Just saw this on an email from one of the deal of the day sites. Tough to beat for US$16
Icemonkey: Deals 'Till Sold Out: Electronics, Home & Garden, Jewelry, Toys & More
I used a similar one while building and biasing up my F5 amp. It is a really valuable tool to check FETs and Heatsink temps as you bias of troubleshoot. Cannot vouch for accuracy or reliability, but it was a good tool for the time I needed it.
Icemonkey: Deals 'Till Sold Out: Electronics, Home & Garden, Jewelry, Toys & More
I used a similar one while building and biasing up my F5 amp. It is a really valuable tool to check FETs and Heatsink temps as you bias of troubleshoot. Cannot vouch for accuracy or reliability, but it was a good tool for the time I needed it.
I have one similar to the Icemonkey thermometer - everything looks the same except the colors and the price was only $10. It's readings match that of my regular thermometers measuring coffee, cold water and my freezer. Probably fairly accurate, haven't owned it long enough to comment on reliability.
The tool geek in me would love to have a full compliment of Fluke meters, but since none of my projects require absolute measurement accuracy, I have a stable of cheap but consistent meters. As long as each time I connect it the meter shows the same reading, I am happy. I don't really care if what I read as 3.75V was really 3.76V because I can still match Vgs. The money I saved goes into new projects.
The tool geek in me would love to have a full compliment of Fluke meters, but since none of my projects require absolute measurement accuracy, I have a stable of cheap but consistent meters. As long as each time I connect it the meter shows the same reading, I am happy. I don't really care if what I read as 3.75V was really 3.76V because I can still match Vgs. The money I saved goes into new projects.
I agree Bob. But, sometimes it make sense to just pay the money for a high quality tool. I do a lot of electronics projects for audio and ham radio. The Fluke DVM has served me well, and was worth the $100 vs. $10 for my other DVMs. I have broken or fried probably 5 cheap DVMs, but the Fluke keeps working. I had one cheap DVM actually catch fire when measuring plate volts on a tube amp. So much for the '600 volts DC' rating!
The Fluke is specially useful in low freq or high voltage AC, accurate cap and coil measurements. All other test stuff I own, generators, scopes, and PS are surplus HP, old but still good. And, they probably will last longer than I will.
All that said, the $10 DVMs, $10 infrared thermometers, etc. are fine for solid state audio work. No need to spend more.
The Fluke is specially useful in low freq or high voltage AC, accurate cap and coil measurements. All other test stuff I own, generators, scopes, and PS are surplus HP, old but still good. And, they probably will last longer than I will.
All that said, the $10 DVMs, $10 infrared thermometers, etc. are fine for solid state audio work. No need to spend more.
If you want to check your (cheap) IR thermometer for reliability you can do like this. Take a cup or mug and paint it matte black. Most IR thermometers have the highest precision when measuring matte black surfaces. Pour some water in it and place it in your micro wave oven until the water is boiling heavily.
Take the cup out and "shoot" it with your thermometer. It is very accurate if the reading is 99 deg. C (210 Fahrenheit). Don´t expect the reading to hit 100 deg. C spot-on since the surface of the cup will radiate some of the heat.
Please be careful and use gloves or similar in case some of the boiling water will escape the cup when taking it out of the oven.
Karsten
Take the cup out and "shoot" it with your thermometer. It is very accurate if the reading is 99 deg. C (210 Fahrenheit). Don´t expect the reading to hit 100 deg. C spot-on since the surface of the cup will radiate some of the heat.
Please be careful and use gloves or similar in case some of the boiling water will escape the cup when taking it out of the oven.
Karsten
Well, some of the idiosecrecies(sp?) are rearing there ugly head... All these tools are not the same. If you don't read or understand intructions you will be miffed...Pe'od... burnt... etc...
Here is a suttle instructional post regarding FLIR IR cams but, I beleive also applies to these little cheapy laser spot IR indicators. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/pass-labs/201655-lamp-simple-sit-amp-183.html#post3627089
The IR indicaters are somewhat different. IMO the most important thing to understand is that: your laser spot is not conectecd to the IR indicator field of view. It is intended to point to the same spot, at some calibrated distance. You must use it at that calibrated distance. If you don't the IR indicator is sencing a different spot than what your laser is illuminating. Just as the simple temp cal above there are ways to cal the sense point spot also.
Here is a suttle instructional post regarding FLIR IR cams but, I beleive also applies to these little cheapy laser spot IR indicators. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/pass-labs/201655-lamp-simple-sit-amp-183.html#post3627089
The IR indicaters are somewhat different. IMO the most important thing to understand is that: your laser spot is not conectecd to the IR indicator field of view. It is intended to point to the same spot, at some calibrated distance. You must use it at that calibrated distance. If you don't the IR indicator is sencing a different spot than what your laser is illuminating. Just as the simple temp cal above there are ways to cal the sense point spot also.
Well, some of the idiosecrecies(sp?) are rearing there ugly head... All these tools are not the same. If you don't read or understand intructions you will be miffed...Pe'od... burnt... etc...
Here is a suttle instructional post regarding FLIR IR cams but, I beleive also applies to these little cheapy laser spot IR indicators. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/pass-labs/201655-lamp-simple-sit-amp-183.html#post3627089
The IR indicaters are somewhat different. IMO the most important thing to understand is that: your laser spot is not conectecd to the IR indicator field of view. It is intended to point to the same spot, at some calibrated distance. You must use it at that calibrated distance. If you don't the IR indicator is sencing a different spot than what your laser is illuminating. Just as the simple temp cal above there are ways to cal the sense point spot also.
This is where the Fluke should be better. You can adjust the emissivity and the 62 max plus has two lasers for correct aiming.
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