Submersible weldless thermometer?

skifast1 · 12-29-2006, 11:51 PM

Hi all - i just ordered a Bleichmann (sp?) thermometer for my brewpot, but before I go a-drillin', I'm wondering if I'll run into any problems with submersing the pot to cool the wort. I usually use a submersed coil chiller, but due to the funky configuration of my kitchen faucet I have to run the hose from the outside, which means mid-winter brews are chilled by submersing the pot in a sink of ice water (or in a snowbank). Does anyone know if the housing on weldless thermometers is water-resistant, either by design or by experience?

In anticipation of some responses, I did try out a $20 submersible pump from Home Depot to run a closed-loop with the chiller (with ice water in the sink), but it just didn't have the 'ooomph'. If anyone has any suggestions for a cheap water pump for intercoolers, I'll happily take 'em.

Scalliwag · 12-30-2006, 12:17 AM

Do you have a Harbor Freight nearby? They have some pretty descent sub pumps that will move a lot of water for less than $50.
I have to dig mine out of the garage from hell that I bought for another application and was very pleased with it.
This is not like mine but it will give you an idea http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94648

good luck

**Hopfan** · 12-30-2006, 12:17 AM

When I started out, I used an old pump that I had from my pond. It was a Mag Drive 150 GPH and I used that submersed in ice water to feed the immersion chiller. It worked really well but you just have to agitate the wort every once in a while because the bottom of the bucket got ice cold and the top was still very warm if you just let it sit. Your other option is to submerge the chiller in an ice bath and pump your wort through it. For that you would need a different type of pump (I believe there is a post on here somewhere about a "Pony" pump from Northern Tool for about $50) If it's a brush motor, you can control it with a rheostat and just monitor your output temp to gauge how high to crank it.

Having said all that, if you plan to keep adding to your brewery, you may want to look into building a CFC (though that will give you the old hose dilemma again). After I built mine, I was amazed at how much work and stress it took off of the whole brewing process.

skifast1 · 12-30-2006, 03:21 AM

Great ideas, thanks! There's a Harbor Freight store not too far from me that should have something that'll work. I'd just as soon not have to drag out the hose, even in the summertime. A CFC would be really nice, but it's on the list for whenever I get the space (and spousal support) for a full-on AG tower rig.

**Hopfan** · 12-30-2006, 05:24 PM

One other thing, you should have spare ice ready to put in the pump ice bath if you go that route. This setup cools quickly which means your ice will melt fairly quickly. I tried it with ice packs in water, but it didn't work as well as with a block of ice or a bunch of cubes directly in the water.

skifast1 · 12-31-2006, 02:36 AM

Absolutely - I learned that lesson early on with the first time I sunk the pot in an ice bath. Two 7-lb bags of ice went in no time.

Beer Weevel · 12-31-2006, 03:23 AM

Yes, I believe they are water proof I have one in the side of my polar ware 10 gal brew kettle and have washed it about 50 times and it is still water tight and functional. So yes I would say they are water tight.