General IRTC40 User Manual

8:1 SCANNING

IR THERMOMETER

WITH

TRICOLOR LCD

USER’S MANUAL

IRTC40

Please read this manual carefully and thoroughly

before using this product.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 –6

Key Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 –7

What’s in the Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 –8

Product Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 – 11

Setup Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Activate Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Operating Instructions . . . . . . . . . 12 – 18

Conventional IRT Mode . . . . . 12 – 13

Scan Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 – 16

Operating Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 – 18

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 – 20

Maintenance Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 – 21

Warranty Information . . . . . . . . . . 21 – 22

General’s Return for Repair Policy . . . . 23

Guide de L'Utilisateur . . . . . . . . . 24 – 47

Manual del Usuario . . . . . . . . . . . 48 – 72

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INTRODUCTION

Thank you for purchasing General Tools &
Instruments’ IRTC40—an 8:1 Scanning IR
Thermometer with Tricolor LCD. Please read
this manual carefully and thoroughly before
using the instrument.

The IRTC40 measures the surface
temperature of a surface or object from a
distance by using an infrared (IR) sensor to
quantify its thermal radiation. This non­contact measurement capability allows you
to safely determine the temperature of very
hot or cold surfaces, inaccessible or hard­to-reach objects and toxic substances. A
laser pointer identifies the target area being
measured. Readings are displayed on a
backlit LCD.

The IRTC40’s scanning function, which is
enabled by a three-color LCD backlight, is
an especially convenient and time-saving
feature. In many applications—such as
finding thermal leaks in a house or
detecting a batch of undercooked food—
the absolute temperature of a surface is
less important than the temperature of the

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surface relative to surfaces around it.
Engineers call this difference 욼T, and
understanding 욼T is the key to using the
scanning function of the IRTC40.

Another way to think of 욼T is as one-half
the width of a temperature “window”
centered on a reference temperature. As an
example, for a reference temperature (Tref)
of 75°F, choosing a 욼T of 5°F would
establish a temperature window that spans
the 10° difference between 70° and 80°.
Any surface cooler than 70° would fall
below the cold edge of the temperature
window. Any surface hotter than 80° would
fall above the hot edge of the window.

What the IRTC40 does extremely well and
quickly is to place scanned targets into one
of three color-coded categories: green for
targets within the temperature window (Tref
plus and minus 욼T), red for targets hotter
than Tref plus 욼T, and blue for targets
cooler than Tref minus 욼T. The instrument
simultaneously uses sound to categorize
scanned targets by temperature. Targets
colder than the reference temperature ±욼T
generate a slow beeping sound and a

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display indication of LOW, targets hotter
than the reference temperature ±욼T
produce fast beeping and a display
indication of HIGH, and targets within the
“Goldilocks” zone—not too hot and not too
cold—yield silence and a display indication
of NORMAL.

The IRTC40 automatically enters
conventional (non-scanning) IRT mode
when you squeeze and hold the trigger for
three seconds. To enter scanning mode, you
set a reference temperature and a “setpoint
bandwidth” representing twice the value of
욼T. In practice, what most professionals
use as a reference is something they
consider at “normal” temperature—an
interior wall of a room, for example. Setting
the IRTC40’s reference temperature to this
value requires that you point the gun at the
reference object and press a button on the
front panel. Doing so causes that
temperature to appear at the right of the
term REF on the LCD.

In scanning mode, the setpoint bandwidth
can be set to any of three values—
1°F (0.5°C), 5°F (3°C) or 10°F (5.5°C).

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The bandwidth you choose should be
appropriate for the application. Typically, the
narrowest setpoint band (1°F/0.5°C) is used
to monitor the temperature of processes
requiring precise quality control (food
preparation, for example). The two wider
bands ±5°F (3°C) and ±10°F (5.5°C) are
used to detect deviations from normal that
are more tolerable (a small heat leak
through a crack in a wall that would be too
expensive to repair, for example).

KEY FEATURES

• In scanning mode, LCD backlight color

(red, green or blue) and beeper speed
(fast, silent or slow) indicate—with no
need to check readout—whether
temperature of target is above, within or
below reference temperature ± setpoint
bandwidth.

