Thermometer repair?
 

I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA


--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

Thermometer repair?
 

On Apr 20, 2:06*pm, KenK wrote:
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column.

Vibration? What vibration? If the microwave was active,
I would think THAT would screw things up big time. Mercury
is a metal you know....






I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

No, but the drill idea sounds like a very bad one. Unless you
want broken glass and mercury contamination all over the place

Thermometer repair?
 

" wrote in
:

On Apr 20, 2:06 pm, KenK wrote:
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me
with this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in
a combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the
oven temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be
widely scattered thoughout the glass column.

Vibration? What vibration?

From the round rotating surface inside the MW oven.

If the microwave was active,

It isn't when the convection oven is in use.

I would think THAT would screw things up big time. Mercury
is a metal you know....






I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move
the mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric
drill a
nd
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but
can't figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

No, but the drill idea sounds like a very bad one. Unless you
want broken glass and mercury contamination all over the place


That's why I said 'securely'.

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

Thermometer repair?
 

On Apr 20, 2:23*pm, KenK wrote:
" wrote :

On Apr 20, 2:06 pm, KenK wrote:
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me
with this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in
a combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the
oven temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be
widely scattered thoughout the glass column.

Vibration? *What vibration?

From the round rotating surface inside the MW oven.

Does your oven vibrate like a paint mixer? I've
never seen any vibration on a rotating base inside a microwave that
had any significant vibration. They turn
at like 3 RPM. I don't see how that could account for
mercury seperation in a thermometer.





If the microwave was active,

It isn't when the convection oven is in use.


Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought these ovens allowed you
to use both at the same time. Some I though just used
MW for heating combined with a fan for convection, Others
I thought added other conventional heating elements
together with the convection.









I would think THAT would screw things up big time. *Mercury
is a metal you know....

I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move
the mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric
drill a
nd
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but
can't figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

No, but the drill idea sounds like a very bad one. *Unless you
want broken glass and mercury contamination all over the place

That's why I said 'securely'.

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thermometer repair?
 

KenK wrote in :

I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

Get someone who's over 40 years of age to show you how to shake down a fever
thermometer, or find a video online somewhere. Here's one:
http://www.ehow.com/video_4984299_us...ermometer.html
You will probably have to do this repeatedly, shaking first toward one end, then the other,
but eventually you'll get all of those different blobs of mercury back together.

Thermometer repair?
 

On 04/20/2013 11:37 AM, Doug Miller wrote:
KenK wrote in :

I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

Get someone who's over 40 years of age to show you how to shake down a fever
thermometer, or find a video online somewhere. Here's one:
http://www.ehow.com/video_4984299_us...ermometer.html
You will probably have to do this repeatedly, shaking first toward one end, then the other,
but eventually you'll get all of those different blobs of mercury back together.

^^ What he said; shake it down. Another trick you can use is to heat it
up (within it's limit) so that the Hg rises up in the column, reforming
the lost globules, then (slowly) allow it to cool back into the bulb.

Jon

Thermometer repair?
 

On 4/20/2013 11:06 AM, KenK wrote:
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA


There's supposed to be a vacuum in the tube.
If you heat it gently, you should be able to make the blobs
run together. If that happens before the end of the glass,
you're good to go. But the difference between FIXED and BUSTED GLASS
can be very small...depending on how far the last blob is from the top.
Did I mention GENTLY.

Thermometer repair?
 

On 20 Apr 2013 18:06:08 GMT, KenK wrote:

I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

I can't imagine that an electric drill is a good idea.

What Doug said.

You can put the thermometer in a sock and swing it around to increase
the force.

Or instead of tapping on your hand, you could tap it on the desk.
It's been decades since I had a thermometer with separated mercury,
but I think that' what I did, and I was able to do it without breaking
the therm. Of course my desk might be softer than your desk, or my
arm weaker.


Any better ideas?

TIA

Thermometer repair?
 

