Probe Thermometers

[Trough Lolly]

I'm looking for a probe thermometer to use in my esky mash tun.

The one for sale at the bottom of a HLP Controls web page here appears to be a bargain at only $12 :huh:

Do any of you guys know of a better deal?

Do you reckon the 210mm probe is long enough or are their longer probes commonly used?

The 0 to 150C range should do!!

Cheers,

TL

 

[Guest Lurker]

Thats certainly the cheapest Ive seen. But do you think it would be accurate enough, 150 degree range in that little dial?

I have two digital temp probes that I got from aquarium shops, one was about $15, one was about$20. Big digital scale, reads to 0.1 degrees, about 1 m wire with the probe on the end. Accurate to at least 0.5 degrees when checked against a thermometer.

Because I pot mash in the oven, havent used it for mashing, worried about cooking the display end, but intend to use it both in the boiler and in the eski tun if the probe survives those temps. Ive had the probe up to 60 degrees.

 

[Trough Lolly]

Yeah, good points...

I suppose I'm not exactly gonna get a world class thermometer for 12 bucks but it should be good enough for the mash...

My main concern is that I want a long enough probe to allow it to be used for All Grain brewing, once I get that setup.....one day.

For $12 its not exactly a fortune to blow away if it isn't terribly accurate - I use a steel backed thermometer which I have successfully chucked into the boiler and it survived so I only really need this one to sit in the mash and make sure the the temp is even throughout the cooler.

Cheers,

TL

 

[Trough Lolly]

Afterthought...

If its crap, I can always clean it up and give it to the missus to stick up the Sunday Chook's bum!! :lol:

Cheers,

TL :chug:

 

[Justin]

I have a similar one that I got for $10 (has a 1" dial, they had 2" dials for $20). Got it from a catering supplies place. Accuracy isn't too bad but not great, varies abit by how much you immerse the probe. Best bit about dial thermometers is that when sticking in the mash you don't have to angle the sucker to read it (alcohol/mercury), stick in and read off the temp.

The idea was to go through a tiny hole in the side of my beverage cooler to monitor mash temps, which I haven't done yet, but you will find that the temperature throughout your mash will vary by quite a bit-when you stir/when you stop/at the top/at the bottom-it's a temperature mess in there. Be aware that you are going to want to stir the mash, and ideally you don't want to have to worry about hitting the temp probe.

In my opinion though, in the whole process, this is where you temp is MOST important, when cooling down if you are a degree or two away it doesn't matter but in the mash it can change things. If going all grain you will probably want to upgrade.

Ambit in Melbourne have 2" bimetal thermometers with a 1/4" NPT thread and 4" probe for $30, also a 2" probe. 3" dial for $90 :blink:

I may get one of these 2" ones (for hlt) and also a digital therm with a 1m wired probe for everywhere else on brew day (very handy and quick to read).

Hope that may help somewhat, I'm a bit unsure now after rambling away :blink:

Cheers, JD

 

[Trough Lolly]

Thanks for the info Justin - will perhaps consider the digital thermometer at Dick Smiths.

Model Y5031 looks like a good deal for only $25.

Cheers,

TL