Opinions on Cheap Thermocouple Meters

Jim Flanagan
Guest

Sun Mar 07, 2010 3:28 pm

I've been 'eye-balling' these cheap meters and am wondering if I want
to take a chance on one of these. Curious if anyone has any experience
with these? They may be nothing but junk, but who knows?

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-K-Type-Digital-Thermometer-with-Thermocouple-Sensors_W0QQitemZ250591227188QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a5866ad34

-jim

Martin Riddle
Guest

Sun Mar 07, 2010 5:18 pm

"Jim Flanagan" <jflan_at_tampabay.rr.com> wrote in message
news:4b93b823$0$4969$9a6e19ea_at_unlimited.newshosting.com...

Quote:

I've been 'eye-balling' these cheap meters and am wondering if I want
to take a chance on one of these. Curious if anyone has any
experience
with these? They may be nothing but junk, but who knows?

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-K-Type-Digital-Thermometer-with-Thermocouple-Sensors_W0QQitemZ250591227188QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a5866ad34

-jim

Made in China, but seems like a legit company.
<http://www.chinasampo.cn/Thermometer/DM6802B.htm>

Hey for $10 it's worth the risk.

Cheers

Spehro Pefhany
Guest

Sun Mar 07, 2010 5:30 pm

On Sun, 7 Mar 2010 11:18:56 -0500, the renowned "Martin Riddle"
<martin_rid_at_verizon.net> wrote:

Quote:

"Jim Flanagan" <jflan_at_tampabay.rr.com> wrote in message
news:4b93b823$0$4969$9a6e19ea_at_unlimited.newshosting.com...

I've been 'eye-balling' these cheap meters and am wondering if I want
to take a chance on one of these. Curious if anyone has any
experience
with these? They may be nothing but junk, but who knows?

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-K-Type-Digital-Thermometer-with-Thermocouple-Sensors_W0QQitemZ250591227188QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a5866ad34

-jim

Made in China, but seems like a legit company.
http://www.chinasampo.cn/Thermometer/DM6802B.htm

Hey for $10 it's worth the risk.

Cheers

$26 with postage... and if it's dead you only get $10 back, but still
very cheap.

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
speff_at_interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com

Jim Thompson
Guest

Sun Mar 07, 2010 5:44 pm

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:30:43 -0500, Spehro Pefhany
<speffSNIP_at_interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> wrote:

Quote:

On Sun, 7 Mar 2010 11:18:56 -0500, the renowned "Martin Riddle"
martin_rid_at_verizon.net> wrote:

"Jim Flanagan" <jflan_at_tampabay.rr.com> wrote in message
news:4b93b823$0$4969$9a6e19ea_at_unlimited.newshosting.com...

I've been 'eye-balling' these cheap meters and am wondering if I want
to take a chance on one of these. Curious if anyone has any
experience
with these? They may be nothing but junk, but who knows?

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-K-Type-Digital-Thermometer-with-Thermocouple-Sensors_W0QQitemZ250591227188QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a5866ad34

-jim

Made in China, but seems like a legit company.
http://www.chinasampo.cn/Thermometer/DM6802B.htm

Hey for $10 it's worth the risk.

Cheers

$26 with postage... and if it's dead you only get $10 back, but still
very cheap.

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

Spehro, What do you recommend for an IR thermometer? I have a "slab
leak", so I want to scan the tile floor and localize which tiles I
need to rip up Sad

Archimedes' Lever
Guest

Sun Mar 07, 2010 6:22 pm

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:44:28 -0700, Jim Thompson
<To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon_at_My-Web-Site.com> wrote:

Quote:

Spehro, What do you recommend for an IR thermometer? I have a "slab
leak", so I want to scan the tile floor and localize which tiles I
need to rip up Sad

...Jim Thompson

RENT a thermal imager. There is no way to do it properly with fucking
simple probes.

Archimedes' Lever
Guest

Sun Mar 07, 2010 6:25 pm

On Sun, 7 Mar 2010 11:18:56 -0500, "Martin Riddle"
<martin_rid_at_verizon.net> wrote:

Quote:

"Jim Flanagan" <jflan_at_tampabay.rr.com> wrote in message
news:4b93b823$0$4969$9a6e19ea_at_unlimited.newshosting.com...

I've been 'eye-balling' these cheap meters and am wondering if I want
to take a chance on one of these. Curious if anyone has any
experience
with these? They may be nothing but junk, but who knows?

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-K-Type-Digital-Thermometer-with-Thermocouple-Sensors_W0QQitemZ250591227188QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a5866ad34

-jim

Made in China, but seems like a legit company.
http://www.chinasampo.cn/Thermometer/DM6802B.htm

Hey for $10 it's worth the risk.

