Suitable Brewing Thermometer

[pbrosnan]

Hi all,

I'm trying to find a thermometer that will measure across an appropriate
range for brewing (mash temps) and comes with a remote probe. I have an aquarium
thermometer but as you probably all know it maxes out at 70C. Anyone have
any ideas? And I'm not looking for an electronics project here ...but well
... maybe ...

cheers

Patrick

 

[Batz]

I have one of there that I use in my mash tun , works well and only $24.50
Guys does mail order , he has been known to talk just a little , don't ring on your mobile

Batz

http://www.ibrew.com.au/html/equipment/beerequipmentset.html

 

[pbrosnan]

Beauty Batz, that's exactly what I'm after. Pity I spent the same amount on the aquarium thermometer.

cheers

Patrick.

 

[voota]

Thanks Batz, i'm going to grab one of those too

 

[Tony M]

Paddy,
One thing about that particular thermometer, the braided part of the probe is not waterproofand the readings will eventually go haywire if the probe is too deeply immersed. It will forgive you after a couple of days when it dries out. You can fix the problem by getting a length of 1/4" shrinktube from Jaycar or Dicksmith and applying that. Mine has been running like that for more than a year now and has not missed a beat except I melted the plastic case by putting it too close to the HLT but it didn't mind.

 

[wee stu]

Paddy,
One thing about that particular thermometer, the braided part of the probe is not waterproofand the readings will eventually go haywire if the probe is too deeply immersed. It will forgive you after a couple of days when it dries out. You can fix the problem by getting a length of 1/4" shrinktube from Jaycar or Dicksmith and applying that. Mine has been running like that for more than a year now and has not missed a beat except I melted the plastic case by putting it too close to the HLT but it didn't mind.

[post="54078"][/post]​

I had a similar one - when left too close to the kettle the display was totally stuffed!!! Plastic casing was fine.
I had only used twice :angry:
I aim to get another one some day, but will be much more careful about where it gets placed in the brury.

 

[Tony M]

One other thing. They are brilliant for monitoring fermenter temp. As they are on all the time they may as well do something useful. A 4mm (or 4.7mm if you have shrink tube) hole drilled into the fermenter lid is a perfect fit and you know what your wort temp. really is all the time. Close the fridge door on the cable and sit the unit on the top.

edit;
You will be surprised how far off are the stickon strips or even a flash thermometer hanging inside the fridge from the true wort temp.

 

[Vlad the Pale Aler]

I have 2 of these which are now useless, the readings are so far out they cant be used. While they were new my mash efficiencies plummeted which led me to believe they were out to begin with, even used as a fridge thermometer they were very inaccurate.

I got in touch with I-Brew, they said if I returned them they would give me a credit towards a Blichmann Brewmometer, since accepting their kind offer they no longer reply to my e-mails.

It is also worth noting that I-Brew state in an e-mail that these items may not be suitable for my purposes, my purposes are brewing beer.

This is just my experience and my 2c worth.

related link here

 

[dicko]

I have had one of these since I first started partials.
It is currently now fitted into the third mash tun that i have set up and it has performed without fault.
I checked it last week in the new tun with a trade standard digi- therm digital thermometer and it is spot on, and I do mean spot on.
I have allways installed it by drilling a hole through the side if the rubbermaid just large enough for the probe to be pushed through and I have had no worries.

Cheers

 

[Batz]

I too have had no problems , mine is fitted the same as Dickos , Well it was his idea first , cheers Dicko

and I have also checked mine against a infra red at work as was spot on




Batz

 

[dicko]

I finally found the pic I was looking for.

I also luv the timer for hop additions that is incorporated in the thermometer.

 

[PeterS]

I finally found the pic I was looking for.

I also luv the timer for hop additions that is incorporated in the thermometer.

[post="54175"][/post]​

Dicko or Batz, just a curiosity question.

By having to drill a hole in your MLT, I take it that it is permanent? What did you use for sealing it.?

Cheers,
Keep on Brewin' :beer:

 

[Batz]

I drilled it so it was tight when I pushed in the probe , I used a tiny dab of aquarium sealant then.

I have removed it from one mash tun and sealed the hole there with the same stuff. Aquarium sealer is food grade


Batz

 

[dicko]

And I did exactly the same Peter.

Cheers

 

[pbrosnan]

Thanks for all the feeback. I have to say that as I read I thought "Well won't bother with one of those things" and then "Hey they sound great". How is it that we are seeing so much variation across one product, if indeed it is the same thing. Is it it the circumstances under which it is being used? I still think I'll get one as they're not to dear. Once agin thanks for the input.

 

[Boots]

After breaking my thermometer during Monday nights brew session (and yes it was at the best time possible, just as the strike water was approaching the correct temp - and yes - it WAS my mash paddle entry) I'm in the market for a new one.

Dicko and Batz - do have your temp probes pushed through to the middle? or is the probe just stuck through the edge so that none of the wiring is actually on the inside of the tun?

I would ideally like to be able to use it for other purposes, so permanently fixing it to my mash tun isn't ideal, but I guess at the price it is, I could get a second for measuring sparge water.

Is heat shrink food grade? It would be nice to be able to drop the probe down into the middle of the HLT / fermenter etc, and I'm a bit concerned about what might leach out of the heat shrink.

I'm going to have a comparative look at what can be had from the states as well.

Cheers guys

 

[Batz]

Boots
You will find both Dickos and mine are permanently fitted.
I think this is why we have never had any problems , seems the braided cable does not like to get wet , perhaps the steam from a mash may also affect it.

I am only guessing here :huh:

It is a cheap unit and if you have the spare cash someone will sell you a better one for sure.

Batz

 

[Boots]

Morebeer have this one:

http://www.morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=18686

Which is good to 200Degrees, and has quite a long probe ( :blink: leave it alone ) , as well as an alert buzzer for when it hits temps etc.

At current exchange rate this works out to $38 + Freight. I'll make an enquiry about freight costs.

 

[Gough]

Boots,

I would be really interested to know the freight costs etc. Sounds like a goer so long as it doesn't take 6 months to get here! Thanks for the heads up. PM me or post the details here please, if that is OK.

Thanks again,

Shawn.

 

[Boots]

Boots,

I would be really interested to know the freight costs etc. Sounds like a goer so long as it doesn't take 6 months to get here! Thanks for the heads up. PM me or post the details here please, if that is OK.

Thanks again,

Shawn.

[post="54233"][/post]​

Looks like pricing is:

USPS Global Priority Mail (GPM) - Large (up to 4 Pound) - $13 US
Delivery in 4-6 Days
This info was pulled from the USPS web site. Not sure if MoreBeer can bring this down by using a large envelope rather than a box.


So all up it would be USD$43 to ship a single unit - which is currently $55.50

I think I will go ahead and order one of these, the extra functionality is worth it in my books, and they have probes on their price list as a replacement plugin part in case it gets damaged.