1 Topic by Claghorn

  • Claghorn
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  • From: Delray Beach, FL
  • Registered: 2012-10-22
  • Posts: 730

Topic: reasonably priced bed temp measurement?

Is there a reasonably priced thermistor or thermocouple unit out there which could be used to measure the temp of the print bed with a direct surface probe? I can easily find Fluke units for several hundred dollars, but I was hoping for something much cheaper than that :-).

Would sticking a piece of tape on the bed and using an IR unit be just as accurate as a surface probe?

I'd like to find out what temps I'm actually getting with my stock heater and do some calibration when/if I replace it with the QU-BD.

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2 Reply by adrian

  • adrian
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  • From: Canberra, Australia
  • Registered: 2013-01-15
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Re: reasonably priced bed temp measurement?

Many reasonably priced non-fluke DMM's come with type-k thermocouples.... usually around the $30-$50 mark.

The piece of tape + ir might will work ok - but IR itself has a host of issues that means its not the panacea many make it out to be... so piece of tape + really very very close + ensuring the sensor angle covers *only* the tape (as any surface with emissivity issues in view of the sensor will cause issues - such as aluminium) will be ok...

But me, I'd just have a DMM with a thermocouple attachment.. for a few dollars more you can get datalogging or wireless ones to transmit the data back to a PC for capture even.... *shrug*

3 Reply by dubbsd

  • dubbsd
  • dubbsd
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  • From: Northwest florida
  • Registered: 2012-09-30
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Re: reasonably priced bed temp measurement?

I use this one at work and it works good
http://www.extech.com/instruments/produ … prodid=626

Ultimaker S3.

4 Reply by Claghorn

  • Claghorn
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  • From: Delray Beach, FL
  • Registered: 2012-10-22
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Re: reasonably priced bed temp measurement?

So, if my meter doesn't have a temp setting, I'd have to do the math from the NIST tables to translate voltage to temp? (Or get a new meter that does have the temp setting).

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