Cheers

Pretty simple shit. Go to Harbor Frieght and buy the cheap $20 DVM

they sell. It comes with a temp function and a probe. The probe alone
is worth ten bucks. They actually built it pretty nice. The tip has a
small piece of thermal heat shrink over the fiberglass cloth sheath,
right at the tip. They did a really nice job on something with such a low
price.

Jamie
Guest

Sun Mar 07, 2010 6:48 pm

Archimedes' Lever wrote:

Quote:

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:44:28 -0700, Jim Thompson
To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon_at_My-Web-Site.com> wrote:

Spehro, What do you recommend for an IR thermometer? I have a "slab
leak", so I want to scan the tile floor and localize which tiles I
need to rip up Sad

...Jim Thompson

RENT a thermal imager. There is no way to do it properly with fucking
simple probes.
Dowsing rods?

John Larkin
Guest

Sun Mar 07, 2010 7:16 pm

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:28:45 -0500, Jim Flanagan
<jflan_at_tampabay.rr.com> wrote:

Quote:

I've been 'eye-balling' these cheap meters and am wondering if I want
to take a chance on one of these. Curious if anyone has any experience
with these? They may be nothing but junk, but who knows?

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-K-Type-Digital-Thermometer-with-Thermocouple-Sensors_W0QQitemZ250591227188QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a5866ad34

-jim

It probably works, but don't expect very good reference junction
compensation, which means it will be pretty accurate when the
instrument itself is around room temperature. My Extech
DVM/thermometer cost more like $70, and is really close on temperature
if ambient is reasonable.

John

Archimedes' Lever
Guest

Sun Mar 07, 2010 7:28 pm

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 12:48:18 -0500, Jamie
<jamie_ka1lpa_not_valid_after_ka1lpa__at_charter.net> wrote:

Quote:

Archimedes' Lever wrote:

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:44:28 -0700, Jim Thompson
To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon_at_My-Web-Site.com> wrote:

Spehro, What do you recommend for an IR thermometer? I have a "slab
leak", so I want to scan the tile floor and localize which tiles I
need to rip up Sad

...Jim Thompson

RENT a thermal imager. There is no way to do it properly with fucking
simple probes.
Dowsing rods?

:)

Maybe if the dolt sat on one of them the 'right' way.

In his case, it would have to hit his "gee" spot.

"Oh gee, now I remember..."

Michael A. Terrell
Guest

Sun Mar 07, 2010 8:53 pm

Jim Thompson wrote:

Quote:

Spehro, What do you recommend for an IR thermometer? I have a "slab
leak", so I want to scan the tile floor and localize which tiles I
need to rip up Sad

Harbor Freight has one on sale for $8.99 in the seventh row from the
top, left side. The coupon expires tomorrow.

<http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/common/displayPage.do?pageFile=usa_cpnsave.html>

You can get a free LED flashlight with the coupon on this page:

<http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/common/displayPage.do?pageFile=magurl3.html>

It looks like you have two stores near you:

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/storelocator/locationsByState.do?state=AZ

--
Greed is the root of all eBay.

Spehro Pefhany
Guest

Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:13 pm

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:44:28 -0700, the renowned Jim Thompson
<To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon_at_My-Web-Site.com> wrote:

Quote:

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:30:43 -0500, Spehro Pefhany
speffSNIP_at_interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> wrote:

On Sun, 7 Mar 2010 11:18:56 -0500, the renowned "Martin Riddle"
martin_rid_at_verizon.net> wrote:

"Jim Flanagan" <jflan_at_tampabay.rr.com> wrote in message
news:4b93b823$0$4969$9a6e19ea_at_unlimited.newshosting.com...

I've been 'eye-balling' these cheap meters and am wondering if I want
to take a chance on one of these. Curious if anyone has any
experience
with these? They may be nothing but junk, but who knows?

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-K-Type-Digital-Thermometer-with-Thermocouple-Sensors_W0QQitemZ250591227188QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a5866ad34

-jim

Made in China, but seems like a legit company.
http://www.chinasampo.cn/Thermometer/DM6802B.htm

Hey for $10 it's worth the risk.

Cheers

$26 with postage... and if it's dead you only get $10 back, but still
very cheap.

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

Spehro, What do you recommend for an IR thermometer? I have a "slab
leak", so I want to scan the tile floor and localize which tiles I
need to rip up Sad

...Jim Thompson

What's the emissivity of the tiles look to be? Most tiles are shiny so
a fast contact probe might be a better bet, but NONE of the cheap
meters come with a proper ribbon thermocouple, which alone is worth
$40-$100. I could lend you a probe if you have a meter with a type-K
jack. You only need relative readings, so just about any meter should
do.

