Flushing A Heater Core
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Date: 2020-08-05
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Comments and reviews: 10
TechnicalLee
The IR gun is reading a false high temperature because you are heating up the IR window by keeping it in the hot air stream. This affects the reference temperature and you can see the reading gets worse and worse as the gun heats up from the airflow. IR guns need to be situated in a fairly constant temp environment to read accuratelyyou don't want hot or cold air blowing on them. If you take one quick reading and keep it out of the airstream then it should be accurate within a degree or two of the thermocouple. You can see this is the case in the video when he first takes the reading, it's very close to the thermocouple initially, but then drifts as the gun gets heated up by the air. Emissivity of the plastic air vents and ducts isn't the issue here since those are pretty close to ideal (0. 95. I use an IR gun to measure my vent temps, it works great and is accurate if you do one quick reading and get it out of the airflow like I explained.
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The IR gun is reading a false high temperature because you are heating up the IR window by keeping it in the hot air stream. This affects the reference temperature and you can see the reading gets worse and worse as the gun heats up from the airflow. IR guns need to be situated in a fairly constant temp environment to read accuratelyyou don't want hot or cold air blowing on them. If you take one quick reading and keep it out of the airstream then it should be accurate within a degree or two of the thermocouple. You can see this is the case in the video when he first takes the reading, it's very close to the thermocouple initially, but then drifts as the gun gets heated up by the air. Emissivity of the plastic air vents and ducts isn't the issue here since those are pretty close to ideal (0. 95. I use an IR gun to measure my vent temps, it works great and is accurate if you do one quick reading and get it out of the airflow like I explained.
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Willy
Also a mechanic for a small shop. Father son, kinda whole family one in a sense. My dads cousin used to repair those old radiators what could be with some solder and know how. He stopped because with the times he wasnt busy enough with it and he had a nice job elsewhere anyway but we were left with a relic of the old age. Same thing as that nice tool you got there but fabricombled together with some solder and pipe. difference is water side valve is actuated with the same knob you see on your hose from the house and the air is actuated with a pair of vice grips. We do it exactly the same way you do, and yes be careful. When you flush a whole system is worse because sometimes its not that you were too aggressive. Sometimes, the crud you blow out helped keep a gasket seeping rather than pouring. If youre too aggressive, sometimes its just your fault and youre putting a water pump on an 88 f150 for free.
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Also a mechanic for a small shop. Father son, kinda whole family one in a sense. My dads cousin used to repair those old radiators what could be with some solder and know how. He stopped because with the times he wasnt busy enough with it and he had a nice job elsewhere anyway but we were left with a relic of the old age. Same thing as that nice tool you got there but fabricombled together with some solder and pipe. difference is water side valve is actuated with the same knob you see on your hose from the house and the air is actuated with a pair of vice grips. We do it exactly the same way you do, and yes be careful. When you flush a whole system is worse because sometimes its not that you were too aggressive. Sometimes, the crud you blow out helped keep a gasket seeping rather than pouring. If youre too aggressive, sometimes its just your fault and youre putting a water pump on an 88 f150 for free.
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John
For Heat accuracy of the infrared (IR) unit it recommends 14 away and a short trigger blast (0. 5 sec or 500ms); the runaway to 186 degrees is from electronics over heating and giving the run away current heating up the internal electronics. Also, air is very low # of molecules, versus the surface of the vent, so it also, could be reading a range of things. Internally it is calculating small differences of the light on an internal reference IR to another for your aim. Perhaps a piece of aluminum foil at vent, 14 away and a short blast would be a better test.
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For Heat accuracy of the infrared (IR) unit it recommends 14 away and a short trigger blast (0. 5 sec or 500ms); the runaway to 186 degrees is from electronics over heating and giving the run away current heating up the internal electronics. Also, air is very low # of molecules, versus the surface of the vent, so it also, could be reading a range of things. Internally it is calculating small differences of the light on an internal reference IR to another for your aim. Perhaps a piece of aluminum foil at vent, 14 away and a short blast would be a better test.
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Dale
I'm a tall guy and I love that Topside Creeper as well. A great tool. Also picked up a Aluminum folding step stool Harbor Freight a month or two ago that folds up to take with when I work on stuff away from the house.
Prowling tonight and will certainly find a video as my wife's car, 06 impala with no heat even when engine is warmed up. It has the manual controls but the dual zone. Trying to figure out if they have separate heat door actuators or a single one with a dampner for making one side cooler or warmer than the other.
