Stick on liquid thermometer HELP!

I was just curious. Can a liquid thermometer like THIS be used horizontally instead of vertically? The reason I ask is because I use the 6 gallon Better Bottle carboy somewhat similar to THIS and it has ridges and the thermometer will not fit between the ridges on a flat surface. Or, is there any possible way to cut some of the bottom of the thermometer off so that it will fit between the ridges. Thanks in advance for your help.

Yeah, it'll work horizontally ... Google fermometer. You'll see the same LCD stick on thermometer with numbers printed to be read horizontally.

It's even better to do it horizontally if you plan to use a swamp cooler. Submerging in water messes them up.

Well, I had planned to put them on the outside of the carboys, not inside of them. I was just wondering because the 2 liquid crystal thermometers that I bought are THESE exact ones from finevinewines.com. But I also saw some that looked like THIS . I just want to make sure the ones that I purchased will work horizontally and vertically (preferably horizontally). I mean, If they don't, I can find something else to use them on, I guess... But if they will for sure work horizontally instead of vertically that would be fantastic.

Also, THANK YOU for your swift reply! :rockin:

P.S. Another question; By placing them horizontally will that in any way effect the accuracy of the thermometer?
Thanks again.

Okay, I just went for it and put them on there sideways. I can say that after filling my better bottle carboy that these thermometers work horizontally and/or vertically. I just decided to go ahead and do it. I tested the water that I put into the carboy from the faucet, after it was completely full so that the tip of my digital thermometer would reach the surface of the water, with a digital thermometer and the readings were spot on. So, for anyone that has doubts or questions as to weather or not a stick on liquid crystal thermometer such as this will work vertically and/or horizontally, IT DOES regardless of the orientation of the numbers on the thermometer! Thank you jtratcliff for answering my question so quickly; however, I just had to test it for myself for my own edification. Another thanks goes out to homebrewtalk.com for hosting these forums that are a life saver in these types of situations.
I am currently in the first stages of primary on a Blueberry wine that I can't wait to try in a few months. I will be posting the recipe and steps that I took personally.
Once again, thank you so much!!!

Yeah, these things will work in any orientation even stuck on the ceiling. They work because of how the thermometer is constructed.

Think of it as having lots of individual zones containing liquid crystals that change colour when exposed to temperature. The range of temperature is achieved by blending different crystals ratios so that one zone requires exposure to higher temps than the preceding one but lower than the succeeding zone. Then Ts just a question of calibrating those temperature ranges and printing some numbers on as a scale for us to read.

These zones are sealed from each other so will not mix whichever way up the thermometer is placed and therefore it keeps working. Peeling the adhesive ones off one location to try to reposition usually tears them apart and then they need replacing though so thinking about their placement before peeling off the backing is advisable!

Thank you for the indepth explanation of how these thermometers work. I actually was think about the fact that they would probably be destroyed if one were to try to peel one off. That's why I placed them a little below my estimated half-way area if the carboy(as I usually make 6gallon batches at a time). I will upload a pic of the carboy with the newly applied thermometer. I think I have it in the right place and if not, oh well they were only about 2 dollars and some change a piece.

Also, I have another question. Would these same type of thermometers work on a primary fermenting bucket? You know, like a 6.5 gallon white plastic primary fermenting bucket.

boucheman414 said:

I actually was think about the fact that they would probably be destroyed if one were to try to peel one off.

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They are pretty much destroyed if you pull them off. I had to do that to one of mine unsure if I could reseal it back on. It was toast.

boucheman414 said:

Would these same type of thermometers work on a primary fermenting bucket? You know, like a 6.5 gallon white plastic primary fermenting bucket.

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Yes they do. I bought one for every container I have, white buckets, glass / plastic carboys. I probably didn't need to get that many since most of the time all my stuff is sitting close to the rest, but I like to know the temp in everything. Somethings get warmer than others during a hefty ferment. I like to know if I need to move things around to keep the temp where I want.

The thicker the plastic of the vessel, the more insulated it is, and the less accurate your reading is going to be. They work best on glass or metal, but they will give you a ballpark idea on any vessel.

I ruined one of mine because it was below the water line in my ice water bath. Doh!

bleme said:

The thicker the plastic of the vessel, the more insulated it is, and the less accurate your reading is going to be. They work best on glass or metal, but they will give you a ballpark idea on any vessel.

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Okay, that's what I thought. That's why I only bought enough for my better bottle carboys and not one for my thick primary bucket. And, if you notice, I put it on the thinnest part of the plastic carboy.
However, like I said earlier, I put them on last night and filled one of my carboys to the very top so my digital thermometers rod would be submerged and the readings I got were exact with the liquid thermometer.

I guess to keep from ruining them I'll put some clear packing tape over them or something to cover them from getting wet.
Anyone have any other ideas on how to keep them dry? Like some type of tape or something?

Thanks guys!

There is no real need to cover them with tape. They can take water splashed on them, but they cannot be submerged. I doubt that tape over the top would protect them if submerged for very long. I rinse the outside of my Better Bottles and bucket after every use and have not replaced any fermometer in my 2+ years of brewing. And yes it does work pretty well on the bucket. I would say within one degree of the Better Bottles. I don't know about glass as I will never own a glass carboy.

Okay, we'll I'm just not gonna worry about it then, I'll just try not to submerge them.. I mean if something happens to one or both of them I will just order some new ones. I mean they were only like $2.00-$2.50 or so and in the grand scheme of things that's a little change compared to some of the other equipment I've bought since I began home wine making. Btw, will just a regular fish tank thermometer work? I mean, they look pretty much like the same thing and we have no wine supply stores around here so I have to order everything I need. Could I just use one that's for a fish tank?

Once again, I really appreciate everyone's advice and guidance on this.