Thermowell In Hlt/urn

[gava]

hey,

I have a old ~30lt urn I was thinking of using for a HLT.. I've read that you shouldn't rely their thermostat for setting temp..

My Question is : If I install a thermowell into the urn can I put my TempMate probe in and connect the urn to this? that way it will turn the urn on and off to get required heat..
will this work or just kill my urn?

Second question how much are theromwells and where can I get one of theses pref mail order (dont get much down here in Bendigo)

 

[Ross]

You can use a "beer out" diptube from a cornelius keg - it's what I use, it's the perfect size.
Available from most HBS's I'd have thought & definately from the site sponsors B)


cheers Ross

 

[Jakechan]

Why wouldnt you just plug the urn into the Tempmate, and stick the temp probe into the urn? Am I missing something?

Whats a thermowell?


I know, I know...search....

Cheers,
Jake

 

[gava]

Why wouldnt you just plug the urn into the Tempmate, and stick the temp probe into the urn? Am I missing something?

Whats a thermowell?


I know, I know...search....

Cheers,
Jake

the probe is only a small 3 to 4cm probe connected via a wire with rubber surrounding it.. I would have thought this would go a little crazy in hot water..

yeah do a search its hard to explain easier to see in picture..

 

[Justin]

Hi there.

Depends on what sort of thermostat the urn has as to how reliable it is. Is it one where you can set the temperature (ie. the dial is marked in degrees) or is it a reostat (ie. dial marked 1 - 10)? If it is a genuine adjustable thermostat you could just fill it with water turn it on and measure a bunch of settings marking what setting corresponds to what temperature. It might be kind of close or it might be out by 5 degrees, you'll soon know. If you mark the new settings down you'll soon know that 75C on the dial actually means 82C in the vessel or whatever. That's one option.

Secondly, yes you can use an external thermostat(eg. tempmate) to control the urn. Just turn the dial on the urn up to max, (depending on how you have set up your tempmate) you could either plug it into the tempmate or wire the temp mate into the power lead of the urn. Put you tempmate sensor in the urn (in a thermowell).

What sort of temp sensor does your controller have? I assume it's an NTC, is it a stainless probe one that is sealed or is it just a plastic tip on the end of a wire? I know Craftbrewer and Mashmaster sell NTC probes that dont need a thermowell because they are already a sealed stainless unit. You could just put a stainless probe straight through the side of the vessel, no need for thermowell or if you have a plastic wired one you could just seal off one end of a piece of copper tube and then slide the temp probe in that and drop it over the side of your urn.

A compression fitting in the right ID as your probe can be used through the side of the urn also, just remove the copper/nylon olive and replace with a suitable oring.

Lots of options, just have a think about what you need and how you need to do it.

cheers, Justin

edit: Ok, so you have a plastic wired probe. Just find the right size tube, seal the end and drop the sensor in it. Done.

 

[domonsura]

I make thermowells gava, 3/8th stainless tube mounted in a 1/2" BSP plug, or made as a bulkhead for adding to something that you can't weld something into (urn, ali pot etc). They are available in three configurations, screw in from the inside (stops liquids getting into the threaded section) and screw in from the outside (suits an HLT/urn that has a socket in it and will only see water), and the bulkhead version. $25 for the standard one with the BSP plug, $30 for the bulkhead version. You can have the tube section of the thermowell anything from 50mm through to 200mm at that price.

We make quite a few of them these days to go with Ross's Tempmate controller popular little unit that one.

Shoot us an email if you need one made.

 

[Jakechan]

the probe is only a small 3 to 4cm probe connected via a wire with rubber surrounding it.. I would have thought this would go a little crazy in hot water..

yeah do a search its hard to explain easier to see in picture..

Thanks gava.

Cheers,
Jake