Mechanical Means of Checking Heat?

Thermometer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

To make a long story short, I think you're expected to use something like this.

Mechanical means could include bimetallic strips, liquid/wax expansion diaphragms, plunger tubes, etc. These might result in contact and wear with moving surfaces. Nonmechanical means might include thermocouples, RTDs, infrared thermometers, etc. I'm not sure just exactly what is to be allowed or not in this case, nor even how "mechanical" is to be defined.

I am prevented from using mechanical means to check brake temperatures.

Can you explain why and also what type of brake, what it is used in and what your application is to help narrow down a possible solution.

Thermal sticks are not mechanical means of meassuring temperature. These are type of wax or wax type compounds which are stablised to melt above particular temperature range.

Mechanical thermometers are genrally based on bimetalic strips which are connected to dial and niddle through linkages to shaow the temperature.

The link gives details of various types of mechanical thermometers.

http://www.wika.co.in/products_TM_en_co.WIKA?ActiveID=15775

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_thermometer

Temp sticks will leave a residue on the brakes since most of them are various formulas of wax. Why not use an infared thermometer? It is non-contact, can be used more that several feet away, and can be used while the unit is still rotating. Very accurate ones are available with ranges up to "extremely hot".

I use one to check the temp of automobile disk brakes and the operating temp of various parts of engines.

I also use one to tell me how hot lead is when I am melting it to cast fishing weights.

Good Luck, Old Salt

Your finger?

Not really, use an infrared surface thermometer, hand held or pulse that will tie to a control system taking temperatures at 2 second intervals. The remote surface t.meters are difficult to set up for a constant reading on a DMS since it has to be set to the refresh rates of the system.

If the need is to be constant you would be better using an rtd of some sort, but without seeing how it is to be attached, or the application you are refering to it is hard to go further with more suggestions.

At some point, anything could be considered to be mechanical. Mechanical is pretty broad without qualification.

Laser, no contact.