Stick On Thermometer

[Lobsta]

hi there yall smart people,

i have one of those crappy stick on thermometers (see attached picture for example, not the actual picture of mine) that goes on the side of the fermenter with numbers up the side and the temp that it is gets coloured in, and i just looked at it then and all the numbers have gone white with the exception of the 18 which is a whitey yellow (as this is the temperature that the fermenter is currently at). the thermometer is below the water level in my immersion style fermenter chiller (see my thread on my chiller for photos if u dont understand what i mean). what do u think is causing this? is it the water? or is this a regular problem with these thermometers?

 

[mika]

crappy stick on thermometers

You answered your own question

 

[brewgirl]

My stick on one died first batch, soon as it got wet.... I don't think I would trust the reading anyway.

 

[bugwan]

Yep, they don't like water (which is ever present in a brewing situation) and they can't be relied on at the best of times.

There is some discussion going on in another thread about infra red thermometers, but I think that's like buying a laser-guided drilling rig, when all you needed was a post-hole digger. But you can't blame a homebrewer, we like a gadget.

Go with a stick thermometer that you can sanitise and stick straight into the fermenter, or put the fermenter in a water bath and monitor the temp of that. The water temp should balance out over a day or two.

 

[sid]

I done a test in the basment the other day where i put a thermometre on the floor beside my beer fermenting, it came back 24c, sounded right, as it feels cool in the basement and its all concrete. The stick on thermometre was showing 28c, so i dont theink you can trust them.

 

[tangent]

they're ****!

Throw it away.

 

[domonsura]

they're ****!

Throw it away.

:lol: the answer in 5 words or less.

Those stick on ones would be brilliant if they were accurate, but unfortunately they're not. I've had 8 degrees difference the other way with one, the actual temp was 33 C and the stick on one showed 25 C.

& Bugwan, I have to politely disagree somewhat with your opinion on the infra red jobbies. You just need the right one (ie: don't cheap on it)

With mine I can check a temp in 3 seconds flat (daily if I have to) without the sanitiser/cleaning/worry - without even opening the fermenter at all and with just as much accuracy as a cheap stick thermometer will. Ditto fridge temperatures for ferment temps, yeast storage, hop storage, etc etc..I attach a k-type probe for mash temp checking when I feel like it..It saves time for me. Heaps of it. But it has to be an accurate one, and I am dubious about the cheapies because every one I have tried has been variable in performance. The cheapies in my opinion are exactly what you think they are, gadgets, because they in a lot of cases are not reliably consistent - which is the main point with a thermometer of any sort I reckon. Get one that was intended to be used as a professional tool in the first place I say, not a gimmick for school kiddies to find out the rough temp of everything under the sun and Mum to find out round about what temp that frying pan is at...:lol:

 

[KGB]

Get a fermenting fridge and a fridgemate. Seriously one of the best moves I ever made. Brew any beer at any temp you like all year round.
That said, I still have my stick thermometer and use it as a guide for pitching temp.

 

[KoNG]

i still use mine as a 'decent' guide, obviously they dont tell you whats going on in the middle of the fermenter, but after a concerted effort 'calibrating' them, i now ferment at about 2*c below on the sticky... all good.
and i brew rooooly rooooly roooly goood beers..!!!

 

[KGB]

i still use mine as a 'decent' guide, obviously they dont tell you whats going on in the middle of the fermenter, but after a concerted effort 'calibrating' them, i now ferment at about 2*c below on the sticky... all good.
and i brew rooooly rooooly roooly goood beers..!!!

My Fridgemate reads about 2 deg below the sticky as well

 

[warrenlw63]

Some of you must be buying the wrong ones. :huh:

I've found the one pictured to be reasonably accurate on plastic, aluminium and glass. By aluminium I used to use one stuck to my brewpot to gauge my immersion chiller temps. Survived 20+ brews with a NASA under it and still worked like a charm.

As KoNG states you're always best to factor in a 2 (and sometimes higher) degree shortfall during active krausen (say first 3-4 days of fermentation) when the ferment's generating a bit of heat. Firstly because the fermenter is insulating the temperature to a certain degree and secondly because of temperature fluctuations inside, up and down the fermenter.

They're not a perfect solution but are far better than nothing at all.

BTW I've found the temperature on the sticky therm and the Fridgemate probe to read to all intents and purposes exactly the same.

Warren -

 

[BoilerBoy]

Warren,

Never seen that type of ftick on one before, where did you get it?

BB

 

[warrenlw63]

Winequip in Coburg Vic.

From memory they're less than a fiver each. They run from zero to 30 degrees.

Warren -

 

[BoilerBoy]

Excellent,
Thankyou
BB

 

[Lukes]

BB,
They are heaps better than the cheapies.
G&G sell em.
I use on on my starters (sorry about the pic but you get the idea)

 

[KoNG]

there's gunna be a sticky therm revolution........
who's gunna be our Che'....?

 

[warrenlw63]

Hey I'm waiting for the mini version you can wrap around a PhAT {snigger}. What a way to blow your guest's mind eh? Always knowing what temp their pint is.


Warren -

 

[winkle]

Hey I'm waiting for the mini version you can wrap around a PhAT {snigger}. What a way to blow your guest's mind eh? Always knowing what temp their pint is.
Warren -

LOL.
How about a stick thermometer & a umbrella? B)

 

[KoNG]

Hey I'm waiting for the mini version you can wrap around a PhAT {snigger}. What a way to blow your guest's mind eh? Always knowing what temp their pint is.
Warren -

just cut the 3*C - 10*C section out and stick it on.!!
Photo's please

 

[warrenlw63]

Hmmmmm.........

Warren -