eagle83

Recipes 

I just bought an inexpensive Chi control. Seems to be working pretty good for the price (still tinkering with it a bit). Some of you guys who have some experience let me know your techniques. I have a digital thermometer with a probe I have run into the fridge to monitor the temp. I need to read the manual and find out if the probe can be submersed. If it can should I run the probe through the airlock port into the beer to get a more accurate reading, or does it work fine to just tape the probe to the side of the bucket/better bottle?

carnevoodoo

Recipes 

I tape mine to the side of my carboys and adjust a bit for the differences there. You can look into getting a thermowell, too. That would get you right into the middle of the wort. I don't know about the probe on what you have being submersible. I'd be careful with that.

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TipsyDragon

Recipes 

i use a Ronco ETC and a thermowell carboy cap (they also have stoppers as well). that way i can get the probe down into the wort and get reading right from the middle and warmest part of the wort. from what i understand the temp differential between the middle and the outside edge is maybe a degree or two. its up to you to decide if thats acceptable or not. allot of people on here just tape the sensor to the outside of the carboy and put some sort of insulation over it to prevent getting the room temp.

eagle83

Recipes 

The thermowell looks like a great idea, but I usually use a bucket for primary and carboy for secondary. Nothing like this made for buckets huh? I may just tape and insulate.

TipsyDragon

Recipes 

well if your going to use a bucket i would drill a second hole or make the current one bigger. if you go with the second hole you can put a grommet similar to the one for the airlock in it to get a good tight seal. if you make the hole bigger your kind of stuck using a drilled stopper with that particular lid.