[AR] Re: Best Practices for Measuring Engine Temps with a Thermocouple
- From: Ben Brockert <wikkit@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 19:08:09 -0600
On Wed, Oct 16, 2013 at 6:38 PM, Graham Sortino <gnsortino@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Interesting thanks for that tip. however, if I do that won't I be left with
> a thermocouple wire permanently dangling from the engine? Understood this is
> the best option but is there a second best option that doesn't involve
> permanently afixing the wire to my engine?
Welding or brazing the thermocouple to the part is best, but
mechanically attaching it should give a reasonable result. It will
have some time lag and it may be a bit low, but most of the time
thermocouple data is mostly useful for comparison between tests,
rather than its absolute quantitative value.
Holding the thermocouple on with a hose clamp works. Putting a bit of
insulation between the clamp and the thermocouple will get it closer
to the real temperature, at the cost of also increasing the part
temperature. Adding some thermal paste and using a small thermocouple
will improve the response rate.
In your test, if the part was molten and white hot, it was at 2000C.
Stainless melts at ~1500 C and is white hot around 1200 C. If it
wasn't glowing at all, 400 C is a reasonable temperature for it.
Ben
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