Mashmaster thermometer all over the shop

[citizensnips]

I've had one of those mashmaster 4" thermometers installed in my kettle since I started brewing. After reading a little and having my previous two beers finish with very high FG and consequently a sweet taste, I decided to measure my mash temp with my $15 stick thermometer (those ones that are everywhere on eBay and what not). Anyway after aiming for a 66 degree mash and thinking id hit it according to my mashmaster...I measured it with the stick and got 70.8 or something around that mark. I could never understand why I was always losing mash temp so quickly as well but then after monitoring it with the stick it showed there wasn't any temp change, the mashmaster just decides to drop points at a rate of nots. As well as this when I got to boil, the mash master showed 94 degrees. Now my question is, is this thing absolutely cactus or can I recalibrate it? I just assumed the stick had to be a better indication due to everything making more sense with its readings....i.e the sweetness in previous beers, mash holding temp and what not. Another question is, what is the best or at least an instrument that I know I can trust to get a legitimate temperature reading from without second guessing it?
Thanks in advance for any replies

 

[Nibbo]

If it's all over the shop like you say then it might be a throw away. You can take it and get them professionally calibrated but I'd be inclined to buy another thermometer. If it were reading a few degree's over or under all the time then you could compensate for that but I don't like the sound of it bouncing around.
I have a tel-tru dial gauge at home on the mash tun which hasn't given me grief yet...touch wood..

 

[mr_wibble]

Mine are always spot-on, within 0.5 of what the stick thermometer says.

You could at least re-calibrate it and see what happens.

Do bi-metal type thermometers wear out ?

 

[shaunous]

I had to recalibrate mine, but it wasn't bouncing all over the shop, it just become incorrect. If it's erratic I'd *** it off and buy a new one.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

My MM thermometer is stuffed. But I put that down to abuse. Kids thought it was fun to put it in the freezer and seeing how far past zero it would go.

 

[citizensnips]

Thanks for the replies. I'm a little hesitant to even buy another one just because of how average the one I have currently is. Maybe I'll take it out an test it another way to double check

 

[dicko]

I have had good results from the Tel Tru brand analogue thermometers but I did have to recalibrate them a couple of times, athough they were never out by more than a degree.
It sounds like you have a fault in the MM but before you toss it I would wind the adjuster in and out a couple of turns then recalibrate it against water of a known temperature just in case it is a bit sticky.
I also found if I tapped the thermometer with my finger on the glass it would sometimes move a little as well.
The amount of discrepancy was never enough to cause any problems with the mash results on the home brew level in my case anyway.

 

[Bizier]

I have 2 x MM ones and one is always out. I could calibrate every time, but it is a pita, so it is just a decoration in a box somewhere.

 

[Bizier]

Also it is a 4" which is the bad of the two.

 

[citizensnips]

Yeah I'm not so sold on buying another MM, I think I may shop around for an alternative, although chances are they're all going to be either the exact same relabelled or very similar

 

[shaunous]

Yeah I'm not so sold on buying another MM, I think I may shop around for an alternative, although chances are they're all going to be either the exact same relabelled or very similar

Pretty well, same ****, different name on the face plate.

 

[fletcher]

awesome to see this just as my delivery arrived

 

[dicko]

Pretty well, same ****, different name on the face plate.

My two Tel Tru units were Not made in China and were and as far as I know still accurate....would be 10 years old now and have had 2 house moves and re set up calibrations.
From memory they were around 90 bucks each as in 2003 / 4 not much stuff for brewing was being made in China....you get what you pay for

 

[manticle]

To be honest I have never trusted dial thermometers in a mash anyway. HLT is a different story, depending on your heat source. Even they can vary but a good stir and you should be able to get reasonable consistency.

The probe sits in one spot but the mash temp can vary significantly over various areas of the mash, system dependent.. If you are recircing with a herms or rims, you will likely have more consistent temps across the mash but I wouldn't be surprised if there were still hot and cool spots.

I prefer a good stick thermometer and measurements from a number of areas. A good stir at the beginning helps even things out although I use a heat stick to raise temps so I can adjust the cooler spots somewhat.

Also the probe draws heat out to an extent.