FAQ
General Product Questions
What are your bimetal thermometers made of?
Our standard bimetal thermometers are made from SUS 304 stainless steel, and are hermetically sealed with a polycarbonate lens. (Polycarbonate lenses are more environmentally friendly to produce rather than acrylic lenses.) We have some models with a glass lens for higher temperature applications, so contact us if you are in need of this option.
Should I get a vapor thermometer, bimetal thermometer, or digital thermometer?
It depends on the application. Vapor thermometers are prized for their accuracy, but are fragile. Be sure to not twist or unnecessarily pull the hollow capillary tube. A drop even from the hand to the table can disrupt the inner workings of the vapor thermometer.
Bimetal thermometers are also accurate, and certainly more robust than vapor thermometers, but are limited by the nature of the product itself. The dial face is attached to the stem and it cannot be bent around corners. You may need a clip to hold it in place depending on your application - please contact us to help meet any unique needs you have.
Digital thermometers are also more robust than vapor thermometers, and the potentially long cable lengths allow flexibility in having the dial in a separate location than where you are measuring. Our digital models come with a variety of power sources: solar with back-up battery, battery, and electric requiring a transformer.
What are the differences between the general service pressure gauges and industrial service pressure gauges?
The case material, execution, and lens type affects the application.
Our general service pressure gauges come in plastic cases and corrosion resistant black painted steel cases. Plastic cases have polycarbonate lenses, and black painted steel cases have glass lenses. They are not hermetically sealed, so they are only a dry execution and cannot be liquid-filled. This allows the pressure gauge to "breathe;" it can suffer some moisture from the environment and it will eventually evaporate. They are a cost-effective product for non-corrosive mediums such as air, gas, oil, and water.
Our industrial service pressure gauges, on the other hand, are made from SUS 304 stainless steel and the polycarbonate lenses are sealed to allow liquid-filled execution. The glycerin or silicone allows the industrial pressure gauge to withstand high vibration. A ventable top plug and crimped ring for the lens helps prevent leaks. These industrial service pressure gauges are designed for harsh environments.
The industrial service pressure gauges online have a brass bourdon tube for the internals. If you are working with an extremely corrosive environment, we do have some all stainless steel options available. Please contact us to find out more.
Are your products compliant with RoHS? REACH? California's Proposition 65?
Our bimetal thermometers, digital thermometers, and glass thermometers are in compliance with RoHS, REACH, and Prop 65.
Anything with a chrome-plated steel case or brass NPT connection contains lead, which is known to the state of California to cause cancer and other reproductive harm. However, they are in compliance with RoHS due to the exemption for copper alloys, allowing up to 4% lead in the brass. Our vapor thermometers, pressure gauges, tridicators, a few specific models of hot water bimetal thermometers and digital thermometers, and some siphons and drain valves contain brass, and are not in compliance with Prop 65 and are labeled online and on the product itself accordingly. If it contains lead, it is also not in compliance with REACH.
Ordering Questions
What if I see something similar to what I need, but it's not quite what I'm looking for?
Please contact us - not everything we have is online, so we may be able to find it in our inventory. More temperature or pressure ranges, stem or cable lengths, and even colors may be available.
What if I need to change my order after I submit it?
Contact us right away! We are proud of quickly fulfilling orders, and ship same-day if received by 12pm CST. Please call us at 847-550-6008 to ensure we send you the part you really need.
I need to purchase something for my business. Can I submit a purchase order? Use my tax-exempt letter?
We can create an order on your behalf if you would prefer. Please contact us at service@howe-technology.com with the details and provide a copy of your tax-exempt letter at the same time. Final confirmation will be done over the phone when we take your credit card information but this is considerably less secure than placing an order yourself.
Can I send you a check instead of using a credit card?
At this time, we would prefer to fulfill orders using Shopify's certified Level 1 PCI DDSS compliant online store. Thank you for your understanding!
I need a lot of pieces. Are there discounts for volume ordering?
Please contact us for consideration for our OEM prices. This is very dependent on the volume - there is a big difference between needing 10pcs at a time and needing 1000pcs at a time. We likely do not have all 1000pcs in stock and will need to place a special order to our factory, which will require a 150+ day lead time for new production.