Remote probe thermometer wort proofing

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Bobby_M

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

probeseal2.jpg


probeseal.jpg


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).
 
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.
 
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?
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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 ;-)
 
I want to do this to my thermometer. Will the keg lube not cause the thermometer to read wrong if it gets on the braided wire?
 
There's no reason to suspect keg lube will interfere with the probe because I don't think it's electrically conductive. Even if it is, it's not as likely to run down into the probe either.
 
Thanks. I'm going to the store to pick up the tubing in about an hour, and going to start my brew day right after. Hoping to be able to use it today.
 
Oops! Wish I had seen this a couple of weeks ago before I fried that exact thermometer by tossing the probe in my MLT to monitor my mash...
 
I just fried a sunbeam thermo like 15min ago wish I would have read this thread first I guess I Have learned my lesson every time I try out new equipment I should search for it on HBT.
 
Those probes my not be fried. Try baking the lead and probe (NOT the plastic connector) in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 350. This has revived my probe a couple of times. I just toss the lead in the oven, shut the door so the plastic connector is on the outside, and bake away.

Afterward, I check my temperatures against icewater and boiling water to make sure it's at least good on those two points.
 
+1 what jds says, I fixed mine after reading about baking the probe. Then I bought a regular thermometer from my LHBS so I wouldn't have to do it again.
 
Yeah, I've heard that works. I pitched the first one and bought another of the same basic type before I'd heard about it, though. :) The cable on the new one was rubberized and waterproof, so I put some shrinkwrap tubing around the junction between the probe and cable. Stands up fine to being submerged now!
 
e lo said:
Oops! Wish I had seen this a couple of weeks ago before I fried that exact thermometer by tossing the probe in my MLT to monitor my mash...

two times...I now have an expensive kitchen timer.

EDIT - just read the jds post and will now try to revive it.
 
Wish I'd seen this before I destroyed the EXACT same thermometer on my first batch of HB. Problem is, not only did it ruin the probe, but the thermo's electronics don't work right now either, even with a new probe. My only problem is, I picked up a replacement, but this really isn't an option, as I use it as a meat probe for cooking as well. Guess I just have to be carefull with mine.
 
I went to Petsmart today to get a tube and try this, but I accidentally got the regular plastic instead of the silicone. Will it still be ok with the heat of a boil, or should I go exchange it?
 
Food-grade lubricant, I believe.

The lube on my probe wore off pretty quickly, so after a few hours of shoving it up while watching tv I yanked the braid out. Sigh...
 
I don't think I'd trust the PVC hose. The truth is though, the silicone version isn't 100% silicone either because I've melted it in a 350F oven.

Exactly what I found to be true as well. Since I now have a couple other digital probes I'm thinking of removing the silicone shield and give this one to my wife to use in baking.

I put some of my pet-store silicone tube on some aluminum foil in the oven and it did melt around or before 350 (some temp that made it unusable for oven use). Sucks but that' show it is. Maybe my next USPlastics order will have 10' of real silicone tubing in it (or mcmaster).
 
Food-grade lubricant, I believe.

The lube on my probe wore off pretty quickly, so after a few hours of shoving it up while watching tv I yanked the braid out. Sigh...


OMG ..... I just drifted off somewhere terrible...lol


If you dont have keg lube use K-Y wont bother latex or silicone and its cheap.

oops I must have been there awhile Yuri beat me to it......
 
Actually I went to look for a new thermometer before I went to get the tubing and they sell them with silicone tubing now so they're already waterproof. So for $25 I get a new thermometer and its already waterproof. What a deal.
 
Yeah. Now I'm really curious too. Sex shop? Old people's care center? The Veterinarian?
 
Oh well hell, I go there regularly. You're not losing any man points, man!
They carry good bar-cessories too. Like the margarita sets or the liquor carousels or the gas-pump liquor dispensers. :D
 
If its anything like one of the ones I have theres still a chance that liquid can get between the probe and the silicone covering.
 
OK so I tried to put the silicone tubing on my thermo twice now with keg lube and I've spent a couple hours. I just can't get it to budge anymore! How the heck did you guys do this? Any tips would be much appreciated.
Thanks!
 
What I did was hold the front and back of the probe, I'd pull some tubing onto the probe, then hold tight with that hand and release the back hand (That was holding the probe in place)

Basically I "bunched" up the tubing on the probe, then let it slide back over the cord, though no bunching actually happens, it just expands a little and compresses.
 
Bumped and prost'd. :mug:

Thanks for the method, I'm going to try this out with my probe thermometer since I had a nightmare with an instant read going on the fritz on Saturday. I ended up delicately dangling the probe in the mash and praying I wouldn't ruin it.
This method will save me the worry so I can RDWH-another-HB next time. :rockin:
 
I batch sparge in a coleman cooler, and use a Term like the ones in this thread. I have been duck tapiong it to the side (above the mash line), but would like to submerge it compleatly but with out the possibility of snagging the cord while sturring. Any suggestions on what I could use to hold it down to the bottom of the cooler? I saw silacone tape at HD, would this work, and still not impart off flavors on my brew?

BTW, I fried my first therm ( braided wire type), by submerging. I then purchased another at Wally World $14 bucks that is not a braded line to the probe, but rather a silacone line. I used shrink wrap on the ned where the line meets the probwe and sealed top & bottom with zip ties.
 
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