Accurate and reliable thermometer?

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Harpo

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I am looking for help with monitoring temps.
I don't know what brand temp gun to get. I did a bit of research and I am dubious on accuracy, having never owned one.
I am using 3 ebay cheap digital probe thermometers and an analogue one currently, I don't trust their accuracy either.

They all read different temps and not the same as the thermostat. For example I put the thermometers and the thermostat probes all in the same warm hide and the temps read: (thermostat 29.5, thermometer 31.5 and 33.5, analogue at 33.0) I own an Ant. so going for 32.
Obviously I cannot rely on cheap stuff, what brands of thermometers do you guys use? What is the safest way?

Sorry for the new guy questions. Thanks.
 
A common mistake is to use a thermostat as a thermometer. This rarely works at all.

All probe thermometers (and thermostats) use thermistors and these are all very precise, but often the calibration is out meaning they are not accurate (but they will still be precise - google 'precision vs accuracy' to learn about the difference between precision and accuracy, they're different things and the difference is relevant to us as reptile keepers using electronic thermometers and thermostats).

Your thermometers are all reading within 2 degrees of each other which isn't too bad, and it sounds like your temperature is about right, probably around 32.5 at the spot you're measuring.

Thermometer guns work on an entirely different principle, they are extremely inaccurate but very precise if you're measuring the temperature of the same type of material. Even the world's best infrared thermometer gun will read the temperature of a piece of metal, a piece of paper and a piece of glass as different temperatures at the exact same temperature. This is because different types of materials emit infrared radiation in different ways. If you want to pay a bit more you can buy a thermometer gun with adjustable emissivity which you can adjust depending on what you're measuring the temperature of, but this is a bit too complex for most people, and even after spending years studying the topic I rarely use the adjustable emissivity function on my thermometer gun and just leave it set to 0.95 (which is what most things including skin, water, glass, etc are close enough to, and most fixed units are set to).

Don't get too caught up on unimportant things like a degree here or there :) Even a nerd like me only does it because I enjoy it, and I understand that it's not particularly important for the animal.
 
If you want to pay a bit more you can buy a thermometer gun with adjustable emissivity which you can adjust depending on what you're measuring the temperature of, but this is a bit too complex for most people, and even after spending years studying the topic I rarely use the adjustable emissivity function on my thermometer gun and just leave it set to 0.95 (which is what most things including skin, water, glass, etc are close enough to, and most fixed units are set to).

Thank you for this Sir, I have been nerding out myself, badly. I didn't think I needed to go this far - but I have been looking into it. I'd prefer both a gun and probes to be a good obsessed monitor.

Also...
google 'precision vs accuracy'
OK. this is awesome.
[doublepost=1593553752,1593424082][/doublepost]I went with this temp gun:

https://www.jaycar.com.au/non-contact-thermometer-with-dual-laser-targeting/p/QM7420

It is now discontinued, but they had 175 left in the warehouse.

I chose this one because of the higher distance to spot ratio, and yes the adjustable emissivity....so I can be a nerd.
I see some temp experiments in my near future.
 
Nice unit with great specs. Similar to mine but yours has a slightly better distance to spot ratio and two lasers to indicate sampling area; I have to estimate my sampling area, which I suppose is still better than most people who don't even realise it's relevant!

You seem nerdy enough that you're going to have a lot of fun with your new toy, and understand what's going on too. Enjoy :)
 
The temp gun is good. My son and I take turns testing the temps of everything in the house - fun times.

After looking closer at the placement of my thermometer probes, I had a play around and set up much better.

Originally my hot spot probes and thermostat probe were all within a 3 - 4 cm area, on the ground, loose in the hide to be moved or raised off the ground by the snake. result: at least 2 deg. difference - sometimes more.

Now the probes are all 1-2 mm. apart max. and cannot move so much. result 0.3 deg difference. Probes 31.9, 32.2. Thermostat: 30.5, temp gun: 32.6 :)
 
The temp gun is good. My son and I take turns testing the temps of everything in the house - fun times.

After looking closer at the placement of my thermometer probes, I had a play around and set up much better.

Originally my hot spot probes and thermostat probe were all within a 3 - 4 cm area, on the ground, loose in the hide to be moved or raised off the ground by the snake. result: at least 2 deg. difference - sometimes more.

Now the probes are all 1-2 mm. apart max. and cannot move so much. result 0.3 deg difference. Probes 31.9, 32.2. Thermostat: 30.5, temp gun: 32.6 :)

Take it outside during the day, especially when there is direct sun. It's so much more fun and interesting! At this time of year when the sun is shining you'll be able to scan around and find temperatures of between about 12 (or lower depending on the day and time of day) and 50+ within cm of each other. It really opens your eyes to the options reptiles have, and shows that it's not the 'today's temperature range is 10-24 degrees and currently it's 22' situation that most people think exists naturally and provide in a box. If they want to, reptiles can often get a body temperature over 40 degrees on a 14 degree day as long as there's direct sun, so getting to their preferred temperature of around 30 is often very easy, even on days with far cooler temperatures.
 
Take it outside during the day, especially when there is direct sun.
It really opens your eyes to the options reptiles have

Wow. I knew this somewhat, but to see the numbers is truely eyeopening. It's cold where I am today, I think forecast under 15 but I found 40 degree stuff just outside, 30 degree bricks and 11 in the shade. Cannot wait till summer, the boy and I will be tagging stuff like crazy.

Thanks for helping me see temps from my snakes perspective, Sdaji ;)
Man, I hope this forum stays post Aug.
 
Yep! Just as I said! You probably did believe me but seeing it for yourself gives it a much more real feeling. If you know how to look for the hot spots you'll be able to find hotter ones quite easily, and reptiles are the experts!

If on your first attempt in a random sort of area you found 40 degrees on a 15 degree day, imagine what you'll find on a 40 degree day when you know how to search!
 

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