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
speff_at_interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com

Jim Thompson
Guest

Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:52 pm

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:13:02 -0500, Spehro Pefhany
<speffSNIP_at_interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> wrote:

Quote:

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:44:28 -0700, the renowned Jim Thompson
To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon_at_My-Web-Site.com> wrote:

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:30:43 -0500, Spehro Pefhany
speffSNIP_at_interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> wrote:

On Sun, 7 Mar 2010 11:18:56 -0500, the renowned "Martin Riddle"
martin_rid_at_verizon.net> wrote:

"Jim Flanagan" <jflan_at_tampabay.rr.com> wrote in message
news:4b93b823$0$4969$9a6e19ea_at_unlimited.newshosting.com...

I've been 'eye-balling' these cheap meters and am wondering if I want
to take a chance on one of these. Curious if anyone has any
experience
with these? They may be nothing but junk, but who knows?

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-K-Type-Digital-Thermometer-with-Thermocouple-Sensors_W0QQitemZ250591227188QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a5866ad34

-jim

Made in China, but seems like a legit company.
http://www.chinasampo.cn/Thermometer/DM6802B.htm

Hey for $10 it's worth the risk.

Cheers

$26 with postage... and if it's dead you only get $10 back, but still
very cheap.

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

Spehro, What do you recommend for an IR thermometer? I have a "slab
leak", so I want to scan the tile floor and localize which tiles I
need to rip up Sad

...Jim Thompson

What's the emissivity of the tiles look to be? Most tiles are shiny so
a fast contact probe might be a better bet, but NONE of the cheap
meters come with a proper ribbon thermocouple, which alone is worth
$40-$100. I could lend you a probe if you have a meter with a type-K
jack. You only need relative readings, so just about any meter should
do.

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

I don't have such a meter Sad

Paul Hovnanian P.E.
Guest

Sun Mar 07, 2010 10:00 pm

Archimedes' Lever wrote:

Quote:

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:44:28 -0700, Jim Thompson
To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon_at_My-Web-Site.com> wrote:

Spehro, What do you recommend for an IR thermometer? I have a "slab
leak", so I want to scan the tile floor and localize which tiles I
need to rip up Sad

"Slab leak"? What's leaking? Air? Heat?

Quote:

RENT a thermal imager. There is no way to do it properly with fucking
simple probes.

If your time is important, this is the way to go. A temp difference of a
few degres can be spotted in minutes. Having to make many dozens of
individual readings with this accuracy will take time.

--
Paul Hovnanian mailto:Paul_at_Hovnanian.com
------------------------------------------------------------------
Porsche: If I went any faster, I'd have to eat airline food.

Jim Thompson
Guest

Sun Mar 07, 2010 11:07 pm

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 14:00:41 -0700, "Paul Hovnanian P.E."
<Paul_at_Hovnanian.com> wrote:

Quote:

Archimedes' Lever wrote:

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:44:28 -0700, Jim Thompson
To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon_at_My-Web-Site.com> wrote:

Spehro, What do you recommend for an IR thermometer? I have a "slab
leak", so I want to scan the tile floor and localize which tiles I
need to rip up :-(

"Slab leak"? What's leaking? Air? Heat?

Water. Here in AZ they stupidly put the copper water pipes under the
slab, ignoring the thermal motion, and corrosion, making pin-hole
leaks :-(

Quote:

RENT a thermal imager. There is no way to do it properly with fucking
simple probes.

If your time is important, this is the way to go. A temp difference of a
few degres can be spotted in minutes. Having to make many dozens of
individual readings with this accuracy will take time.

Martin Riddle
Guest

Sun Mar 07, 2010 11:15 pm

"Jim Thompson" <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon_at_My-Web-Site.com> wrote in
message news:so88p5t8t1iqn1vbfmd1cfaq1s9aanm293_at_4ax.com...

Quote:

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 14:00:41 -0700, "Paul Hovnanian P.E."
Paul_at_Hovnanian.com> wrote:

Archimedes' Lever wrote:

On Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:44:28 -0700, Jim Thompson
To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon_at_My-Web-Site.com> wrote:

Spehro, What do you recommend for an IR thermometer? I have a
"slab
leak", so I want to scan the tile floor and localize which tiles I
need to rip up :-(

"Slab leak"? What's leaking? Air? Heat?

Water. Here in AZ they stupidly put the copper water pipes under the
slab, ignoring the thermal motion, and corrosion, making pin-hole
leaks :-(

Pin hole leaks... Does not sound good, they might keep popping up on
you.

I think bare feet should suffice in locating the leak , as well as the
wet spot.

But a pro might suggest replumbing, which might be the right option.

Cheers