Infrared Thermometer will it read a corrugated flue pipe

[goeduck]

Flue pipe on my wood burning fireplace insert is corrugated SS and barely visible through the cut out heatilator tube. I would like to know the temp of the liner at this location which is about 18” above the insert. I have read that stainless is hard to read due to its emissivity and I can’t really get to it to paint it black.



Would an infrared thermometer work? I was looking at a Fluke 62

 

[/pine]

should work...I have Nub8380H (looks very similar to the Fluke) and use to check hot spots on the bbq grill and have played with it shooting in the burning FP...

 

[techman]

Yes and no. it will read, but incorrectly due to the reflective aluminum surface. You would need to put a dark, non-reflective "something" on the pipe. Black stove paint would work. Just on a small area where you would read. It is all related to the emissivity of the material.

paul

 

[mbohuntr]

Yes and no. it will read, but incorrectly due to the reflective aluminum surface. You would need to put a dark, non-reflective "something" on the pipe. Black stove paint would work. Just on a small area where you would read. It is all related to the emissivity of the material.

paul

Our engineers have us change the emissivity to .35 for the switchyards which are aluminum against the sky...

 

[techman]

Our engineers have us change the emissivity to .35 for the switchyards which are aluminum against the sky...

I agree, but most simple hand held IR thermometers do not have the ability to set emissivity.

paul

 

[4570Man]

Mine can't read molten lead. Everything else it seems to do pretty good with. Just take a can of spray paint to the pipe and problem solved.

 

[goeduck]

Mine can't read molten lead. Everything else it seems to do pretty good with. Just take a can of spray paint to the pipe and problem solved.

The flue pipe is back about 2 feet though a 1” slot in the masonry fireplace (see original posting picture) so painting it will be a challenge but I plan to figure out how.

 

[4570Man]

An artist brush on a stick.

 

[goeduck]

An artist brush on a stick.

I have NEVER been accused of being artistic but this is one time I may qualify

 

[4570Man]

A can of marking paint would probably spray that far, but I don't know about the temperature rating. I'm not sure where to get high temperature liquid paint either. High temperature spray paint is easily accessible.