On 04/20/2013 02:06 PM, KenK wrote:
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA



Any good home repair job involves duct tape so duct tape it to the wheel cover on your car then go for a spin on the express way.

Thermometer repair?
 

KenK wrote:
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me
with this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the
oven temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be
widely scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on
this problem but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my
hand to move the mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric
drill and spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the
bulb but can't figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?


Tie a small strong cord around the top end of the thermometer using a prussic
knot after winding a rubberband around the glass to add friction. Then go
outside on a big area of grass, pull the knot tight, and spin it as fast as you
can.

Thermometer repair?
 

Ken,

All of the centrifugal force techniques are good to try. If they don't
work put the thermometer in the freezer to cool. Keep it upright (mostly).
Now make a cold bath with rubbing alcohol and dry ice. Put the thermometer
bulb half way into the bath. The mercury should shrink down into the bulb.
If any mercury is left in the column use the centrifugal method again. Wear
gloves. After the mercury is in the bulb remove the thermometer from the
bath and hold it upright until it warms up.

Dave M.

Thermometer repair?
 

On 4/20/2013 2:18 PM, Jon Danniken wrote:
On 04/20/2013 11:37 AM, Doug Miller wrote:
KenK wrote in
:

I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move
the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric
drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but
can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

Get someone who's over 40 years of age to show you how to shake down a
fever
thermometer, or find a video online somewhere. Here's one:
http://www.ehow.com/video_4984299_us...ermometer.html
You will probably have to do this repeatedly, shaking first toward one
end, then the other,
but eventually you'll get all of those different blobs of mercury back
together.

^^ What he said; shake it down. Another trick you can use is to heat it
up (within it's limit) so that the Hg rises up in the column, reforming
the lost globules, then (slowly) allow it to cool back into the bulb.

Jon


I once owned a beautiful mercury lab thermometer that was some 18" long.
I opened my desk drawer one day and slipped the long thermometer
out of its cardboard tube only to find the bulb broken. There was some
soot on the remnants of the bulb that looked as though someone had held
a lit match to it. No one in the shop would admit to touching it since
they didn't wish to acquire any fatal injuries. o_O

TDD

Thermometer repair?
 

I've heard of super cooling, so all the mercury ends up in the bubble at the
low temp end. Not sure I've tried this, but sounds good.
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..
..
"KenK" wrote in message
...
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA


--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

Thermometer repair?
 

On 4/20/2013 1:06 PM, KenK wrote:
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA



You might try attaching a very strong cord to the end opposite the bulb
and going outdoors, find a large open space and spin it around like you
were spinning one of those noisemakers. A 24" cord should be long enough
and the centrifugal force from spinning should move the mercury back
into the bulb. ^_^

TDD

Thermometer repair?
 

On Apr 20, 1:06*pm, KenK wrote:
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

You were tempting the gods of fate if you put a mercury thermometer
into an operational microwave oven., The mercury would heat up almost
instantaneously and shatter the glass into smithereens, contaminationg
the oven probably beyond repair. I have never heard of anyone using a
mercury thermometer to cook, That would be like using a stopwatch to
bake a cake, etc.

Thermometer repair?
 

On Sat, 20 Apr 2013 17:35:33 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

I've heard of super cooling, so all the mercury ends up in the bubble at the
low temp end. Not sure I've tried this, but sounds good.
.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
.
"KenK" wrote in message
...
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA
NEVER put a mercury thermometer in a microwave. The mercury attracts
the microwaves and super-heats. Or did you have your "combination"
oven in non-microwave mode???

Thermometer repair?
 

Where, in this post, does anyone suggest that?
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..
..
wrote in message
...
On Sat, 20 Apr 2013 17:35:33 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

I've heard of super cooling, so all the mercury ends up in the bubble at
the
low temp end. Not sure I've tried this, but sounds good.
.

NEVER put a mercury thermometer in a microwave. The mercury attracts
the microwaves and super-heats. Or did you have your "combination"
oven in non-microwave mode???

