Glass thermometers fail when dropped or struck — and in busy laboratory environments, rough handling is unavoidable. The VEE GEE Scientific Armored Glass Thermometer surrounds the borosilicate glass in nickel-plated brass armor that absorbs impact and shock during active use, protecting the instrument from the most common causes of thermometer failure without adding bulk that interferes with normal handling.
Filled with VEE GEE's mercury-free Safety Blue organic liquid, these individually serialized thermometers are built for laboratories, food and beverage processing, environmental monitoring, and general industrial use where durability and measurement traceability are both required. Available in Fahrenheit (°F) scale across multiple temperature ranges and immersion configurations.
Features and Benefits
Nickel-Plated Brass Armor: Full-length armor enclosure protects the glass thermometer from impact, shock, and rough handling — significantly extends service life in high-use laboratory and industrial environments.
Mercury-Free Safety Blue Fill: Organic, biodegradable liquid fill performs equivalently to mercury across the full temperature range — no mercury disposal liability, no hazmat shipping restrictions.
Individually Serialized: Unique serial number on each thermometer supports calibration records, instrument tracking, and regulatory audit documentation for GLP and ISO-compliant lab operations.
Borosilicate Glass: Premium glass construction with permanently etched temperature scale — graduations cannot wear, peel, or smear through repeated use and cleaning cycles.
Safety Blue Against White Background: High-contrast blue liquid column on white enamel background — easy reading in standard lab lighting without magnification aids.
Total and Partial Immersion Options: Total Immersion for maximum accuracy in fully submerged applications; Partial Immersion for surface or partial-contact temperature measurement.
Multiple Temperature Ranges: Available across 3 temperature ranges in Fahrenheit (°F) — select the range appropriate for your specific measurement application.
Specifications by Temperature Range
| Temperature Range | Immersion Type | Resolution | Length | SKU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -30 to 120°F | Total/Partial Immersion | 2°F | 12 in (30.5 cm) | 80701-A (Total) / 80901-A (Partial) |
| -4 to 230°F | Total/Partial Immersion | 2°F | 12 in (30.5 cm) | 80702-A (Total) / 80902-A (Partial) |
| 0 to 300°F | Total/Partial Immersion | 2°F | 12 in (30.5 cm) | 80703-A (Total) / 80903-A (Partial) |
VEE GEE Thermometer Protection Level Guide
| Level | Protection | Breakage Containment | Impact Protection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | None | No | No |
| FEP Encapsulated | FEP sleeve | Yes — glass and fill contained | No |
| Armored | Nickel-plated brass armor | No | Yes |
| FEP + Armored | FEP + Brass Armor | Yes | Yes |
Laboratory Applications
Laboratory water bath and heating block temperature verification where liquid-in-glass accuracy and mercury-free certification are both required
Food and beverage processing where temperature compliance monitoring requires traceable, serialized thermometers meeting mercury-free standards
Environmental monitoring, wastewater treatment, and field sampling where general-purpose Fahrenheit (°F) measurement is required with minimal calibration overhead
University teaching labs requiring affordable, accurate thermometers with serialized traceability for student experiment documentation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Safety Blue fill and is it safe if the thermometer breaks?
Safety Blue is VEE GEE's organic, biodegradable blue liquid that replaces mercury in liquid-in-glass thermometers. It is non-toxic and non-hazardous — unlike mercury, a broken Safety Blue thermometer does not require mercury spill response procedures. The liquid is safe to handle and the instrument can be disposed of in standard laboratory glass waste rather than as hazardous waste.
What is the difference between Total and Partial Immersion?
Total Immersion thermometers are calibrated for use when the entire thermometer (bulb and liquid column) is submerged in the measured medium — this provides maximum accuracy. Partial Immersion thermometers are calibrated for use when only the lower portion (typically 3 inches) is immersed, with the upper portion in air. Choose Total for water baths and enclosed temperature measurement; Partial for applications where full immersion is not possible.
What does "serialized" mean for these thermometers?
Each thermometer is individually marked with a unique serial number during manufacturing. The serial number ties the instrument to production lot records and enables calibration documentation — important for GLP compliance, ISO 17025 requirements, and any laboratory quality system requiring instrument-level traceability.
This listing shows Armored (no FEP) protection. What other options are available?
For containment of glass and fill on breakage, upgrade to the FEP Encapsulated + Armored version (80x01E-A / 80x06E-A series).
How do I select the right temperature range?
Choose a range where your target temperature falls in the middle third of the scale — this provides the most accurate readings and the longest usable column length for interpolation. Avoid using thermometers at the extreme ends of their rated range, where accuracy and resolution are reduced.
Quality Assurance
VEE GEE Scientific manufactures these thermometers from premium borosilicate glass with permanently etched scales and individually serialized markings. Each thermometer is filled with Safety Blue organic liquid verified for consistent performance across the full rated temperature range. Nickel-plated brass armor is fitted and inspected for secure engagement and impact resistance. VEE GEE backs these thermometers with a 1-year warranty.
Academic and Institutional Pricing
LabSupplies.com offers tiered quantity pricing for academic and research institutions. As an authorized dealer, we ship directly from USA inventory.