L-SHAPED Thermometer

Quick Answer: The L-SHAPED Thermometer is a liquid-in-glass thermometer whose stem is bent at a right angle, so the bulb can sit in a liquid, soil or duct while the scale faces the reader at the side. An L-shaped thermometer is used where a straight thermometer would be hard to read or would stick out into the working space.

Why Bend a Thermometer?

In a straight thermometer the scale follows the stem, so a deep bath or a pipe fitting forces the reader to lean over the equipment or pull the thermometer out, which itself changes the reading. Bending the stem through 90 degrees puts the sensing end where the heat is and turns the graduated section towards the operator. The bend carries only the capillary; the reading is taken on the straight arm that carries the scale.

This form turns up on water baths, cooling tanks and heating ducts, and on some soil and compost set-ups where the bulb goes into the ground and the scale lies along the surface. The title does not state the arm lengths, range or filling of this item, so match the length of the immersed arm to the depth you need, just as you would choose the immersion depth of a straight laboratory thermometer.

Because the bend is a stress point, an L-shaped glass stem needs more care than a straight one: support it in a clip or bracket rather than letting its weight hang from the bend, and never use it to stir. For rough plant-room surroundings, a thermometer in a protective metal housing such as the Sika type industrial thermometer is more robust.

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Support the L-shaped thermometer on its straight arms, not at the bend, and never lever it out of a fitting.
• Warm and cool it gradually; plunging a cold bend into hot water risks a crack.
• Store it flat in a padded box so the angled arm cannot catch on other items.
• Look for gaps in the column before each use and reunite a separated column before reading.

Applications

• Reading a water-bath temperature from the front without lifting the lid
• Watching tank or cooling-water temperature through a side port
• Measuring compost or seed-bed temperature with the scale lying flat on the surface
• Showing students how thermometer design and immersion depth are matched to the apparatus

Why Choose LabEquip

Buyers are usually lab managers fitting out baths and tanks, or agricultural colleges that need a bulb below the surface with a readable scale above it. LabEquip lists the L-shaped thermometer in General Lab Products; send the arm lengths you need through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How deep should the bulb arm be immersed?

Follow the immersion mark if the thermometer has one. If there is no mark, ask whether it was graduated for total or partial immersion, and keep the depth the same every time you read it.

Is an L-shaped thermometer less accurate than a straight one?

The bend does not change how the liquid expands, so accuracy depends on the same factors as any glass thermometer: calibration, immersion depth and reading technique. It is simply easier to read in awkward positions.

Can it be used in an oven or incubator?

It can where the scale arm stays outside and the range suits the temperature, for example through a port in the wall. Look at the upper limit first; heating a glass thermometer beyond its range can burst the capillary.

What if the liquid column has a gap?

Separated columns are common after transport. Gently cool the bulb so the liquid retreats into it, or tap the thermometer upright against a padded surface, then compare it with a reference before use.

How should it be clamped?

Use a rubber-lined clip on the straight part nearest the bend, or pass the sensing arm through a bored stopper. Do not clamp across the bend itself, where the glass is most vulnerable.

Can I use it to stir the bath?

No. Stirring puts leverage on the bent glass and on the thin bulb wall. Use a stirrer or glass rod and let the thermometer stay still in its holder.

Last Updated: September 2026