Infrared Temperature Gun – for tank temps

For fuel, water, or waste tanks: To determine a tank material’s temperature differences at its fluid level... which brand and model of Infrared Temperature Gun do you recommend?

Thank you all for any assistance! - Art

FLUKE Thermometer,Infrared - 5YE68 - Grainger Industrial Supply

Pricier than some but very durable and handy.

CPseudonym said:

FLUKE Thermometer,Infrared - 5YE68 - Grainger Industrial Supply

Pricier than some but very durable and handy.

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TY CP, for Granger suggestion... I'll look into it! You know much about Snap-On Thermometer Infrared Gun?

How much temperature difference occurs at the fluid level? I've never heard of this but it makes sense.

Art said:

TY CP, for Granger suggestion... I'll look into it! You know much about Snap-On Thermometer Infrared Gun?

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Aside from Snap-On having a solid reputation in the tool market no. I will admit to a personal preference for Fluke test instruments and meters from many years of hands on experience using their equipment.

I'll step out on a limb and concede they are most likely equal in quality.

Budds Outlet said:

How much temperature difference occurs at the fluid level? I've never heard of this but it makes sense.

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Not sure - I imagine that if the temp around tanks alters at all during day or night (which it usually does), or especially while running engines near any tanks, that the difference must be at least a couple degrees or more compared to the mass of fluid and the empty portion of the tanks. I'm not feeling that you would necessarily be able to draw a sharp line for the exact level (like within 1/16 inch +/-) but I betting with the correct model temp gun we can figure the actual tank level to within an inch or so... maybe even closer!

This came to my mind because my fuel gauges seem to be getting out of whack and I need a fool proof test to check on them. This weekend I was sound-tapping on both my 100 gallon aluminum fuel tanks and can't be sure (beyond a doubt) of their levels that way.

I’m getting a temp gun before next time on board. Figured this forum good place to ask preference on models and makes!

CPseudonym said:

Aside from Snap-On having a solid reputation in the tool market no. I will admit to a personal preference for Fluke test instruments and meters from many years of hands on experience using their equipment.

I'll step out on a limb and concede they are most likely equal in quality.

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TY, Again! CP

Fluke and Snap-On will certainly be pricey - probably worth it if they form part of the tools of your trade (or if you just like very nice tools). For testing tanks and a/c outlets, you might consider something by Craftsman or even Harbour Freight at a fraction of the price. I have a cheap one for checking exhaust elbows, a/c's and the like. It has worked well for the last 3 years. I believe I read somewhere that these things all work on the same principle, although the quality of manufacture may vary. I'm guessing that the most likely cause of failure would be leakage of corrosive goop from dead batteries.

Shoalwaters said:

Fluke and Snap-On will certainly be pricey - probably worth it if they form part of the tools of your trade (or if you just like very nice tools). For testing tanks and a/c outlets, you might consider something by Craftsman or even Harbour Freight at a fraction of the price. I have a cheap one for checking exhaust elbows, a/c's and the like. It has worked well for the last 3 years. I believe I read somewhere that these things all work on the same principle, although the quality of manufacture may vary. I'm guessing that the most likely cause of failure would be leakage of corrosive goop from dead batteries.

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Good point.... Thanks, Mike!

I just picked up a temp gun at Harbor Freight for $29.

Terry

I've got the Harbor Freight unit also and it seem to work just fine for the past 5-6 years. I'm thinking in this application that a continous reading unit would work better than the way the Harbor Freight unit works, push the button for one read. i don't know if a continous read unit is available but if so it might be worth it.

Budds Outlet said:

I've got the Harbor Freight unit also and it seem to work just fine for the past 5-6 years. I'm thinking in this application that a continous reading unit would work better than the way the Harbor Freight unit works, push the button for one read. i don't know if a continous read unit is available but if so it might be worth it.

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Budd – By continuous read I take it you mean that as you vertically adjust gun’s position pointing at a tank that the gun’s temp digits would quickly alter their temp reading in accordance with tank exterior surface temps as per internal fluid mass and vacant areas... ?? If that type gun is available then it seems a tank’s fill level reading should be able to be accurately determined in regard to fluid mass area’s and vacant area’s temp variations. Especially in the running engine confines of a boat, where I imagine the vacant area tank material would become notably warmer than the fluid filled area. These readings could be quickly taken upon engine stop after a run to determine accuracy of fuel gauges. – Art

Greetings,
Like any "instrument/guage" one tends to record trends. I purchased a Harbor Freight unit and it seems to be working fine these last 3 years. Now as to determining the levels in your tanks??
Yup, just checked, just keep the button on for continuous read. One thing to consider is to keep the unit the same distance from the objects you are trying to measure. There's some difference.

