Are All Digital Thermometers Created Equal?

I like LaCrosse. I have 2 for the house and a 2 channel one ( outside air and fridge temp ) for the RV.

Thanks Jerry and Jeanne...Lacrosse was not on my radar...I'll check it out.

one of the BEST at $499.00

Clicky

I have a 75 dollar Craftsman.. like 8 years old.

I guess it depends on how deep your pockets are! $400.00 is waaaaaaaay out my snack bracket for sure. I have several of the Lacrosse products and as long as you don't slam them onto the ground and then step on 'em (lost my balance, not drunk!) they stand up pretty well.

Cheers!

Mike

Yea...Mike...know what you mean...$400 is certainly WAY out of my league. Glad to know that they exist...I might when the lottery...if I every buy a ticket. Thanks for your input.

I guess you're looking for an infrared?

Good catch 2oldman! In re reading the op's query methinks that I am on the wrong rail with my reply. So, OP, you are asking about a digital point and shoot infrared thermometer? To check tire, wheel bearing and other vehicle type temps? The prices do vary wildly on these. The one that I use retails at $100.00 and I got it on sale for about $30.00 IIRC. I think the adage "you get what you pay for" rings quite true. Tons of vendors on Amazon and EBay for these devices. I use ours mainly for wheel bearing and hub temp measurements as well as hunting for seal and gasket leaks in the RV (looking fort cool spots).

Cheers!

Mike

Mike LeClair wrote:
Good catch 2oldman! In re reading the op's query methinks that I am on the wrong rail with my reply. So, OP, you are asking about a digital point and shoot infrared thermometer? To check tire, wheel bearing and other vehicle type temps? The prices do vary wildly on these. The one that I use retails at $100.00 and I got it on sale for about $30.00 IIRC. I think the adage "you get what you pay for" rings quite true. Tons of vendors on Amazon and EBay for these devices. I use ours mainly for wheel bearing and hub temp measurements as well as hunting for seal and gasket leaks in the RV (looking fort cool spots).

Cheers!

Mike

Would a device like this be useful for calibrating a thermometer used for measuring room temperature or outside temperature?

I have a bunch of temperature sensors as part of my home automation system, and the software allows you to adjust the reported temperature (to correct for inaccuracies in the sensor). I'm wondering if I aimed a digital point and shoot infrared thermometer at the sensor (or something in the vicinity of the sensor), would that give an accurate reading that I could use for calibration? (assuming the digital point and shoot infrared thermometer is reasonably accurate, of course).

In answer to the OP, I've never felt the need to check bearing temps and don't know if there is a temp that they normally run at. I assume that you are really looking for variations from what you find to be normal for your vehicles and accuracy is not too important.

To wenglish, no, you would be measuring surface temps and what you want are ambient air temps, I don't think it would work.

if you do not NEED plus or minus 5 degrees..
for 20 dollars. go to a R/C (radio controlled) hobby shop... they work well...
used for the nitro/gas engines...

to compare one temp to another..

as for bearings... should be about 20 degrees above ambient air temperature...
tires.. 10 to 30 degrees above ambient air temperature.. but REMEMBER the Full SUN side might be another 20 degrees more...

I started out using one.. to quickly find a car engine mis-fire.... that exhaust tube will be cooler... then other engine problems... cooling .. ect.