Any digital thermometer's worth a crap ?

[427HISS]

 

[StephO]

Mine works just fine

 

[Alanc425]

http://www.dewalt.com/products/powe...nts/12v-max-infrared-thermometer-kit/dct414s1

 

[GillsGoneWild]

I use a ThermaPen when I need to verify the temperature in my tanks. Actually, I have two of them...the most recent one being the MK4 model. Accurate to less than one degree, instant readout, and the company will recalibrate it for you if it ever needs it. (http://www.thermoworks.com/Thermapen-Mk4)
Ok, fine...its primary use is in the kitchen and on the grill. But they do see regular use in the three aquariums with permission from The Commander. Perfectly grilled ribeyes...perfectly happy reef.

 

[radiata]

Thermometers that are REALLY accurate are not cheap. You'll need to go with one that is N.I.S.T. (National Institute of Standards and Technology) certified...

Looking at the ones on eBay, if looks like some have "expired certificates" indicating that you might have to buy a new thermometer every time a certificate expires on the particular one you have:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...ermometer.TRS0&_nkw=nist+thermometer&_sacat=0

That said, I use three thermometers to check my water...
1 - My Apex controller (calibrated at 32 degrees by me)
2 - My Ranco controller
3 - My hand held digital (which I occasionally lend my wife for cooking a big bird)

On my last testing go round, my results were
1 - 79.9
2 - 81
3 - 80.3

I like to keep my system at 80 degrees, so all of the above results are good enough for me.

For real accuracy, you'll need to spend a few hundred dollars on a N.I.S.T. thermometer, or get a few good thermometers and average them out.

PS: If you think the above Coralife results are bad, check the cheap heat sensitive paste on thermometers sold at your local LFS. Everyone on them will be registering a different reading.

 

[cloak]

pinky test?

Those stickers have never steered me wrong.

 

[Big Salty]

In the last few months I've bought four thermometers and all have different readings, 3 to 5 degrees. I also tried a low cost digital last year and lasted a couple of weeks.

Get an inkbird digital temperature controller its $20 on Amazon. You can set the temp for high and low and you can set an alarm for any degrees over our under that you want. Also comes with a 2 outlet power plug one side for heating obviously the heater and the other side for cooling and you can buy a cheap fan to put over the sump as an alternative to a chiller. It's made for fridges and freezer it's better than an aquarium controller I caught my heater crashing out bc it dropped more than 1degrees I was able to get a new one right away before anything happened. One of the best purchases I've made for my tank. $22 cant go wrong as for the heater just use a regular one and the inkbird will make it digital . Temp cant swing more than 1 degree before either heater or fan is activated so my temp is 78-79 all the time. Hope this helps

 

[427HISS]

91 to

I use a ThermaPen when I need to verify the temperature in my tanks. Actually, I have two of them...the most recent one being the MK4 model. Accurate to less than one degree, instant readout, and the company will recalibrate it for you if it ever needs it. (http://www.thermoworks.com/Thermapen-Mk4)
Ok, fine...its primary use is in the kitchen and on the grill. But they do see regular use in the three aquariums with permission from The Commander. Perfectly grilled ribeyes...perfectly happy reef.

Which model did you buy & how much, $91 to $99 ?

 

[SHIREEN OLSEN]

In the last few months I've bought four thermometers and all have different readings, 3 to 5 degrees. I also tried a low cost digital last year and lasted a couple of weeks.

I'm sick,....of products not working as advertised, including thermometers !
I try to research everything, and even on websites that have good reviews, I'll buy and for me, I'd rank the product as a 1 or 2, out of 5.

Like with thermometers, 1 to 2 degrees off is,...ok, but 3 to 5,...no !!!

Why is it so difficult to find a decent frickin thermometer ???

Is there any brand that is actually accurate and well built, without costing an arm & leg ?

You can reset thermometers if you know how. I work in a commercial kitchen & thermometers are a big part of our work for food temps. To reset to zero, put the thermostat end in a glass or jug of freezing iced water & zero it back in & reset, then see what happens & start all over again with running it in your tank.

 

[427HISS]

Do you mean almost freezing water, where it's like a slushy ?

 

[shred5]

I bought 1/2 dozen of those for my brood stock tanks and they were off by as much as in the picture.

Wow, that sucks. :mad:

Especially from such a name factor like Coralife !

Coralife is not high quality. You do know they make a timer/plug-strip that has burned down several people houses. There was just someone on R2R who had their house burn because of one of those timer strips.. It has been known for years they cause fires and Coralife keeps pumping them out.

 

[427HISS]

What's up "Coralife" ?