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Gotcha. Have you used the ones with the titanium ones?
Consistent/Accurate heater
- Thread starter capthutch
- Start date
For smaller setups I've had good results with Fluval's E-series heaters. No discrete controller, which would be ideal for preventing a runaway heater, but accurate. Periodically I check against the rockwork with an IR temp gun and it's always within 1 degree of set.
OK... I'll bite. What's wrong with 'em? 
Not that I'm regarding this as a lab grade test, but as a quick sanity check during a water change it's at least proven that the readout on the heater's in the right ballpark.
Not that I'm regarding this as a lab grade test, but as a quick sanity check during a water change it's at least proven that the readout on the heater's in the right ballpark.
Too many variations of temp according to color of surface, surface type etc. To be accurate the surface needs to be flat black. Unless you have the $400 plus one(like me). They are only good for comparison checks. Example you gave 4 exhaust pipes coming off a header. If three read 600 degrees and one reads 650 degrees you would know there is a something not right with the one cylinder. They are generally made for high temps.
Yes they are good for a quick look but I wouldn't put your paycheck on it being right
Sent from my DROID RAZR
Yes they are good for a quick look but I wouldn't put your paycheck on it being right
Sent from my DROID RAZR
Ah.
Agreed, I only use mine (a NOT $400 model) to make sure that the heater's keeping things around 78F instead of mid 80's and beyond.
Agreed, I only use mine (a NOT $400 model) to make sure that the heater's keeping things around 78F instead of mid 80's and beyond.
I used IR thermometers in an R&D environment. The accuracy has little to do with color, and everything to do with the surface material of whatever you measure.
They need to be calibrated to the 'emissivity' of the surface you are measuring, if accuracy is important.
This can make a significant difference, though for qualitative measurements, they may work well enough without calibration.
http://mobile.engineeringtoolbox.com/emissivity-coefficients-d_447.html">http://mobile.engineeringtoolbox.com/emissivity-coefficients-d_447.html</a>
Redundancy (ie- a backup control) is what will save your creatures, in cases of a stuck heater. Cheap or not, nothing beats this, IME.
They need to be calibrated to the 'emissivity' of the surface you are measuring, if accuracy is important.
This can make a significant difference, though for qualitative measurements, they may work well enough without calibration.
http://mobile.engineeringtoolbox.com/emissivity-coefficients-d_447.html">http://mobile.engineeringtoolbox.com/emissivity-coefficients-d_447.html</a>
Redundancy (ie- a backup control) is what will save your creatures, in cases of a stuck heater. Cheap or not, nothing beats this, IME.
