but tried measure on the surface of my wall and compared with thermocouples , noticed the change in temperature measurement on the IR thermometer after a while and sweat in the handle.

I'm very fresh to this type of device of course but if it is heat sensitive device , handle not the best,  decided to wear gloves and its better. Other than that is fairly accurate

A remote trigger would be nice indeed.  mode used is "fresh start on"   

[Dianyang]

From the calibration video, they only test in the room temperature but not in chamber, maybe 24°C, so if your body temperature changed, it may affect the test result.

[Ultrapurple]

I looked at the specifications for the UT300S. The details I found said the maximum precision was +/- 2°C and the repetition precision was +/-5°C.

Using the simplest interpretation, if you're healthy (nominal 37°C) and you point the UT300S into your ear, you might see a reading anything between 30 and 44°C. And that would be within spec.

(Yes, I know the maths doesn't necessarily work quite like that but I'm making the point that the manufacturers appear to be making fairly conservative claims about accuracy and that an indicated change of 2°C at room temperature is well within specification).

There are high-precision, high-accuracy non-contact thermometers available but they cost a bit more than $20.

[malagas_on_fire]

Hi there.

It is in the manual of the device and yes ear temperature was 34.5ºC but when i was testing i kept the trigger on and hand steady but it is within the specs on the meter at rom temperature, except it was heated on my hands.  I have a borrowed IR thermometer for comparisson and it does feel more good in the hand, a tid200 ( 40 Euro loca l) and does not make me sweat.  I think i'm going to afford this one and use the other as a spare for indoor use. The ut300s was 13Eur delivered, half of the local price

Product specs of borrowed ( in PT sorry)
https://xindar.com/producto/termometro-digital-a-distancia-sem-contacto-de-bolso-tid200/?lang=pt-pt

Also i i've compared yet between a IR camera thermometer fluke VT04 and ut300s,   to my hand and both read almost the same (30.1ºC vs 30.7ºC), enviroment temperature is 18ºC humidity around 50%,