need ideas for calibrating temp probe

[rhino56]

I have a rkl with temp probe and i feel like it's off a bit. I tried using floating thermometers to get an idea of what the temp may be but out of 5 each one read a little different with a range of 6F difference.:censored:
I don't have a fluke to accurately set my probe, is there some way to figure out temp with basic household items? I thought of water boiling or water freezing but it's too far away from my target temp. Anyone got any ideas?

 

[mattmorman]

home depot

take your themometor to home depot and ask the for a probe... it will be calibrated. use it to verify what your are reading

 

[Reefing Madness]

take your themometor to home depot and ask the for a probe... it will be calibrated. use it to verify what your are reading

 

[rhino56]

take your themometor to home depot and ask the for a probe... it will be calibrated. use it to verify what your are reading

Can you be more descriptive? Ask home depot for a probe? Take my RKL unit to home depot? or just a glass one? just not following you im sorry.

 

[Jlobes]

I have worked in the restaurant industry for many years. the two standards are boiling water(212 at SL) and ice water. But, not just water with ice. Lots and lots of ice and a bit of water. should be 32 degrees. not sure if that helps.

 

[rhino56]

I have worked in the restaurant industry for many years. the two standards are boiling water(212 at SL) and ice water. But, not just water with ice. Lots and lots of ice and a bit of water. should be 32 degrees. not sure if that helps.

I did think of this but it's so far away from my targeted temp area. Wanting to hear more of what homedepot can do.

 

[bct15]

To calibrate anything you have to use something you know the exact value of, for household calibrations you know the exact value of the freezing and boiling temperature of water. So you'll use boiling water and water at equilibrium at the freezing temp, with ice floating in it that isn't melting. That is the only way to know the exact value your probe should be reading.


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[Jlobes]

I did think of this but it's so far away from my targeted temp area. Wanting to hear more of what homedepot can do.

if you calibrate with both....you will have an accurate temp. just like a ph meter. for better accuracy, you calibrate with 4 and 10 to get a more accurate range.

 

[Planedoc]

I did think of this but it's so far away from my targeted temp area. Wanting to hear more of what homedepot can do.

If you are within a degree at 32 and a degree at 212 that's plenty accurate at 78.

Tapatalk on Galaxy S3

 

[rhino56]

tried to calibrate with the ice and hot water method, my rkl errors at 34.4, my indoor outdoor cheapy thermometer did well at 32F but after 200F or so it just read out "HI"
I have been trying to come up with something to get as close to accurate as possible and i think if i go and buy a medical baby thermometer that might be the most accurate for the money. They are pretty cheap usually also. I think they are typically accurate to .1° +/-

 

[rhino56]

I went and got a few baby thermometers, 2 standard type and 3 different digital ones. Suprisingly they were all off from each other.:doh: one rectal was reading 98 while the other 96, same exact brand and type, the digitals were off also, one by 2°F and the other 2 were within .6 of each other. So i am no closer to knowing anything from when i started. It is pretty scary that they are for children though and that far off. a fever of 101 might be 103? I guess im buying a fluke and be done with it.

 

[rhino56]

well maybe i'm going too deep into this with accuracy but i have a lot of corals/fish i would hate to lose because of a cheap thermometer. I ended up ordering 2 of these now LOL
12" Laboratory Thermometer : Midwest Supplies if they are exactly the same i'll go with it, they can't be worse than the crappy things i been using.

They are supposed to be very accurate. i'll test them with ice and boiling water to be sure, compensating for barometric pressure and sea level of course.:yield:

 

[rhino56]

Update, Got my thermometers and i am convinced they are very accurate. They both read exactly the same. So if anyone need a calibration done let me know. They are only like 6 bucks each anyways LOL