Wide range of applications and selection of infrared thermometers
Infrared Thermometers Areas of Application
Infrared thermometers have proven to be an effective tool for detecting and diagnosing faults in electronic equipment. With an infrared thermometer you can continuously diagnose electronic connection problems and detect the functional status of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) by finding hot spots in the output filter connections on DC batteries, you can check battery components and power distribution board terminals, switch gear or fuse connections to prevent energy consumption; since loose connectors and combinations generate heat, an infrared thermometer helps to identify insulation faults in circuit interrupters. Or monitor electronic compressors; daily scanning of transformers for hot spots can detect cracked windings and terminals.
How to Measure Temperature with an Infrared Thermometer
Three temperature measurement techniques for non-contact thermometers:
Point measurement: Determines the temperature of the entire surface of an object, like an engine or other piece of equipment.
Differential measurement: Comparing the measured temperatures of two independent points, like a connector or circuit breaker.
Scanning measurement: Detects changes in the target over a wide area or a continuous area. Like a refrigeration line or an electrical distribution room.
Selecting an Infrared Thermometer Key Considerations
-Temperature range: Fluke, Opus products for the temperature range of -500 ~ 3000 degrees (segmented), each model of the thermometer has its own specific temperature measurement range. The temperature range of the selected instrument should match the temperature range of the specific application.
-Target size: When measuring temperature, the target to be measured should be larger than the field of view of the pyrometer, otherwise there is an error in the measurement. It is recommended that the size of the target to be measured should be more than 50% of the field of view of the pyrometer.
-Optical resolution (D:S): i.e., the ratio of the probe of the pyrometer to the diameter of the target. If the pyrometer is far away from the target and the target is small, you should choose a high-resolution pyrometer.
Temperature Measurement Tips
-When measuring the surface temperature of luminous objects, such as aluminium and stainless steel, the reflection of the surface will affect the infrared pyrometer reading. Before reading the temperature, you can put an adhesive strip on the metal surface, and after the temperature equilibrium, measure the temperature of the adhesive strip area.
-For an infrared thermometer to be able to travel back and forth from the kitchen to the refrigerated area and still provide a temperature measurement, it should be placed in a new environment for a period of time to achieve temperature equilibrium before taking a measurement. It is best to keep the pyrometer in a location where it will be used frequently.
-Use an infrared thermometer to read the internal temperature of a fluid food, such as a soup or sauce, which must be stirred and then the surface temperature can be measured. Keep the pyrometer away from vapours to avoid contaminating the lens, which could lead to incorrect readings.
