Recommended Temperature Gun
07-27-2009, 03:25 AM
#17
I just got a Fluke 62 and it's great, you can get it for around 100$.
It's a little more expensive but you can trust the readings.
Link to Fluke 62
It's a little more expensive but you can trust the readings.
Link to Fluke 62
07-27-2009, 07:19 AM
#18
I just got a Fluke 62 and it's great, you can get it for around 100$.
It's a little more expensive but you can trust the readings.
Link to Fluke 62
It's a little more expensive but you can trust the readings.
Link to Fluke 62
07-27-2009, 07:53 AM
#19
Do you point the laser right on the glow plug or on top of the cooling head, and about how far away to get an accurate reading? I usually hold mine about 3 inches away from the glow plug and saturday at the races mine was about 25 degrees off from one of the 250$ guns.
07-27-2009, 08:22 AM
#20
Do you point the laser right on the glow plug or on top of the cooling head, and about how far away to get an accurate reading? I usually hold mine about 3 inches away from the glow plug and saturday at the races mine was about 25 degrees off from one of the 250$ guns.
07-27-2009, 08:29 AM
#21
Clean the sensor area well until it's as shiny as a show car's chrome bumper. It will read much more accurately. I tested my inexpensive one after cleaning against my Exergen... only 2ºf difference (@ 200ºf). Before cleaning, it was reading ~20ºf cooler.
07-27-2009, 08:36 AM
#22
I know the only accurate temp gun out there is the exergen. I just can't see spending 250+ on an item that is only used as a double check for a lean running engine. I can tell when my engine leans out and the result is a high temp. I just us my temp gun to make me feel better about how I have tuned my engine. As long as there's no lean bog or high lean idle, I het good smoke out of the pipe and the power response is good it is tuned right. When I come in the pit and my pit guy takes the temp it just reassures me that I have it tuned right. So spending 1/2 of another RC car on a temp gun just sounds a little over board. I am sure eventually I will pick one up when I can't find anything else to spend my money on and the bug starts bugging again (once every 2 weeks or so). But for now I'm good with the 25 dollar version. I have bought enouf temp guns to equal the exergen but we never put that togeather at the time.
07-27-2009, 08:48 AM
#23
I know the only accurate temp gun out there is the exergen. I just can't see spending 250+ on an item that is only used as a double check for a lean running engine. I can tell when my engine leans out and the result is a high temp. I just us my temp gun to make me feel better about how I have tuned my engine. As long as there's no lean bog or high lean idle, I het good smoke out of the pipe and the power response is good it is tuned right. When I come in the pit and my pit guy takes the temp it just reassures me that I have it tuned right. So spending 1/2 of another RC car on a temp gun just sounds a little over board. I am sure eventually I will pick one up when I can't find anything else to spend my money on and the bug starts bugging again (once every 2 weeks or so). But for now I'm good with the 25 dollar version. I have bought enouf temp guns to equal the exergen but we never put that togeather at the time.
But try the cleaning thing. It made my inexpensive Ofna gauge read much more accurately.
07-27-2009, 08:56 AM
#24
Tech Regular
I would buy the Fluke one IMO.
Anyone that has ever worked in the Trade/Electrical industry can tell you that Fluke tools are top notch and second to none.
They make everything from Voltage Meters to 5000 dollar Laser measurement tools for Civial Engineers. I would most likely go with a cheaper Fluke then some $250 temp gun that doesn't have a track list of success like Fluke does.
(I understand Exergen has been proven by racers, but you can't beat the following of almost every electrician/craftsman/engineer or trade worker for that matter.)
Fluke has been around since I was a kid, and you don't stick around that long in their industry by making shitty products.
Anyone that has ever worked in the Trade/Electrical industry can tell you that Fluke tools are top notch and second to none.
They make everything from Voltage Meters to 5000 dollar Laser measurement tools for Civial Engineers. I would most likely go with a cheaper Fluke then some $250 temp gun that doesn't have a track list of success like Fluke does.
(I understand Exergen has been proven by racers, but you can't beat the following of almost every electrician/craftsman/engineer or trade worker for that matter.)
Fluke has been around since I was a kid, and you don't stick around that long in their industry by making shitty products.
07-27-2009, 09:05 AM
#25
Exergen only does temperature equipment. Medical specifically.They know what they are doing. http://www.exergen.com/. Get what you feel comfortable with for checking your engine temp. Knowing what your engine is running at without doing math is nice.
07-27-2009, 09:05 AM
#26
I would buy the Fluke one IMO.
Anyone that has ever worked in the Trade/Electrical industry can tell you that Fluke tools are top notch and second to none.
They make everything from Voltage Meters to 5000 dollar Laser measurement tools for Civial Engineers. I would most likely go with a cheaper Fluke then some $250 temp gun that doesn't have a track list of success like Fluke does.
(I understand Exergen has been proven by racers, but you can't beat the following of almost every electrician/craftsman/engineer or trade worker for that matter.)