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Like any "instrument/guage" one tends to record trends. I purchased a Harbor Freight unit and it seems to be working fine these last 3 years. Now as to determining the levels in your tanks??
Yup, just checked, just keep the button on for continuous read. One thing to consider is to keep the unit the same distance from the objects you are trying to measure. There's some difference.

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OK - RT - You intimating that the gun told you fluid level in tank? I couldn't quite decipher, cigar smoke was wafting around! - Art

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
One thing to consider is to keep the unit the same distance from the objects you are trying to measure. There's some difference.

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And the same (or close) angle. Also different colors and surface contours will make the readings vary.
However if you measure your stuff and are repeatable about the way you measure you will know trends and that is what is important.
But then again I have taken mine out during parties and those readings can be interesting as well:lol:

I wonder if it would work with a hydraulic resevior tank.

The fluid get hot I know. I wonder if there would be a marked difference on the tank surface.

Interesting. I will have to check this out.

Tapping on the tank gets me nothing I can be sure of.

SD

jleonard said:

And the same (or close) angle. Also different colors and surface contours will make the readings vary.
But then again I have taken mine out during parties and those readings can be interesting as well:lol:

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Depending on what time of a party, the gender, and part of anatomy you point at, the gun's heat readings may get real interesting!

Greetings,
Mr. Art. Not suggesting anything regarding the level of poop in the tank. I simply went below and "shot" expansion tank, transmission and isolation transformer. I got 3 different readings with the "read" button depressed so I ASSUMED the unit was capable of continuous readings. Another thing to consider is how much fuel is returned to your fuel tanks. A high flow return as in a DD may result in less or more accurate reading depending on where the warmed fuel is returned.
Mr. Art was asking about fluid level determination in various cavities. The IR unit, be it expensive or cheap has other uses and for $29 is worthy of investment. Heck, I have no gauges in any of my tanks. When the hull gets brown, one tank is full or when the engine quits, another. When I get thirsty, scotch.
Mr. SD. Try pouring ice water over the top of the tank when taking a reading. Cooling of the metal, if it is this material may give you enough of a differential to determine level.

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. Art. Not suggesting anything regarding the level of poop in the tank. I simply went below and "shot" expansion tank, transmission and isolation transformer. I got 3 different readings with the "read" button depressed so I ASSUMED the unit was capable of continuous readings. Another thing to consider is how much fuel is returned to your fuel tanks. A high flow return as in a DD may result in less or more accurate reading depending on where the warmed fuel is returned.
Mr. Art was asking about fluid level determination in various cavities. The IR unit, be it expensive or cheap has other uses and for $29 is worthy of investment. Heck, I have no gauges in any of my tanks. When the hull gets brown, one tank is full or when the engine quits, another. When I get thirsty, scotch.
Mr. SD. Try pouring ice water over the top of the tank when taking a reading. Cooling of the metal, if it is this material may give you enough of a differential to determine level.

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RT - Being a coast-living Atlantic Ocean boy from ages past, my preferred marine fuel gauge is a straight wood stick with volume notches implanted by knife blade... sticks are more accurate (every time) than any other item could be; besides maybe a clear glass tank with no schmeg stuck to its interior sides - LOL!

But, alas... the "new" boat makers (mine's a 1977 - and fairly new to me!) figured their "high tech" (automotive copy) in-tank mechanical gauges would make every lazy boater happier than hell! That is till they ran out of fuel some day with the ageing gauge still reading 1/4th full! So... with their great new mechanical fuel reading gauge available the “smart” (spelled s-t-u-p-i-d) boat designers decided that gave them license to place the tanks and fill hose at angles so that NO straight stick could possibly ever be used to “accurately” check fuel levels for making sure their super stupendous mechanical fuel gauges were not telling a fuel level fib!

If the world simply adhered to KISS – what a relaxing life it would be!!

Life is good

RT,
that may work. pouring water over it would work but kind of a mess I have enough water in the bilge as it is. I would think just a spray bottle to mist the tank would do the job.
You sparked the ol light bulb thanks for the suggestion..

SD

Greetings,
No problem Mr. SD. A rag soaked in ice water would probably cool the "empty" section of your tank sufficiently. The reason I suggested ice water is to increase the temperature differential.

