Klein Tools IR10, Instruction Manual

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8
ENGLISH
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
UNDERSTANDING EMISSIVITY
Emissivity is a measure of the ability of a surface to emit thermal
energy by radiation. Different types of surfaces (metals, masonry,
wood, etc.) emit thermal energy through radiation at different
efficiencies. Accordingly, these materials have different emissivity
coefficients which must be considered in order to make accurate
measurements with an infrared thermometer.
Emissivity on the IR10 may be adjusted from 0.10 to 1.00 to enable
accurate measurement of the temperature of most types of materials.
Generally speaking, shiny bright surfaces such as chrome, white
boards, etc. exhibit lower emissivity than flat black materials.
For guidance only, the chart below may be used to estimate
emissivity for many different types of materials. However, the
emissivity of surfaces is dependent upon many parameters such as
surface finish, temperature, shape of the object, etc.
This chart should be used for guidance only.
Material Emissivity
Asphalt 0.93
Red brick 0.93
Gray brick 0.75
Porcelain ceramic 0.92
Fired clay 0.91
Rough concrete 0.94
Cotton cloth 0.77
Smooth glass 0.92 - 0.94
Granite 0.45
Gravel 0.28
Smooth ice 0.97
Smooth white marble 0.56
Black paint 0.96
Hard rubber 0.94
Wood 0.80 - 0.90
Matte copper 0.22
Commercial sheet aluminum 0.09
Cold rolled steel 0.75 - 0.85
Find a comprehensive list of emissivity values at
www.kleintools.com/sites/all/product_assets/documents/instructions/
klein/EmissivityChart.pdf.