• Choice of three setpoint bandwidths:

1°, 5° and 10°F (0.5°, 3° and 5.5°C)

• Ideal for making relative temperature

measurements—such as in energy
auditing

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• Large backlit LCD automatically holds

reading when trigger is released

• Accuracy of 2% of reading or 3.6°F (2°C)

• To extend battery life, backlight shuts off

after 15 seconds of inactivity and
instrument powers off after 60 seconds

WHAT’S IN THE PACKAGE

The IRTC40 comes in a blister pack with a
wrist strap and two pre-installed “AAA”
batteries. A hard copy of this user’s manual
is inside the fold-over blister card.

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

CAUTION!

The IRTC40 is a Class 3R laser product that

emits less than 5mW of radiation. Avoid

looking directly at the laser pointer. U.S. law

prohibits pointing a laser beam at aircraft;

doing so is punishable by a fine of up to

$10,000 and imprisonment.

The laser may cause discomfort if viewed
directly. Your eyes’ nature aversion reflex
will prevent you from looking at the beam

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long enough to cause harm. However, keep
the IRTC40 out of the hands of children,
especially if you have pets.

Never stare at the laser beam through
binoculars or a magnifying glass.

Do not operate the IRT in the presence of
flammable or explosive gases or in
environments full of dust or static
electricity.

Do not operate near sources of strong
electromagnetic fields, such as arc welders
or induction heaters.

PRODUCT OVERVIEW

Fig. 1 shows all of the controls, indicators
and physical features of the IRTC40. Fig. 2
shows all of the icons and text that may
appear on the LCD. Familiarize yourself with
the locations and functions of the controls
and the meanings of the display icons
before moving on to the Setup and
Operating Instructions.

8

9

/OFF

button

LCD

°C/°F/SET button

Laser pointer exit

IR sensor and lens

Measurement trigger

Battery compartment

Laser
identification/
certification/
warning/safety
labels (on left side
of gun)

(OPEN)

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

1. Relationship of currently scanned

temperature to reference temperature
± setpoint bandwidth

2. Indicates measurement is taking place

3. Battery charge indicator

4. Temperature readout

5. Indicates reference temperature is at

right

6.  pointers to selected setpoint

bandwidth, stenciled on housing directly
below LCD. Options are OFF, 1°F (0.5°C),
5°F (3°C) and 10°F (5.5°C)

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7. Current reference temperature

8. Temperature readout unit

SETUP INSTRUCTIONS

ACTIVATE BATTERIES

The IRTC40’s battery compartment (see
Fig. 1) is below the trigger and accessible
from the front of the grip.

Two “AAA” batteries are pre-installed in the
compartment. To activate them:

1. Open the battery compartment by

grasping its cover with your thumb and
forefinger and sliding the cover down and
away from the instrument.

2. Remove the plastic covering the batteries

and install them in series in the
compartment, observing the polarity
markings inside.

3. Close the battery compartment by sliding

the cover back up on its track until it
snaps shut.

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OPERATING
INSTRUCTIONS

CONVENTIONAL IRT MODE

1. Power on the IRTC40 by squeezing and

holding the yellow measurement trigger.
(If the LCD does not illuminate, the
battery is dead and must be replaced;
see p. 11 for instructions.) The LCD will
illuminate with a green backlight and the
term SCAN on the top line. The only 
pointer visible on the bottom line of the
LCD will be the one above OFF. A red
laser pointer will be visible exiting the top
front of the gun.

2. Continue squeezing the trigger while

using the laser pointer to target surfaces
at different temperatures (windows, light
bulbs, your hand, etc.). Note that the
temperature readout will track changes
in temperature in the default
measurement unit of °F.

3. Release the trigger. Immediately, the

beeper will sound three times and the
term SCAN will disappear. Fifteen

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seconds later, the green LCD backlight
will turn off, but the last measurement
will remain visible. One minute later, the
IRTC40 will automatically power off.