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
No problem Mr. SD. A rag soaked in ice water would probably cool the "empty" section of your tank sufficiently. The reason I suggested ice water is to increase the temperature differential.

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RT - To expound upon your expeditious cooling-temp differential theory (a good one if I may add); then in a diametrically reversed temp actuation mode - - > warm palm of one hand against the tank with gun in other hand should in matter of short order be able to reveal the true line of fluid level... Ya think??

That would work for cold fluids. Me thinks.

SD

skipperdude said:

That would work for cold fluids. Me thinks.

SD

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Ya, mest too! Like cold fluid... fuel, water, and waste tanks.

I'm a gonna buy me a goost one o' dem dere hotsie-totsie guns and try er out next time wifie andst mes B ups dere at our precious liddle Tolly-boat!

I figure if my hand won't to the temp trick then I bet a hair-dryer reveals the fluid line temp difference to the gun likity split!!

Come on, fess up Art, you're buying it for your next party!!

The four saddle tanks in our boat have sight gauges. The day tank has an electric guages at the helm consol. Fuel return will change the temperature of fuel in a tank but I believe Art has gas engines so fuel return is probably not an issue.

I'd be pretty skeptical of depending on the tank temperature to measure level. The temperature is going to vary all over the place regardless of level with ambient temperature outside the boat, the temperature inside the boat as a result of the sun heating up a deck over the tanks, the engines heating up the space the tanks are in, and so on. While there may be constant ratios that can be determined over time you would have to take accurate measurements for every known condition.

While the idea of trying to find a level of liquid by using the temperature difference between metal with fluid behind it and metal with nothing behind it makes some sense on paper, it's the nature of temperature to even itself out. So if you measure a difference at all, it will probably be spread out over a significant distance. So where will the level really be? Right where the temperature starts to change, right where it stops changing, somewhere in between? And a level change of just a few inches can mean a difference of ten, fifteen, twenty gallons or more depending on the size of your tanks.

It will interesting to hear what you find out but it's not something I would want to make any fuel-remaining bets on. Either get an accurate electric gauge--- they exist although they're probably not cheap--- or install sight gauges. But I'm betting that using the temperature difference system will be just as vague as the gauges you have now.

jleonard - You figured me out! Crafty guy you!! What fun I had... My younger days were exciting... to say the least! Heck, these days ain’t too shabby!! lmao

Marin - I've noted that liquid filled containers sweat pretty much exactly at and below the fluid level line under certain temp and humidity conditions. Meaning that the container’s temps above and below the fluid line can become notably different, due to certain temperature circumstances.

Sooo... stands to reason if a sudden broad space (18" elevation +/-) temp alteration is actuated upon tank’s exterior surface by waving a hand held hair dryer up and down for 30 +/- seconds, that spans and heats both the fluid filled level and empty airspace level, that the tank portion with fluid will dissipate its temp very quickly compared to the portion with just air. Therefore, I hope to find the capability of the gun to register that temp variation change and enable me to “come close” to seeing if my gauges are getting floozy or not.

I’m only doing this as a simple way to see if I need to go to the expense and task of putting in brand new tank level monitors. Due to obligations here it will be a while before I get opp to go out on boat and try this method. I’ll post here with what I find. Bet someone might experiment with it before me – ya never know! Some seem to already be itching to learn the outcome... it’s a “speriment”

Infrared Gun Success!

After engines have run for about an hour, supplying considerable heat to our engine and fuel tank compartment... Infrared Temp Gun works well for accuratly checking fuel level (as a comparison to our fuel gauge readings) in our two 100 gal aluminum tanks that are outboard positioned alongside each engine. Each tank’s air filled area's aluminum exterior surface reached approx 12 degrees f warmer than the staying cooler fuel filled area. I could quickly determine within one half inch the actual fuel level. Each tank’s temp (on Gun’s temp screen) would notably change as I slowly passed up and down at the fuel level. I also found that by holding the gun’s nose directly against the tank provided the best accuracy; holding it away skewed the gun’s temp readings and made it more difficult to determine actual fuel level. For accuracy, I marked side of gun at the line where the infrared actually shoots – I found that the infrared line is not where to laser light line is positioned, at least not on my gun.

Sounds like a good solution. Do tou think it would work equally well on tanks made of other materials? Iron, fiberglass, plastic?

Our four stainless saddle tanks have calibrated sight gauges so no problem determining fuel levels. But for tanks without them your IR gun method sounds like a problem solver.