Fluke has been around since I was a kid, and you don't stick around that long in their industry by making shitty products.
Anyone that has ever worked in the Trade/Electrical industry can tell you that Fluke tools are top notch and second to none.
They make everything from Voltage Meters to 5000 dollar Laser measurement tools for Civial Engineers. I would most likely go with a cheaper Fluke then some $250 temp gun that doesn't have a track list of success like Fluke does.
(I understand Exergen has been proven by racers, but you can't beat the following of almost every electrician/craftsman/engineer or trade worker for that matter.)
Fluke has been around since I was a kid, and you don't stick around that long in their industry by making shitty products.
Fluke makes excellent products too, of course. One of my businesses uses Fluke products for circuit diagnostics. Comparing to Exergen is like apples and oranges, but the Fluke products we use are also highly accurate and expensive.
07-27-2009, 10:08 AM
#27
Exergen doesn't make products for racers. The DX501 is nice for the purpose we use it for, but Exergen makes products for medical and industrial use. They're incredibly highly accurate and that's why it's so expensive.
Fluke makes excellent products too, of course. One of my businesses uses Fluke products for circuit diagnostics. Comparing to Exergen is like apples and oranges, but the Fluke products we use are also highly accurate and expensive.
Fluke makes excellent products too, of course. One of my businesses uses Fluke products for circuit diagnostics. Comparing to Exergen is like apples and oranges, but the Fluke products we use are also highly accurate and expensive.
07-27-2009, 10:18 AM
#28
Tech Regular
Ahhh Ha... 
See it pays to put your .02 in you learn something every day.
Didn't know Exergen was for Medical use. (Didn't look them up before I commented) Makes perfect sense as to why its expensive and to why its very accurate. Good info to know.
Still I wouldn't pay that much when you can get a Fluke one for cheaper and they make the same quailty product.
I personally like my Losi Temp driver. Just because it has the rubber piece to fit in your cooling head and it doubles as a good fly wheel stopper to kill the engine, and comes complete with a extended flat head to tune your engine on the fly.
But just as everyone has said before. Each time I go out to drive my ear gets better at tuning by sound and watching the smoke and not Temp. I just use temp to make sure my engines are getting to an optimum heat range.
I would bet Fluke would have a better warranty as well seeing that the Exergen company might not want to warranty a temp gun when they see it wasn't used to temp a kids forehead. Fluke on the other hand makes their products for the field and they expect them to be beat up and used to the max. I could be wrong though, but I'm not paying that much to find out. lol
See it pays to put your .02 in you learn something every day.
Didn't know Exergen was for Medical use. (Didn't look them up before I commented) Makes perfect sense as to why its expensive and to why its very accurate. Good info to know.
Still I wouldn't pay that much when you can get a Fluke one for cheaper and they make the same quailty product.
I personally like my Losi Temp driver. Just because it has the rubber piece to fit in your cooling head and it doubles as a good fly wheel stopper to kill the engine, and comes complete with a extended flat head to tune your engine on the fly.
But just as everyone has said before. Each time I go out to drive my ear gets better at tuning by sound and watching the smoke and not Temp. I just use temp to make sure my engines are getting to an optimum heat range.
I would bet Fluke would have a better warranty as well seeing that the Exergen company might not want to warranty a temp gun when they see it wasn't used to temp a kids forehead. Fluke on the other hand makes their products for the field and they expect them to be beat up and used to the max. I could be wrong though, but I'm not paying that much to find out. lol
07-27-2009, 10:24 AM
#29
Tech Regular
The design might be similar, but its about what company puts better quality electronics inside their equipment. (sensors, lasers, microchips)
Fluke would be one for sure that does this.
Exergen would as well seeing they are a Medical company, and if they cut corners they wouldn't be a reputable as they are.
All these other ones that are 30-40 bucks I'm sure use 3rd rate electronics to get production cost down that low. Some may get one that happens to be a beast and work for 10 years others get one that works for a week and then is garbage. Its the way of electronics, and its hit or miss.
Also, I bet you won't get a nice warranty with those 40 dollar temp guns. You buy a fluke or anything above 100 bucks I would be shocked if they didn't have some sort of 2+ year warranty.
Fluke would be one for sure that does this.
Exergen would as well seeing they are a Medical company, and if they cut corners they wouldn't be a reputable as they are.
All these other ones that are 30-40 bucks I'm sure use 3rd rate electronics to get production cost down that low. Some may get one that happens to be a beast and work for 10 years others get one that works for a week and then is garbage. Its the way of electronics, and its hit or miss.
Also, I bet you won't get a nice warranty with those 40 dollar temp guns. You buy a fluke or anything above 100 bucks I would be shocked if they didn't have some sort of 2+ year warranty.
07-27-2009, 10:36 AM
#30
.The Exergen DX501 has a 2-year warranty.
Fluke products come with 2-year, 3-year, or Lifetime warranties. Nice.
We're near each other, lol. Do you race at Indy RC World?