4. To change the measurement unit to °C,

press the °C/°F/SET button after SCAN
disappears but before the instrument
powers off. To return to Fahrenheit
measurement, press the button again
during the same period of time.

SCAN MODE

1. Power on the IRTC40 by squeezing and

holding the yellow measurement trigger.

2. Without releasing the trigger, aim the gun

at an interior wall of the room you are in
and press the /OFF button once. This
will extinguish the  pointer above OFF
and illuminate the  pointer above
1°F/0.5°C.

3. Without releasing the trigger, press the

°C/°F/SET button. Doing so selects the
temperature of the wall as the reference
temperature and 1°F/0.5°C as the
setpoint bandwidth. On the LCD, the term
NORMAL will appear on the top line of

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the LCD, at the right of SCAN, and the
temperature of the wall will appear at the
right of REF.

4. Release the trigger. This will cause the

beeper to sound three times and the
terms SCAN and NORMAL to disappear
from the LCD. The reference temperature
will remain on-screen—but only for
1 minute.

5. Within 1 minute of releasing the trigger,

squeeze and hold the trigger again, but
this time while pointing the gun at your
hand. This will cause SCAN to reappear
on the top line. Note that as the laser
pointer hits your hand: 1) the color of
the LCD backlight changes from green
to red; 2) the term HIGH appears on the
top line; and 3) the beeper begins
to sound repeatedly and rapidly
(at 2 beeps/sec). Together, these visual
and audible alarms indicate that your
hand is at least 1°F (0.5°C) warmer than
the wall.

6. While continuing to target your hand,

release the trigger. Doing so will cause
the beeper to sound three times and the

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terms SCAN and HIGH to disappear from
the top line. Note that the temperature of
your hand will continue to be held and
displayed for up to 1 minute.

7. Repeat Steps 1 through 5, but instead of

targeting your hand, target a surface
colder than the wall (the inside of a
refrigerator, the outlet register of an
operating air conditioner in the summer,
or an exterior wall in the winter). Note
that as the laser pointer hits the colder
surface: 1) the color of the LCD backlight
changes from green to blue; 2) the term
LOW appears on the top line; and 3) the
beeper begins to sound repeatedly and
slowly (at 1 beep/sec). Together, these
visual and audible alarms indicate
that the targeted surface is at least
1°F (0.5°C) colder than the wall.

8. While continuing to target the cold

surface, release the trigger. This will
cause the beeper to sound three times
and the terms SCAN and LOW to
disappear from the top line. Note that
the temperature of the cold surface will
continue to be held and displayed for
up to 1 minute.

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9. To widen the setpoint bandwidth from

1°F/0.5°C, with the trigger released and

a reference temperature on-screen press
the /OFF button once to illuminate the
 pointer above 5°F/3°C, or twice to
choose 10°F/5.5°C.

10. To change the reference temperature,

you can: 1) allow the IRTC40 to power
itself off and establish a new reference
temperature “from scratch” by starting
with the  pointer above OFF, or

2) overwrite the old reference
temperature by the new temperature
by targeting a different surface and
pressing the °C/°F/SET button.

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Using the /OFF button to change the setpoint
bandwidth

   







1°F

0.5°C

5°F

3°C

10°F

5.5°C

OFF

OPERATING TIPS

The first few times you use the IRTC40 in
Scan mode, don’t be too concerned about
which setpoint bandwidth to choose. With
experience you will learn whether a narrow
(1°F/0.5°C), normal (5°F/3°C) or wide
(10°F/5.5°C) value of 1/2 욼T is best for
your particular application. As part of your
education, note the effect of changing
setpoint bandwidths. For example, widen
the bandwidth from 1°F to 5°F and note
that some targets that caused the LCD
backlight to glow red before produce a
green backlight now.

Remember that the reference temperature
you acquire and the setpoint bandwidth you
choose disappear if you allow just one
minute to go by without pulling the trigger.
For this reason, you can expect to repower
the IRT often.

