Source
r/mobilerepair•
PlaceboJesus

What's the best and/or most versatile tool to verify the temperature of irons, heatbeds and so on?

General Tools Question

Just like the title asks.
If I doubt the accuracy of a piece of equipment want to check out non-name brand tools, it seems a good idea to have a accurate tool to measure such things, and worth paying a proper price.

That said, I'm frugal enough to want it to be useful for measuring more than one type of hardware.

Anyone have any suggestions for products, or even projects, for such a tool?

Thanks in advance for any advice or sharing of your experiences.

Posted Feb 13, 2023, 2:59 PM UTC

115
waytomuchpressureLevel 3 Microsoldering Shop Tech•

Use low melt, medium, and high temp solder to check. Can do it on an iron or hot air. No thermistor needed.

3
PlaceboJesusOP•

That sounds like a great idea for soldering and desoldering.
Not so sure about something like verifying the accuracy of a heat bed. At least little messy.

Mind if I ask what kind of low temps solder you're using?

1
waytomuchpressureLevel 3 Microsoldering Shop Tech•

Mechanic. Not to sure what the high melt is. Prob 220 ish. Medium is 183, low melt is 138. I use hot plates for iPhone x and up. I use the low melt on the plate when I first get the it and just wing it after. I'd say it's more accurate then a thermistor. Not to messy if you only do it every once and a while

2
ArmadilloMoney•

Some sort of soldering temperature tester, these are on EBay/Amazon etc You can also use an Infrared Thermometer Non-Contact Digital Laser Temperature Gun

2
PlaceboJesusOP•

This who post was inspired by seeing a soldering iron testor and me thinking that it seemed a little over-priced for a thing that functioned in only one specific way and takes up bench space.
I'll be googling soldering temperature testers, but the one I saw, you touch your iron tip to the testing spot.

I do have a gun. But I was thinking of something contact based.
I was also wondering how accurate my gun is. Everything is specced at +/- whatever percent, and I'd like to know the exact plus or minus on that tool too.

1
iPhoneBeeker•

i use one of these.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08Z7941ZP
primarily got it for kitchen usage, but use it a lot in my phone rehab activities

2
PlaceboJesusOP•

That looks very useful!

1
iPhoneBeeker•

it is. it's also very effective in detecting overheating motherboards without using the touch test, and before they get too hot to damage components.

2
denythefleshLevel 3 Microsoldering Shop Owner•

Thermocouple is best. Some multimeters can measure temperature using a thermocouple probe.

2
PlaceboJesusOP•

Thanks! I'll look into this.

1
production-values•

IR therm gun

1
PlaceboJesusOP•

I have a laser that was given to me at an old job.
But, I've always wondered about its accuracy beyond certain temperature ranges. It's close enough for fire watch, for which it was initially purchased, and I've compared it to others at room temps, but I've never had a second gun handy to verify accuracy or consistency for the more extreme temps.
So I was kind of thinking of a third tool that could confirm the first tool.
Yeah. Tool verification all the way down. Off topic rant: I always wondered how they initially set up level work benches used for repairing and maintaining levels (bubble and laser). I mean, that thing's got to be absolute level, right? So what came first, the perfect level, or the perfect level bench, and how were they ever sure? Seems like potential madness for perfectionists.

I'm also curious, how well does a therm gun work for a target as small as a soldering iron tip?

u/iPhoneBeeker posted a link to a therm gun with an addon plug-in probe. That looks interesting.

Also add a thermistor to my multimeter kit, and that looks like what I'll end up doing.

1
CellWoRxLevel 3 Microsoldering Shop Owner•

Why not buy quality tools where this issue is not as much of a concern? I have a temp measuring device with a thermocouple that I bought to double check my hot air rework station and sandwich board desoldering platforms.

1
PlaceboJesusOP•

Why is "chifi" a thing?
What if there are interesting things out there beyond the limited number of well known brand names?

Maybe I just like screwing around. But thanks for answering my question.

1
CellWoRxLevel 3 Microsoldering Shop Owner•

You said you were frugal. I figured that a frugal person would not want to risk spending their money on junk tools hoping that it turns out quality. In such a small industry, quality tools are not kept in the dark for long. I personally, am microsoldering professionally and would rather not waste time or money on hoping something is quality. Even buying some "mid-level" brands, the settings can be off and need calibrated so the thermocouple is a good investment.

1