Thermometer repair?
 

On Sat, 20 Apr 2013 19:59:38 -0400, wrote:

On Sat, 20 Apr 2013 17:35:33 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

I've heard of super cooling, so all the mercury ends up in the bubble at the
low temp end. Not sure I've tried this, but sounds good.
.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
.
"KenK" wrote in message
.. .
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA
NEVER put a mercury thermometer in a microwave. The mercury attracts
the microwaves and super-heats. Or did you have your "combination"
oven in non-microwave mode???

"Attracts microwaves", now there's a concept! A new physics is
invented every day, on the Usenet.

Thermometer repair?
 

On Sat, 20 Apr 2013 20:27:25 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

Where, in this post, does anyone suggest that?
.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
.

When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface - in MOST the
rotating table only works in MW mode. - al teast the ones I've seen.

Or are you asking where anyone suggests it was in non-microwave mode?
Because nowhere does it suggest that he did THAT either.
wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 20 Apr 2013 17:35:33 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

I've heard of super cooling, so all the mercury ends up in the bubble at
the
low temp end. Not sure I've tried this, but sounds good.
.

NEVER put a mercury thermometer in a microwave. The mercury attracts
the microwaves and super-heats. Or did you have your "combination"
oven in non-microwave mode???

Thermometer repair?
 

On Sat, 20 Apr 2013 21:13:40 -0400, wrote:

On Sat, 20 Apr 2013 20:27:25 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

Where, in this post, does anyone suggest that?
.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
.

When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface - in MOST the
rotating table only works in MW mode. - al teast the ones I've seen.


My GE OTR rotates in Microwave, Fast Bake, or just Bake mode. There
is a rack you can put in if you want to use a pan to beg to rotate.

Thermometer repair?
 

On Apr 20, 7:06*pm, KenK wrote:
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

To reinstate the column, you need to heat it so it reads maximum/
mercury goes to the top of the tube.
If you examine the tube, at the end opposite the bulb there is
usually another void to prevent the bulb from bursting when this state
is reached.
Do NOT overheat.
If there is no void, do not let the column expand to the end of the
tube while you are doing this.
And wear eye protection.

The reason the mercury column has broken is that it is unsuitable for
a microwave, the metal has boiled so making the gaps.

Thermometer repair?
 

You didn't know? I put up an outdoor mercury
thermometer. Microwave ovens stopped working
for about a six block radius. It just sucked the
microwaves right up. It was fun, watching all the
repair companies coming to my neighborhood in
panel vans. Aren't you embarassed that I'm not
replying to your posts?
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..
..
wrote in message
...

NEVER put a mercury thermometer in a microwave. The mercury attracts
the microwaves and super-heats. Or did you have your "combination"
oven in non-microwave mode???

"Attracts microwaves", now there's a concept! A new physics is
invented every day, on the Usenet.

Thermometer repair?
 

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 06:15:14 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

You didn't know? I put up an outdoor mercury
thermometer. Microwave ovens stopped working
for about a six block radius. It just sucked the
microwaves right up. It was fun, watching all the
repair companies coming to my neighborhood in
panel vans. Aren't you embarassed that I'm not
replying to your posts?
.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

Wow, interesting story. I did read an article in Popular Mechanics
on "How to Improve TV Reception With A Rectal Thermometer".

Thermometer repair?
 

I may have read that article. Was that back in the
days of black and white TV?
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..
..
"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...

Wow, interesting story. I did read an article in
Popular Mechanics on "How to Improve TV
Reception With A Rectal Thermometer".

Thermometer repair?
 

" wrote in
:

On Apr 20, 2:23*pm, KenK wrote:
" wrote
innews:d9b9e831-567
:

On Apr 20, 2:06 pm, KenK wrote:
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help
me with this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it
in a combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to
test the oven temperature, evidently the vibration caused the
mercury to be widely scattered thoughout the glass column.

Vibration? *What vibration?

From the round rotating surface inside the MW oven.

