Remote probe thermometer wort proofing

**Bobby_M** · 04-09-2007, 01:24 AM

I posted about this trick a few times but finally got around to taking some pics:

Get some silicone tubing from the pet shop, fill the end with some keg lube and push the probe through. Don't even try without the lube. Then get two #70 O-rings, Lowes sells a pack of 10 for $1.50 or something. I put one on the outside of the tubing as a clamp and worked the other one underneath the tubing as a seal. The last one I did only used the O-ring underneath and it didn't leak either.

Now you don't have to worry about tossing the probe in your kettle, MLT or fermentor and having it start reading way off after getting the wire wet.

Note: if you use the aquarium tubing, it's almost certainly NOT 100% silicone. In other words, it doesn't have the 400F+ rating. If you use this stuff in wort/mash you'll be fine if you keep it away from open flame. Don't use it in your oven!!! If you want the real silicone to be able to use it to monitor meats in the oven, go to Mcmaster, USplastics or a hobby shop (they sell silicone tubing for R/C fuel lines).

Beerrific · 04-09-2007, 01:37 AM

That's great. I just bought a digital thermometer and was wondering how I was going to water proof everything, this just might work...thanks.

tbulger · 04-09-2007, 04:20 AM

Was waiting for this, but bought anyways i got the #60 rings. Whats a good replacement for keg lube, i think someone mentioned vasoline beffore would that work?

FlyGuy · 04-09-2007, 04:40 AM

Thanks Bobby. This is a great trick. Worked like a charm for me.

I second the idea of using keg lube or some other stable, food-grade lubricant for helping ease that tubing over the probe. I just wet mine a bit, and that worked -- for a few inches. Then it was a battle the rest of the way!

Also, I like your idea of using o-rings to seal the tubing. I used high temp 1/8" silicone tubing, and it fit so tight that I didn' t need it, but for slightly larger tubing that is a very clever little solution. Thanks for writing it up and posting the pics.

**Bobby_M** · 04-09-2007, 02:06 PM

Here's a little tip in case you didn't know. Don't mix up probes and bases if you have more than one. I found out the hard way that they calibrate the thermos to the probe (well at least apparently). I used a new probe on an old base and it was reading low by 4-5dF. I checked this against two other thermos that were reading the same. I suppose this just means I have to tag them to make sure they always mate up properly.

tbulger · 04-09-2007, 03:22 PM

did you also use the aquarium silicone seal it?

The Pol · 04-09-2007, 03:38 PM

Here are the pics of how I solved my problems with therms...

http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u189/PolTavern/

Pol

**Bobby_M** · 04-09-2007, 07:45 PM

If you're going to dedicate a given thermo to a piece of equipment like an MLT or kettle, you don't need to waterproof it like I did. The rubber stopper method like Pol's, or the more expensive version using a compression fitting like mine, is great for that. It's when you want to keep the remote probe style portable and transferable between applications that makes this trick useful. For example, I had this probe in the middle of my rectangular MLT one day and then sanitized and dropped it into my fermenter to monitor lagering temps.

tbulger, no, no sealant used on this one since the double O-ring seal is really working nicely.

tbulger · 04-09-2007, 08:38 PM

How did you get the o-ring inside the tubing i tried forever with no luck. I have the silcone sealent so if i cant get it in again i will probably throw some on the seal.

BTW; thanks for this idea its a great and is exactly what i needed. I like the timer/temp alert/ large display of these thermometers.

**Bobby_M** · 04-10-2007, 03:20 AM

It's not so easy but I found the trick. Have the tubing extend past the probe temporarily and then force the Oring up inside anyway you can. Once it's inside, you can then push the probe through a little more and hook the tip of it on the inside of the oring. Use a small screwdriver to help turn the Oring perpendicular to the probe. You can easily keep pushing the probe through now. On the outside one, I just pushed it onto the probe then stuck a tiny screwdriver between the probe and oring and worked it back over the tubing.

Just keep trying ;-)