Thermometer accuracy..sensor?

[eem2am]

How accurate is this thermometer for getting temperature of these electronic components ....

a ferrite inductor.
a heatsink thats bare aluminium
a heatsink thats anodised aluminium (black)
an electrolytic capacitor.
a mosfet case (the black body of a to220)

Thermometer.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/infrared-thermometer-with-laser-targeting-223005
(Maplin N92FX)

 

[Raven Luni]

It tells you exactly how accurate it is in the specification.

 

[eem2am]

yes but not for which surfave that is.,...emissivity etc etc

 

[Raven Luni]

It see the HEAT. It doesnt care about the properties of the surface.

 

[davenn]

It see the HEAT. It doesnt care about the properties of the surface.

tha was going to be my answer also

I would expect surface type to be irrelevent
it wouldnt matter if it was glass, metal pr plastic. 10C is 10C regardless

Dave

 

[duke37]

It measures infra-red radiation not HEAT. Radiation is dependent on temperature^4 and the emissivity.

Shiny metal surfaces have very low emissivity which is why heat sinks are often black.

The device has a laser to do something, perhaps it measures the return signal and calculates emissivity. I think this unlikely.

 

[Raven Luni]

The laser is for aiming only. The sensor is basically like a 1 pixel infrared camera. For this application, heat and infrared ratiation can be considered the same thing. If you touch something with a thermometer you have conducted heat. If this is so different from what the aiming device is measuring then what bloody use is it as a thermometer anyway???

 

[duke37]

The advantage of an infra-red sensor is that it can measure at a distance. If you wish to measure the temperature of transistors or resistors then infra-red is very convenient.

Thermocouples are likely to be more accurate but they conduct heat away from what is being measured.

How would you measure the temperature of a transmitter PA coil which is at 5kV?

 

[(*steve*)]

How would you measure the temperature of a transmitter PA coil which is at 5kV?

VERY carefully.

 

[Kiwi]

We use an infrared thermometer at work to measure temperatures on engines etc. It gives an indication of the temperature but is not exact. The type of surface being measured also affects the accuracy of the reading.

Great for finding hot spots on connector strips and junction boxes etc.