Bought a Infrared Thermometer..

[Warstud]

Bought one of these Actron Infrared Thermometers the other day thinking it would be cool to have... but I'm having second thoughts now before I take it out of the package.
Please convince me that it's worth keeping and is a tool that can be useful in automotive applications.
BTW: It cost $18.50

 

[xxch4osxx]

You will have to pay alot more than that for a real good one.

 

[chad8]

Originally Posted By: Warstud
Bought one of these Actron Infrared Thermometers the other day thinking it would be cool to have... but I'm having second thoughts now before I take it out of the package.
Please convince me that it's worth keeping and is a tool that can be useful in automotive applications.
BTW: It cost $18.50


i am an electrician and we use them to find hot spots in wiring and breakers. The fire department helped me find a potential fire spot in a fixture that was burning the transformer.
It can also find hot spots in your home where insulation has failed. The automotive uses are more limited imo. It has many uses in cooling system applications and finding hot spots from failed valve train operation. It is also useful to find failed cylinders , rings , thermostats, etc , especially in marine applications
I have not had many times where I needed it for use on my vehicles ,but tons in my home .
Still worth the $20 if you only get 1 diagnosis from it. .

 

[MetalSlug]

From what I read, its use to messure temperture from distant ? I can think of a few cool thing with it ^^

 

[gathermewool]

I confirmed a seized caliper with mine. It's also good for aiming at your significant other and affirming her hotness as well.

 

[Al]

Once you get more than 2 feet or so away the cheaper models are useless. But even so they are really cool. I use mine all the time. Mine was around 70 bucks some years ago.

 

[MetalSlug]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
I confirmed a seized caliper with mine. It's also good for aiming at your significant other and affirming her hotness as well.


that a good one, also your rear diff temperture ? or your transmission temperture ? or oil pan temperture ?

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: MetalSlug
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
I confirmed a seized caliper with mine. It's also good for aiming at your significant other and affirming her hotness as well.


that a good one, also your rear diff temperture ? or your transmission temperture ? or oil pan temperture ?


I'm glad you thought so, haha. My gf didn't seem to think it was quite so funny. I remember when she used to laugh at my corny jokes. Ah, those were the days!

 

[MetalSlug]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Originally Posted By: MetalSlug
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
I confirmed a seized caliper with mine. It's also good for aiming at your significant other and affirming her hotness as well.


that a good one, also your rear diff temperture ? or your transmission temperture ? or oil pan temperture ?


I'm glad you thought so, haha. My gf didn't seem to think it was quite so funny. I remember when she used to laugh at my corny jokes. Ah, those were the days!


haha you can use it to see wat temp she is when she mad. I hope it work on human temp too.

 

[Silk]

Originally Posted By: chad8

i am an electrician

The automotive uses are more limited


Well I'm a mechanic,and in my workshop I used mine everyday - one of the best most used tools I've ever bought.

 

[Shannow]

I've not got one, but can see that were I to have one, it would be used all of the time to fine tune tyre pressures, check thermostat operation, lube effectiveness, brakes dragging etc....simply because I could.

At work, they are used all the time, along with thermal imaging cameras for switchboards and hot spots in cabling.

Saw a demonstration of a thermal imaging camera the other day that required approval from the US govt to export from the US. Used by a competitor in another state, it is majorly flash (and a bit more than $18.50).

 

[Silk]

I sometimes carry mine on my motorcycle - I don't use it when riding,but when I stop check sump,crankase,barrels,heads,gearbox and final drive temps...sometimes tyres. Just for my personal internal data base.

I've seen food inpectors use them - walk into a shop,open the fridge and point it at food....pull out a bottle of milk too warm,that means it's off.

 

[JetStar]

Be carefull if you are trying to measure accurately due to emissivity of different materials.

http://www.raytek.com/Raytek/en-r0/IREducation/Emissivity.htm

For relative or comparative measurements its not that big of a deal.

 

[Mr_Incredible]

I use mine for a lot of things, shop and home.

-diagnosed brake dragging. Which one was it?
-diagnose carb tuning on motorcycles, measure header temps.
-variety of temps on random items to see that they're operating normally.
-calibrate other thermometers
-cold spots and drafts around doors, light switches, etc.
-when has my batch of beer cooled enough to pitch yeast?
-when has the fry oil reached 375* for the fish fry?
-and anything else I can think of.

I'm very happy I finally got an infrared thermometer.

 

[dja4260]

My dad bought one the other day. Being mature I tried it while peeing. I raised toilet water temp 10+ degrees!

 

[Vikas]

Last few weeks, I had a fever. I tried to use the infra-red thermometer to take my temperature. No, it did not work!

- Vikas

 

[hr1940]

I have a Raytek. I use it for checking temps when cooking and various other things. Tony used it to check temps when pulling the boat or trailer up hwy 7 because it is a very hard pull. I love mine and I will not let anyone touch it.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: hr1940
I have a Raytek. I love mine and I will not let anyone touch it.

Hahahah..yea that's what I have. You can share it Helen its not that expensive.

Yea I use mine for everything. They are addictive.-

 

[morris]

i bought a cheep one from harbor fright, $24. it gives a good reading ONLY in narrow conditions. i had a can of pop in the fridge it said it was 58 degrees. i think one would have to spend a bout $150. to get a good one

 

[hr1940]

My daughter and gd can destroy anything in a couple minutes. I have replaced 2 food processors, 1 stand mixer and 2 blenders. My son forgets that my things have a home until I ask for them. Since I use my Raytek often it is off limits to anyone.