Infrared Thermometer Fun
What better to do on a Sunday afternoon than have a little gadget fun? As part of my job at AccuWeather I am occasionally asked to test various weather and related instruments today I'll be trying out the Metris Instruments TN205L Laser Infrared Thermometer. We're considering carrying this in the . This instrument is not unlike the La Crosse IR-101 that we currently carry... but this one has a laser sight (see below).
I don't know a whole lot about surface temperature measurement so I'm not going to take any guesses on the accuracy of this instrument. It claims a +/- 2 degrees C accuracy and has a range from -27 F to +482 F. Certainly everything I tested was in the right ball park. It has a Min/Max mode where you can hold the button down and scan an object; it will report the maximum or minimum (rather than real-time) temperature. This is how I got the light bulb, hot water and flame temperatures reported below. If you're looking for more accuracy with non-solids, it has accessories to measure air or immerse in a liquid.
NOTE: The laser is used only as a reference; it's the infrared sensor that reads the amount of energy leaving the object (and hence temperature). More information on Infrared Thermometers is available at WikiPedia. WARNING: Caution should always be used to avoid eye contact with laser devices.
This instrument can be used by HVAC and maintenance crews for pocket-size troubleshooting. When My New House [JessePedia] was inspected, the professional carried a similar instrument to measure the temperature of the heating vents (to make sure they were heating) and the circuit breaker panel (to make sure they weren't too hot).
But it's also fun for science enthusiasts like myself, and those Mythbusters [JessePedia] guys (who once used it to measure water surface temperature). Here's what I measured, in order of temperature (Fahrenheit):
- Freezer Wall: -19.5 (Impressive!)
- Vinyl Siding Outside: 35.5 (Near air temp)
- Pizza in Fridge: 38.7 (Good at any temp!)
- Ice Water: 39.9 (Surprisingly low)
- Cat's Fur: 68.0 (He's got more than dog)
- Inside Heating Vent: 70.1 (Heat Off)
- Dog's Fur: 78.3 (Fur protects heat from escaping)
- My Arm: 80.1 (Skin keeps heat from escaping)
- Copper Hot Water Pipe: 86.0 (Surprisingly low)
- My Tongue: 90.3 (Air cooled, I guess)
- Inside Heating Vent: 100.1 (Heat On)
- 40-Watt Lightbulb: 110.0 (That'll burn your hand!)
- Hot Water From Faucet: 125.0 (Turn it down!)
- Candle Oil: 143.3 (Watch out!)
- Lighter Flame: 148.6 (Ouch!)
- Small 150-Watt Lightbulb: 148.8 (Don't touch!)
- Large 90-Watt Lightbulb: 164.8 (Even worse!)
- Candle Flame: 225.6 (Yikes!)
