cheapest IR thermometer

Rs do one for 35 quid (+ VAT) - you may find some cheaper ones - try ebay uk .

CPC do this one

I've got one, and it works fine for central heating balancing etc.

I got one from Maplins -

it ain't now - must have been on special offer - 50 quid now - should have checked first!

I've got a Maplin one which was £25 on special offer some time back. I also borrowed a much more expensive one from work. Both were very inaccurate for measuring pipe temperatures compared with a temperature probe and smear of heatsink compound. I suspect the pipe simply doesn't fill enough of the field of view, although even putting them right up to the pipe didn't much help. However, they were not too bad if pointed at the radiator panel just where the pipe entered. I actually used a probe and dabs of heatsink compound to do radiator balancing though.

However, the IR thermometer is excellent for working out where you are losing heat from a room. Check the temperature of all the bounding surfaces of the room. You might find some surprising cold spots. On a cold night, point it at the external surfaces of your house, and you'll find the warm spots too.

Bare metal surfaces are a problem.

Copper is used as an IR mirror, and will emit very little IR when clean. A wrap of something like insulating tape, or paint will help.

"aj" wrote in news:40745450$0$3306$ snipped-for-privacy@news-text.dial.pipex.com:

I got one of those, too; it's one of my fave toys.

But SetSquare's (that link actually worked without re-embrangling) looks much prettier

mike r

Ian Stirling wrote in news:ndZcc.30862$Y%6.3808412 @wards.force9.net:

I use a bit of insulating tape

mike r