General > General Technical Chat
Suggested Temperature Gun
wraper:
--- Quote from: CatalinaWOW on October 21, 2023, 09:47:57 am ---IR cameras are lots of fun, and really good for surveying large areas for unexpected temperature excursions, but are no better than a heat gun for measuring a small number of locations. Well they do also offer better spatial resolution (smaller measurement spot size) but the difference is small at the low end of the cost regime.
--- End quote ---
The problem with IR thermometer is that you never really know at what exactly it points at and how wide area it measures. Laser pointer is useful only on large distance (with wide spot size) due to offset. Reflections are not obvious either.
CatalinaWOW:
--- Quote from: wraper on October 21, 2023, 10:56:54 am ---
--- Quote from: CatalinaWOW on October 21, 2023, 09:47:57 am ---IR cameras are lots of fun, and really good for surveying large areas for unexpected temperature excursions, but are no better than a heat gun for measuring a small number of locations. Well they do also offer better spatial resolution (smaller measurement spot size) but the difference is small at the low end of the cost regime.
--- End quote ---
The problem with IR thermometer is that you never really know at what exactly it points at and how wide area it measures. Laser pointer is useful only on large distance (with wide spot size) due to offset. Reflections are not obvious either.
--- End quote ---
These are exactly the issues I suggested need to be worked out upon purchase of such a gun. They don't change over time as a rule so once you know your device you can use it effectively.
Reflections are an issue, but can be anticipated and their effects minimized. And reflections are an issue for cameras also, albeit they are easier to recognize. But neither instrument can make a good measurement of a reflective surface.
wraper:
--- Quote from: CatalinaWOW on October 21, 2023, 02:18:11 pm ---But neither instrument can make a good measurement of a reflective surface.
--- End quote ---
With camera you sort of can. If reflective surface it much hotter than surroundings so reflections are not significant, you can adjust emissivity coefficient and get reasonable reading. For example useful when you want to know temperature gradient over some flat thing. You can measure temperature at one point for example with thermocouple or put a piece of tape with good emissivity. When actual temperature is known at one point, you can adjust emissivity coefficient and get satisfactory reading over all area.
jonpaul:
EPAIII
1/ Solder pots need a thermocouple to check the melt. We use Omega or Fluke Type K in Teflon or Kynar, with appropriate meters for Type K.
2/ Temo IR guns can give rough indications of temp but as noted emmisivity of the DUT affects read. Solder pots typically will NOT be accuratedadjusted by any IR gun or cam.
3/ IR Cam is good to find a hotspot or insulation leak in a wall.
They are either very costly or very inaccurate. Cheap IR cams WILL NOT solve any of your measurements.
Jon
VK3DRB:
Get a Vevor SC240M.
I bought one. It is excellent quality great performing thermal imaging IR camera for a relatively low price. Don't let the fact it is made in China put you off. This camera works a treat for electronics (including tiny SMD parts) or anything. Make sure it is the 'M' model and not the 'N' model.
Very happy with this thermal imaging camera :-+.
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