Does your oven vibrate like a paint mixer? I've
never seen any vibration on a rotating base inside a microwave that
had any significant vibration. They turn
at like 3 RPM. I don't see how that could account for
mercury seperation in a thermometer.

The turntable rides on little plastic wheels. It runs on a surface. It
has a motor. Evidently one or more of these is a little bit rough and
causes a slight vibration. Normally not noticable, but it possibly
affected the thermometer if it is very sensitive to such movement.





If the microwave was active,

It isn't when the convection oven is in use.


Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought these ovens allowed you
to use both at the same time. Some I though just used
MW for heating combined with a fan for convection, Others
I thought added other conventional heating elements
together with the convection.

Mine has three modes - mw, oven and both. I am discussing the oven-only
mode which uses a heating element.










I would think THAT would screw things up big time. *Mercury
is a metal you know....

I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to
move the mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric
drill a
nd
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb
but can't figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

No, but the drill idea sounds like a very bad one. *Unless you
want broken glass and mercury contamination all over the place

That's why I said 'securely'.

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -





--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

Thermometer repair?
 

On Apr 21, 12:04*am, harry wrote:
On Apr 20, 7:06*pm, KenK wrote:









I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

To reinstate the column, you need to heat it so it reads maximum/
mercury goes to the top of the tube.
*If you examine the tube, at the end opposite the bulb there is
usually another void to prevent the bulb from bursting when this state
is reached.
Do NOT overheat.
If there is no void, do not let the column expand to the end of the
tube while you are doing this.
And wear eye protection.

The reason the mercury column has broken is that it is unsuitable for
a microwave, the metal has boiled so making the gaps.

Bingo! Harry gets the prize!
BTDT

cheers
Bob

Thermometer repair?
 

On Apr 21, 7:14*am, KenK wrote:
" wrote :









On Apr 20, 2:23*pm, KenK wrote:
" wrote
innews:d9b9e831-567
:

On Apr 20, 2:06 pm, KenK wrote:
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help
me with this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it
in a combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to
test the oven temperature, evidently the vibration caused the
mercury to be widely scattered thoughout the glass column.

Vibration? *What vibration?

From the round rotating surface inside the MW oven.

Does your oven vibrate like a paint mixer? *I've
never seen any vibration on a rotating base inside a microwave that
had any significant vibration. *They turn
at like 3 RPM. *I don't see how that could account for
mercury seperation in a thermometer.

The turntable rides on little plastic wheels. It runs on a surface. It
has a motor. Evidently one or more of these is a little bit rough and
causes a slight vibration. Normally not noticable, but it possibly
affected the thermometer if it is very sensitive to such movement.



If the microwave was active,

It isn't when the convection oven is in use.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought these ovens allowed you
to use both at the same time. *Some I though just used
MW for heating combined with a fan for convection, *Others
I thought added other conventional heating elements
together with the convection.

Mine has three modes - mw, oven and both. I am discussing the oven-only
mode which uses a heating element.











I would think THAT would screw things up big time. *Mercury
is a metal you know....

I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to
move the mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric
drill a
nd
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb
but can't figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

No, but the drill idea sounds like a very bad one. *Unless you
want broken glass and mercury contamination all over the place

That's why I said 'securely'.

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

Thermometer repair?
 

On Apr 20, 11:06*am, KenK wrote:
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

BTDT but only twice and it was for a relatively low temp thermometer
so I think I used boiling water?

Simple solution.. BTDT but only twice.

Mercury thermometers typically have tiny expanded volume at the very
upper reaches of the mercury column.

Slowly heat the thermometer until the mercury expands into that space.
Be careful.... as the thermometer heats the little segments will move
towards the top volume.

Wear safety goggles and check the thermometer often.
As long as the column is segmented, the risk breakage is small.
When the column "goes solid", that's when breakage occurs.