The diagram on the next page illustrates the
8:1 distance-to-spot (D:S) ratio (field of
view) of the IRTC40. To ensure that your
measurements accurately represent target
temperature, move the IRT close enough to

17

S

inches

mm

D

D:S=8:1

25@200

1@8

2@16

3@24

50@400

75@600

The IRTC40’s field of view

the target so the IR sensor only detects
radiation from the target and excludes
radiation from its surroundings.

The IRTC40 cannot make accurate
measurements if there is glass or plastic
between it and the target.

When the ambient temperature is higher
than 104°F (40°C) or lower than 32°F (0°C),
the LCD will show the following error
message: Err.

When the temperature of a target exceeds
the IRTC40’s specified maximum of 968°F
(520°C), the LCD will display a message
of Hi.

When the temperature of a target is less
than the IRTC40’s specified minimum of

-36.4°F (-38°C), the LCD will display a
message of Lo.

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SPECIFICATIONS

Distance-to-Spot Ratio: 8:1
Temperature Measurement Range:

-36.4° to 968°F (-38° to 520°C)

Temperature Measurement Accuracy:

±2% of reading or ±3.6°F (2°C),

whichever is greater
Display Resolution: 0.1° (F or C)
Emissivity: Fixed at 0.95
Response Time: 1 second for 95% response
Infrared Bandwidth: 7.5 to 13.5μm
Laser Power: Class 3R (<5mW)
Operating Temperature: 32° to 104°F

(0° to 40°C) @<75% RH
Storage temperature: -4° to 140°F

(-20° to 60°C)
High Temperature Beeper Frequency: 2 Hz
Low Temperature Beeper Frequency: 1 Hz
Backlight Auto Shutoff Trigger: 15 seconds

of inactivity
Instrument Auto Power Off Trigger: 1 minute

of inactivity

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Dimensions: 6.30 x 1.57 x 4.65 in.

(160 x 40 x 118mm)
Weight: 5.47 oz. (155g) (including batteries)
Power Source: (2) “AAA” batteries (included)

MAINTENANCE TIPS

When the battery charge indicator (see
Fig. 1) changes from to , allow
the IRTC40 to power itself off and replace
the weak batteries by fresh batteries as
soon as possible, following the instruc tions
on page 11 of this manual. Be aware that
measurements remain valid even though
the batteries have grown weak. When the
battery charge icon changes to ,
replace the batteries immediately.

Clean the infrared sensor lens (see Fig. 1)
often with compressed air or a moist cotton
cloth. Never use a solvent or an abrasive
cleaner. To clean the housing, use a soft,
damp cloth.

Abrupt temperature changes will cause
condensation and possible vapor
penetration. Clean the LCD after the vapor
evaporates. Blow off loose particles with

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compressed air. Gently brush remaining
debris away with a lens hair brush.

Remove the batteries if you don’t expect to
use the IRTC40 for an extended period of
time (months or years).

Do not drop or disassemble the unit or
immerse it in water.

WARRANTY
INFORMATION

General Tools & Instruments’ (General’s)
IRTC40 8:1 Scanning IR Thermometer with
Tricolor LCD is warranted to the original
purchaser to be free from defects in
material and workmanship for a period of
one year. Subject to certain restrictions,
General will repair or replace this
instrument if, after examination, the
company determines it to be defective in
material or workmanship. The warranty
period begins on the date of purchase. You
are encouraged to register your product
online. General will extend your warranty an
additional 60 days if you register at
www.generaltools.com/ProductRegistry.

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This warranty does not apply to damages
that General determines to be from an
attempted repair by non-authorized
personnel or misuse, alterations, normal
wear and tear, or accidental damage. The
defective unit must be returned to General
Tools & Instruments or to a General­authorized service center, freight prepaid
and insured.

Acceptance of the exclusive repair and
replacement remedies described herein is a
condition of the contract for purchase of
this product. In no event shall General be
liable for any incidental, special,
consequential or punitive damages, or for
any cost, attorneys’ fees, expenses, or
losses alleged to be a consequence of
damage due to failure of, or defect in any
product including, but not limited to, any
claims for loss of profits.

Register now at
www.generaltools.com/ProductRegistry to
receive a 60-day extension to your
warranty.

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