Infra-red thermometers reduced at Maplin

[Biggles]

Infra-red thermometers with laser guide now reduced from £49.99 to £29.99 at Maplin (well, in Norwich anyway!).

Biggles

[Bill]

In message , Biggles writes

B****R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!

[Ian Stirling]

N20BB

141 in stock.

[Mike]

That's what I thought. But for everybody else do go and buy one. It's a great toy and a lot better than most of the other cheap ones on the market.

[Ian Stirling]

Could you give a quick review?

[Mike]

It has a 10:1 lens, rather than the 1:1 to 8:1 more commonly available. It measure the temperature of most surfaces pretty accurately, though sometimes it has problems with shiny brass, though not roughcast brass.

Can read the temperature of a wall pretty accurately from many feet away provided there is nothing hotter in it's view. If there is move closer but most of the time the reading stays the same. I've been using it for installing the central heating, for finding gaps in insulation (amazing how many gaps there are in pipe lagging) and for proving once and for all that the wife's feet are unearthly cold.

[Ian Stirling]

What's the temperature range? (maplins website is not working for me right now)

[Biggles]

-30C -> +550C, 0.5 degree increments.

10:1 means the area you are measuring increases with range - it is 25mm at 250mm range, 100mm diameter at 1000m range. I was a bit concerned about this but it hasn't caused any problems so far - if a finer reading is needed, you can just move closer (if you *can*, I guess there may be some situations when this is a problem).

Backlit display, auto-holds reading. Auto power-off after 10 seconds. Cannot comment on accuracy, because I've got no reference to compare it with, but gives expected readings on things with "known" temperatures (inside of fridge, radiators, room walls, skin temp etc).

Biggles Remove packaging before e-mailing

[Steve Firth]

Hmm, may be as well to shop around though. I want a speed gun, Maplin have the Bushnell Velocity ofr about £130, but I can buy one in the USA for £50.

[Mike]

Or wait for their next sale ? :-)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Thanks for that - just picked one up. My local branch still had it marked at the full price. Slight argument later, they found the new one. They were very busy, though.