If you heat very slowly & check often...you'll be fine.

cheers
Bob

Thermometer repair?
 

wrote in
:

On Sat, 20 Apr 2013 17:35:33 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

I've heard of super cooling, so all the mercury ends up in the bubble
at the low temp end. Not sure I've tried this, but sounds good.
.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
.
"KenK" wrote in message
.. .
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me
with this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the
oven temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be
widely scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on
this problem but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my
hand to move the mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric
drill and spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the
bulb but can't figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA
NEVER put a mercury thermometer in a microwave. The mercury attracts
the microwaves and super-heats. Or did you have your "combination"
oven in non-microwave mode???


Yes. It has three modes - mw only, oven only and both. I was in oven only
mode.

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

Thermometer repair?
 

wrote in
:

On Sat, 20 Apr 2013 20:27:25 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

Where, in this post, does anyone suggest that?
.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
.

When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface - in MOST the
rotating table only works in MW mode. - al teast the ones I've seen.

In mine it turns in all modes.

Or are you asking where anyone suggests it was in non-microwave mode?
Because nowhere does it suggest that he did THAT either.

It was in oven-only mode using a heating element, not the magnatron.

wrote in message
. ..
On Sat, 20 Apr 2013 17:35:33 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

I've heard of super cooling, so all the mercury ends up in the bubble
at the
low temp end. Not sure I've tried this, but sounds good.
.

NEVER put a mercury thermometer in a microwave. The mercury attracts
the microwaves and super-heats. Or did you have your "combination"
oven in non-microwave mode???





--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

Thermometer repair?
 

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 07:47:03 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

I may have read that article. Was that back in the
days of black and white TV?

Couldn't have been that far back. The cover had a shot of a 3D-TV.

Thermometer repair?
 

" wrote in
:

On Apr 20, 1:06*pm, KenK wrote:
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me
with this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in
a combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the
oven temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be
widely scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on
this problem but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my
hand to move the mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric
drill a
nd
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but
can't figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

You were tempting the gods of fate if you put a mercury thermometer
into an operational microwave oven.,

It was in oven-only mode, using a heating elenent instead of the
magnetron.

The mercury would heat up almost
instantaneously and shatter the glass into smithereens, contaminationg
the oven probably beyond repair. I have never heard of anyone using a
mercury thermometer to cook,

I was using it to test the temperature; the oven is currently not heating
correctly - says it has preheated to say 400 but is actually only at 300
and goes no higher - while the repairman was present.

That would be like using a stopwatch to
bake a cake, etc.




--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

Thermometer repair?
 

harry wrote in
:

On Apr 20, 7:06*pm, KenK wrote:
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me
with this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in
a combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the
oven temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be
widely scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on
this problem but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my
hand to move the mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric
drill a
nd
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but
can't figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

To reinstate the column, you need to heat it so it reads maximum/
mercury goes to the top of the tube.
If you examine the tube, at the end opposite the bulb there is
usually another void to prevent the bulb from bursting when this state
is reached.
Do NOT overheat.
If there is no void, do not let the column expand to the end of the
tube while you are doing this.
And wear eye protection.

The reason the mercury column has broken is that it is unsuitable for
a microwave, the metal has boiled so making the gaps.

The magnatron was not in use - the oven-only mode uses a heating element
only.


--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

Thermometer repair?
 

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 06:15:14 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

You didn't know? I put up an outdoor mercury
thermometer. Microwave ovens stopped working
for about a six block radius. It just sucked the
microwaves right up. It was fun, watching all the
repair companies coming to my neighborhood in
panel vans. Aren't you embarassed that I'm not
replying to your posts?
.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
.
wrote in message
.. .

NEVER put a mercury thermometer in a microwave. The mercury attracts
the microwaves and super-heats. Or did you have your "combination"
oven in non-microwave mode???

"Attracts microwaves", now there's a concept! A new physics is
invented every day, on the Usenet.


OK -maybee the description is not totally accurate, but the result is
the same. Mercury behaves differently from most other metals - it is
diamagnetic (or antimagnetic) - and magnets DO attract microwave
energy, while most metals reflect it.

