Thermometer Issues

zippykat · 08/08/2008, 01:40 PM

Hello all,
I am having thermometer issues. Here is what my thermometers are reading.

corallife digital- 75.4
cheap floating glass- 83
second corallife digital-81.6
chiller-80

Which one is the most accurate? Any suggestions on a digital thermometer brand that is accurate?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

THANK YOU!

barrett.oliver · 08/08/2008, 01:53 PM

I'm not very seasoned with this hobby.... But I just ran into the same problem.

The cheap glass one for me seems to work better than the digital ones we had, I was cooking the tank because the silly digi was reading almost ten degrees to cold.

I've a couple glass ones, and HAD a couple digi's, which I won't likely be using again.

Only my opinion though,
Best of luck!

sps1-2-b · 08/08/2008, 01:57 PM

I don't like the digital ones, had a bad experience once (it was 10 deg off). I would take the average of the other two which is 81.5.

crvz · 08/08/2008, 02:54 PM

I've never had a problem with the digital ones, but how old are yours? And what kind of abuse have they seen?

hyperfocal · 08/08/2008, 03:26 PM

I've found the Corallife digital thermometers to be quite inaccurate (tested against 2 good quality digital cooking thermometers and my ACjr, all of which agreed with each other).

boxfishpooalot · 08/08/2008, 06:40 PM

test it with ice water(crushed ice in water) stir it constantly and it should read 0Celcius if it is accurate.

cloak · 08/09/2008, 11:22 AM

If one says 80, another says 85. Put your finger in the water. Pretty sure you will be able to tell when it's cold.

paraletho · 08/09/2008, 05:13 PM

Be careful with single point calibration with instruments because most errors are incremental. In other words you can be acuurate at 0C and 1C degree off at 10 and 3 degrees off at 25C. Always try to get a lower end standard and an upper end standard. With thermometers that dont go from freezing to boiling sometimes this is difficult. We use lab grade thermometers accurate to .1 degreeC. See if you can find someone local with a certified thermometer AC technicians etc.

atvdave · 08/09/2008, 05:32 PM

I'd trust the cheap floating glass one over the others any-day. Thats what I use to check my controllers temp all the time.

08/08/2008, 01:40 PM	#1
zippykat Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 7	Thermometer Issues Hello all, I am having thermometer issues. Here is what my thermometers are reading. corallife digital- 75.4 cheap floating glass- 83 second corallife digital-81.6 chiller-80 Which one is the most accurate? Any suggestions on a digital thermometer brand that is accurate? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated! THANK YOU!

08/08/2008, 02:54 PM	#4
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	I've never had a problem with the digital ones, but how old are yours? And what kind of abuse have they seen? __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

08/08/2008, 03:26 PM	#5
hyperfocal Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Edge of oblivion Posts: 1,708	I've found the Corallife digital thermometers to be quite inaccurate (tested against 2 good quality digital cooking thermometers and my ACjr, all of which agreed with each other). __________________ "Froth at the top, dregs at bottom, but the middle excellent." -- Voltaire Current Tank Info: getting back into the hobby

08/08/2008, 06:40 PM	#6
boxfishpooalot Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: canada, Grande Praire, Ab Posts: 5,824	test it with ice water(crushed ice in water) stir it constantly and it should read 0Celcius if it is accurate. __________________ Its a good idea to have a refrence sample for alk test kits. 1.1350 grams of baking soda in 1gallon of distilled water=10dkh. Check your alkalinity test kit! Algae is Mother Natures phosphate remover Current Tank Info: 220 galon mixed reef.

08/09/2008, 05:13 PM	#8
paraletho Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Sabine Pass TX Posts: 433	Be careful with single point calibration with instruments because most errors are incremental. In other words you can be acuurate at 0C and 1C degree off at 10 and 3 degrees off at 25C. Always try to get a lower end standard and an upper end standard. With thermometers that dont go from freezing to boiling sometimes this is difficult. We use lab grade thermometers accurate to .1 degreeC. See if you can find someone local with a certified thermometer AC technicians etc. __________________ There is no better feeling in the world than waking up in the morning and knowing you're doing what you were born to do. It's your life just do it Current Tank Info: 32month old 58 gallon (GBTA,Mushrooms,Dendros,Ricordea,Red Planet,Lobo, Open Brain,10" Torch,Hammer/Frogspawn Xbreed, Mated Pair Ocellaris, Powder Blue ,CB shrimp, assorted cleanup crew) mag 9, 6x39 T5 ATI; 21 mth old 125 gal SPS 50 gal sump/refugium

08/08/2008, 01:53 PM	#2
barrett.oliver Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Calgary, AB, CAN Posts: 33	I'm not very seasoned with this hobby.... But I just ran into the same problem. The cheap glass one for me seems to work better than the digital ones we had, I was cooking the tank because the silly digi was reading almost ten degrees to cold. I've a couple glass ones, and HAD a couple digi's, which I won't likely be using again. Only my opinion though, Best of luck!

08/08/2008, 01:57 PM	#3
sps1-2-b Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Anaheim, CA Posts: 1,248	I don't like the digital ones, had a bad experience once (it was 10 deg off). I would take the average of the other two which is 81.5.

08/09/2008, 11:22 AM	#7
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	If one says 80, another says 85. Put your finger in the water. Pretty sure you will be able to tell when it's cold.

08/09/2008, 05:32 PM	#9
atvdave Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Newburgh, IN Posts: 1,763	I'd trust the cheap floating glass one over the others any-day. Thats what I use to check my controllers temp all the time.