A favor - if you can take a temp

Lazy Daze · Aug 29, 2009

I don't want to bore you with the problem I'm having, but if any of you happen to have either an IR gun or a meter with a temp probe: would you mind taking a temp for me sometime?

I measured the temperature at my gauge sender (tan wire, stbd side of t-stat housing, I measured about 1mm above the sender, touching the t-stat housing) and got 132*. It would shoot up to about 140* on acceleration, but quickly stabilize back to 131*-132*. The dash gauge would read about 174* (analog, so just a guess). I have a 160* t-stat.

So far, I've verified my probe with a friend's - he has a nicer meter than me, but about 15 years old. His is a Fluke. Touching skin, both read 95*. At a higher temperature, his read 375*, mine read 330*. I'm going to try and verify with someone else's meter, too.

Four Suns · Aug 29, 2009

I charge $225/hour.

prepaid...

Lazy Daze · Aug 29, 2009

Check's in the mail... but you may want to wait on cashing it:smt001

fc3 · Aug 30, 2009

Try boiling water as a test. Should read about 212F at sea level on a standard day.

Lazy Daze · Aug 30, 2009

fc3 said:
Try boiling water as a test. Should read about 212F at sea level on a standard day.

You know, I was looking around my kitchen, thinking "What do I have that can give an accurate temp reading if I turn the stove's burner on?" "How accurate is my wife's meat thermometer?" "What if I turned the oven on to various temps and then take a reading off one of the racks?"

And then Frank said "Silly rabbit, just boil a pot of water".

Thank you, Frank. Although, now I do feel a little silly for not thinking of something so simple. :smt001

I'm going to go do that right now.

Lazy Daze · Aug 30, 2009

204*. Being where I am at about 500' above sea level, I think that should make water boil at 211*.

Thanks again, Frank, for the simple plan.:smt001

fc3 · Aug 30, 2009

You are welcome.

Henry Boyd · Aug 30, 2009

Dennis,

The other end of the scale can be tested by using a 50/50 mixture of ice and water. After it sits for about 2-3 minutes it will be 32 degrees. If you are really fussy use a foam coffee cup to minimize heat transfer from the ice water mix.

Henry

Lazy Daze · Sep 14, 2009

Shameless bump.

Tested it out again yesterday, same temp results. My wife SWEARS the temp needle doesn't move when she drives it (while I'm down in the bilge)! Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, you know?:huh:

If I've got a 160* t-stat, why is the measured temp so low? On the back of the t-stat housing (nearer the actual stat) I measured 139*.

Even though it's a new t-stat, would it be worthwhile to pull it and test it?

Stray Cat · Sep 14, 2009

I don't know if this is it or not....How close are you holding the I/R from the point of measurement? and...Are you holding it still? I have a Raytek MT4, and on small objects, I have to get to within a few inches for it to be real accurate and really hold it still. (the instructions that came with it confirmed that the size of the object being measured required different distances for the I/R to be held to the object) After I changed T stats, I held mine about 3 or 4 inches from the T stat housing and watched the temps climb from ambient to 159 degrees with the engine at idle while setting in my slip.

Also, I had a brand new T stat get a few grains of sand caught in it....it wouldn't build much over 130 degrees. Pulled it out, immersed it in near boiling hot water, then dunked it in cool water to clear the sand. Poor thing probably went into shock! Then it worked ok.

Lazy Daze · Sep 14, 2009

Stray Cat said:
I don't know if this is it or not....How close are you holding the I/R from the point of measurement? and...Are you holding it still? I have a Raytek MT4, and on small objects, I have to get to within a few inches for it to be real accurate and really hold it still. (the instructions that came with it confirmed that the size of the object being measured required different distances for the I/R to be held to the object) After I changed T stats, I held mine about 3 or 4 inches from the T stat housing and watched the temps climb from ambient to 159 degrees with the engine at idle while setting in my slip.

Also, I had a brand new T stat get a few grains of sand caught in it....it wouldn't build much over 130 degrees. Pulled it out, immersed it in near boiling hot water, then dunked it in cool water to clear the sand. Poor thing probably went into shock! Then it worked ok.

Thanks, Jeff, for the thought. Actually, I'm using a direct contact probe with my meter. I can actually hold it very still by wedging other parts of my hand against things.

What's weird is that the dash gauge shows a hair over 170*. Now, I realize that the dash gauge isn't necessarily accurate, BUT the needle is at the same spot on the gauge as every other boat I've ever driven. Which makes me think that the gauge is at least consistent.

This is why I'm curious what other people's actual temp is. Maybe what I'm measuring is normal, but it just seems to low.

A favor - if you can take a temp

Lazy Daze

Four Suns

Lazy Daze

fc3

Lazy Daze

Lazy Daze

fc3

Henry Boyd

Lazy Daze

Stray Cat

Lazy Daze

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