This is an answer to the question "should you use a mercury
thermometer in a microwave oven?"

On the other hand, putting a mercury thermometer in a microwave oven
isn't a good idea. While mercury is a metal and will reflect most of
the microwaves that strike it, the microwaves will push a great many
electric charges up and down the narrow column of mercury. This
current flow will cause heating of the mercury because the column is
too thin to tolerate the substantial current without becoming warm.
The mercury can easily overheat, turn to gas, and explode the
thermometer. (A reader of this web site reported having blown up a
mercury thermometer just this way as a child.) Moreover, as charges
slosh up and down the mercury column, they will periodically
accumulate at the upper end. Since there is only a thin vapor of
mercury gas above this upper surface, the accumulated charges will
probably ionize this vapor and create a luminous mercury discharge.
The thermometer would then turn into a mercury lamp, emitting
ultraviolet light. I used microwave-powered mercury lamps similar to
this in my thesis research fifteen years ago and they work very
nicely.

Louis A. Bloomfield

Thermometer repair?
 

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 11:40:05 -0500, pilgrim wrote:

On 21 Apr 2013 15:23:12 GMT, KenK wrote:

harry wrote in
:

On Apr 20, 7:06*pm, KenK wrote:
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me
with this problem

Snip!

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in
a combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the

Snip!

The magnatron was not in use

Well, there you are. If you don't use the magnetron it will take
forever for your slow-cooker to make toast.

Also, it is obvious that your mercury thermometer needs lubrication.
Can you give it a little shot of WD-40?

And then stick it up...?

Thermometer repair?
 

"Stormin Mormon" wrote:
Where, in this post, does anyone suggest that?
.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
.
wrote in message
...
On Sat, 20 Apr 2013 17:35:33 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

I've heard of super cooling, so all the mercury ends up in the bubble at
the
low temp end. Not sure I've tried this, but sounds good.
.

NEVER put a mercury thermometer in a microwave. The mercury attracts
the microwaves and super-heats. Or did you have your "combination"
oven in non-microwave mode???

I would agree. I'm never going to use mercury, and I don't think I have
one. I do remember lab oven/incubators with mercury thermometer sticking
out the top. I used to compare readings with various thermometers, but once
I verified, I put the mercury away.

I forgot my combo had a combo button. The heating element will preheat the
oven, and then cycle between microwave and heat, but never both at the same
time. My platter rotates in either mode. The tray is usually inserted over
the platter, and platter not really used, but I would have to reread
instructions for turbo oven mode and microwave.

I never turbo cooked anything in that oven, because it's slow compared to
my little turbo oven which includes radiant heat.

I use a grilling meat thermometer I bought at kmart for $12 on sale.
Digital with probe and stainless cable. I just have to subtract about 10
degree error.

Greg

Thermometer repair?
 

wrote:
On Sat, 20 Apr 2013 17:35:33 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

I've heard of super cooling, so all the mercury ends up in the bubble at the
low temp end. Not sure I've tried this, but sounds good.
.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
.
"KenK" wrote in message
...
I've gotten good advice here in the past. Maybe someone can help me with
this problem

I have a rather expensive oven mercury thermometer. When using it in a
combination MW/convection oven with a rotating surface to test the oven
temperature, evidently the vibration caused the mercury to be widely
scattered thoughout the glass column. I read a site info on this problem
but none of their suggestions helped. Tapping it into my hand to move the
mecury, heating it, etc.

The only other idea I have is to somehow fasten it to an electric drill and
spin it so the centrifugal force forces the mercury to the bulb but can't
figure out how to securely mount it.

Any better ideas?

TIA
NEVER put a mercury thermometer in a microwave. The mercury attracts
the microwaves and super-heats. Or did you have your "combination"
oven in non-microwave mode???

How metals react depends on length. If about 4 inches long will resonate
and maximum current will occur in center. Other lengths will still develop
nodes of current. No mercury please.

Greg