Stainless probe doesn't reach wort - what do?

[citizensnips]

So I just picked up a 60L fermenter to start doing double batches and am stoked that 1 of my two problems is solved.......that being I made it fit into the fridge that I have. My second problem which as I imagined could be an issue is that the stainless steel probe attached to my stc that I normally submerge in my 25L batches is no longer submerged as it only reaches to about the 50L mark.......if that. Ill be doing 45 L batch this time round and asides from doing a bigger batch does anyone know how an stc would go just sitting above the wort...in airspace so to speak? I assume its still going to be quite accurate, just not as accurate as being in the wort itself. Has anyone got some past experience they could lend me on the matter or recommendations for the best possible solutions?
Cheers

 

[Spiesy]

Get a longer lead?

 

[Spiesy]

Or, if you're not comfortable wiring that up - perhaps tape it to the side of your fermenter with some insulation on the outside to protect from the changing ambient temp.

 

[vykuza]

Or go through the side with a thermowell

 

[citizensnips]

If only a longer lead made a difference, its this here https://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=955p?PID=955 As you can see it only goes so far into the fermenter before it buts up against the thread at the top. May have to do some experimenting and see if it actually reads the temp ok from the airspace above.

 

[Blind Dog]

As I'm a dinosaur and cant work out how to link to another topic, this is post 9 by Kodos in the 'SS brewmaster or brew bucket thread': given the 1F difference in the quote is 0.56C, he probably has a point. Personally I'd love to read their actual research if they published it



At ANCH John Blichmann said he was quite happy taping the sensor to the side of his SS fermenter. His conicals don't seem to have one either - if he saw any benefit in adding one, and charging for it, I'm sure he would.

But, I've not tested the differences personally (some on this forum have, to mixed results from memory) and I can understand brewers' determination to seek the most precise info they can, so each to their own.

Edit:

Just found this in the Blichmann FAQs:


HOW DO I INSTALL A TEMPERATURE PROBE IN MY CONICAL FERMENTOR?



Many brewers use digital temperature control to monitor and control fermentations. In our opinion, immersion probes are overkill for these small conicals – and open another area for contamination risk. We know it doesn’t look as cool, but a liquid crystal thermometer on the outside is inexpensive and actually has the accuracy of an RTD (+/- 0.5F). We have measured the sidewall temperature versus core temperature at high krausen using precision instrumentation, and there is less than 1° difference – insignificant in reality. If you are using the probe for control, just tape the probe to the side of the tank using a small piece of aluminum duct tape. Again, you’ll be easily within 1°, and you have nothing to sanitize. In addition, this limits thermal cycling of your cooling equipment and overcooling that can happen with immersion probes. At Blichmann Engineering, we very much believe simple is better. While we would make more money selling you this equipment, our philosophy is to provide value. We would never recommend a product we wouldn't use in our own brewery.

 

[mfeighan]

get a longer thermowell, found this on ebay for my fermenters
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/231208452163