Instrument Configuration
You can personalize your Thermapen by changing several factory default settings including:
Temperature display from °F to °C
Display resolution from 1° to 1.0°
Screen Rotation
Auto-Off/Sleep Mode
To change any of these settings,
loosen the battery cover screw using
a Phillips screwdriver and remove the
battery cover. Open the probe to turn
the unit on. The Thermapen Mk4 has
two small buttons inside the battery
compartment: MENU, which is used
to enter, save settings, and exit the menu; and SET, which is used to select desired settings.
Settings are saved once ‘END’ is displayed at the end of the menu options. To abort settings,
close the probe. Press the MENU button to cycle through the following settings:
Temperature Display Units, °F to °C
Press the MENU button until ‘C or F’ is displayed. Press SET to toggle between
‘°F’ and ‘°C’ as displayed in the upper right hand corner of the display. When the
selection is complete, press MENU to store setting.
Display Resolution, 1° to 1.0°
Press the MENU button until the current resolution setting ‘0.1°’ or ‘1°’ is
displayed. Press SET to toggle between ‘0.1°’ and ‘1°’. When the selection is
complete, press MENU to store setting.
Screen Rotation
Press the MENU button until ‘DISPLAY’ is shown at the top of the display. Press
SET to select ‘360°’ for full 4-way rotation, ‘180°’ for 2-way rotation (horizontal
only), or choose to lock the display in a specific orientation when ‘Loc’ is
displayed. Press MENU to store the rotation setting.
Auto-Off/Sleep Mode
Press the MENU button until ‘SLEEP’ is shown at the top of the display. Press the
SET button to step through the sleep interval settings from ‘10’ seconds to ‘180’
seconds in 10-second intervals, or to turn the sleep function ‘off.’ Press MENU to
store the sleep interval and the unit will enter sleep mode at the specified number
of seconds without movement detected. END will flash momentarily to show that
all settings are saved.
Note: When the probe is open and the unit is in sleep mode, any motion detected
by the Thermapen will conveniently wake the instrument and turn it back on.
When you are done adjusting settings, replace the battery cover and tighten the
battery cover screw with a Philips screwdriver. Do not overtighten.
Calibration
Each Thermapen is individually factory-calibrated using very high-precision temperature
standards that are traceable to NIST (national standards). A certificate with actual test data is
supplied with your Thermapen. However, if you have any doubt about its accuracy, you can
check it yourself in a properly prepared ice bath. If it reads correctly in the ice bath, it is almost
certainly accurate at other temperatures.
Making a Proper Ice Bath
Fill a cup or glass with ice. Add just enough water to fill the gaps between the ice. (If the ice
is floating, the water beneath the ice will be at a higher temperature.) After a few moments,
immerse the tip of the Thermapen probe to the middle of the ice and gently stir. Within 3
or 4 seconds the Thermapen will read 32°F within 1°F. Do not let the tip of the probe rest
against an ice cube or it will read a lower temperature (it’s that fast and sensitive). If the
reading is within the published specification, the Thermapen is accurate. You can also test
MENU
SET