Temp gun / gauges

How can you check to see if your temp gun or gauge is accurate?
I don't have anything that is a known temp.

I usually get a cup of warm water and put a mercury thermometer in it, then test the gun and see if it matches.


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Ah damn. Good idea!
Now I feel foolish. :P

Ok was excited to test this.
2 analog
1 digital
1 temp gun

Analog a. 88*
Analog b. 93*
Digital 93.8
Tempgun 89.6

Grrrr..

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Temp guns cannot test the temp of water. It will read the bottom and with distortion. There is not a great way the easiest is to check against a know accurate thermometer (don't you have a herpstat ? or am I confusing you with some one else?) herpstats have very accurate probes they are spec'd to 0.9º+/- but I have a platinum RTD and 19 probes connected to herpstats and the worst of the lot is actually 0.7ºF high. If you have a herp stat you can use that to check the thermometers. Remember the IR gun should be directed to a target of brown paper for the best accuracy.

If you don't I use the rule of averages and check 3 at least and preferably more (I buy lots of 20 super cheap ones and toss the incorrect units I usually get about 17 good ones. I would guess that the correct temp is close to 93-93.5º the other two would be incorrect try checking something opaque and see if the two correct ones are now reading closer to the IR gun. They are great quick tools but can be very easily fouled and be very incorrect (shiny things especially, water.)

Or you be driven mad by the junk sold on the market and how far off it is and decide to invest in a traceable high accuracy thermometer, no wait that was me!

Yeah I don't have a herpstat (yet)
I'll lay them in a room with stable air flow and test the gun in there.

Have a link to where you got that? This is making me angry :)

Ok that was better.
A. 62
B. 61
C. 62.6 - temp gun

That is better in cheap units you kinda have to live with 1º so yours are fair currently.

Um my RTD... they are not cheap.

sit down before clicking the link...
https://www.fishersci.ca/coupon.do?cid=200384

I use these cheap ones
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/LCD-Digital-F...ht_2627wt_1165

The herpstats are actually quite accurate and cheap compared to good thermometers.

Whoa momma!

Thanks for the links. I'll look for something on the higher end but that's out of my price range right now.

Have you heard anything about novatech?

http://www.novatech-usa.com/Products...e-Thermometers

Herpstat is on a very short list of things to get already.

Thanks again

No not directly, the thing with traceable units are they can be any accuracy range and still have an nsit certificate. One (4105) of the units on the link you posted is traceable but listed as 1.5ºC +/- that is close to 3ºF up or down, the certificate certifies it is with in 3ºF of accurate up or down but I think I can get that close with my finger. :weirdface quickly looking the ones that are better than one degree also are the ones with the big price tags.


Personally I work with equimpment that needs to be at least 0.5ºF of accurate so I want to have accuracy greater than this. I have come to accept for my animals +/-1ºF (0.5ºC) This is loads accurate for this purpose making the herpstat, ecozone, herpkeeper, helix, all ideal units as they are with in this range.

Averages work, you have three units all measuring with in a degree and a bit they are likely trustworthy the one that is way off mark the incorrect one and move on