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I'm a tall guy and I love that Topside Creeper as well. A great tool. Also picked up a Aluminum folding step stool Harbor Freight a month or two ago that folds up to take with when I work on stuff away from the house.
Prowling tonight and will certainly find a video as my wife's car, 06 impala with no heat even when engine is warmed up. It has the manual controls but the dual zone. Trying to figure out if they have separate heat door actuators or a single one with a dampner for making one side cooler or warmer than the other.
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Jeffrey
Inherently, IR temperature guns will read higher. In my experience, the best use for them is for measuring temperature differentials. For instance in this case, the inlet coolant temp versus the outlet coolant temp of the heater core. They are very practical for this purpose, especially in tight spaces, such as in industrial equipment where some components aren't so easy to get to, and all you need to know is a differential in inlet/outlet temps. Hope this helps someone.
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Inherently, IR temperature guns will read higher. In my experience, the best use for them is for measuring temperature differentials. For instance in this case, the inlet coolant temp versus the outlet coolant temp of the heater core. They are very practical for this purpose, especially in tight spaces, such as in industrial equipment where some components aren't so easy to get to, and all you need to know is a differential in inlet/outlet temps. Hope this helps someone.
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Allen
I just wanted to drop you a huge thank you. Had a heater core in a ram 2500 that was putting out 80 degree temp, this was after a recall at the dealer, they claimed it was that way when it came in, really. I dont think so, quoted me 2100 to change.
Bought the otc tool, and 45 minutes later I have 151 degree coming out of vents now. Flushed entire system completely, works awesome, and I spent 28. To fix it. I thank you sir for the great video.
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I just wanted to drop you a huge thank you. Had a heater core in a ram 2500 that was putting out 80 degree temp, this was after a recall at the dealer, they claimed it was that way when it came in, really. I dont think so, quoted me 2100 to change.
Bought the otc tool, and 45 minutes later I have 151 degree coming out of vents now. Flushed entire system completely, works awesome, and I spent 28. To fix it. I thank you sir for the great video.
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ricky
The thermal coupler is reading raw air temp. The thermal gun is reading coolant temp. Don't forget your heater core has coolant passing through it. Two different tools for two different applications. The thermal coupler is more accurate for air temp. The thermal gun is used for way more different things. It can be used for air and coolant temp. In the event for diagnosing vent temps, I'd use the thermal coupler.
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The thermal coupler is reading raw air temp. The thermal gun is reading coolant temp. Don't forget your heater core has coolant passing through it. Two different tools for two different applications. The thermal coupler is more accurate for air temp. The thermal gun is used for way more different things. It can be used for air and coolant temp. In the event for diagnosing vent temps, I'd use the thermal coupler.
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thebenthermit
I didn't google it, my thought on the IR gun vs your couple is that the IR gun is picking up the heat from an object which would be your plastic whatever the hell that you're pointing it at. That's assuming that the end point of the laser/light is the reading point. The couple is suspended in the air. Try touching the couple directly to an object and then use the IR gun to see if the temps are closer.
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I didn't google it, my thought on the IR gun vs your couple is that the IR gun is picking up the heat from an object which would be your plastic whatever the hell that you're pointing it at. That's assuming that the end point of the laser/light is the reading point. The couple is suspended in the air. Try touching the couple directly to an object and then use the IR gun to see if the temps are closer.
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Brent
I love my Harbor Freight laser thermometer and hose wrench set for jobs like this. Maybe spent 25 for all of it. Damaging a heater core tube makes for a very bad day! I just back flush gently and use heater core cleaner with great results. Catch the flush water in a clean pail for inspection. I use clear hose from big box home stores to fit the core tubes.
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I love my Harbor Freight laser thermometer and hose wrench set for jobs like this. Maybe spent 25 for all of it. Damaging a heater core tube makes for a very bad day! I just back flush gently and use heater core cleaner with great results. Catch the flush water in a clean pail for inspection. I use clear hose from big box home stores to fit the core tubes.
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cnchess
Infrared sensors look at the surface you point it at; the thermal couple is looking at the air temperature surrounding the probe. There is a temperature drop from the hot surface to the ambient air which is why the inframeter reads higher than the thermocouple.
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Infrared sensors look at the surface you point it at; the thermal couple is looking at the air temperature surrounding the probe. There is a temperature drop from the hot surface to the ambient air which is why the inframeter reads higher than the thermocouple.
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