Stir bars for stir plates in '08

Well, I got my new stir bar that I purchased from ebay (item) in the mail a couple of days ago hoping it would solve the noise that is being generated from the current stir bar I have been using. Well, it solved the noise problem, but it also doesn't generate a vortex like the previous one did rendering it useless to me. So I figure I would ask what people on here are using for their stir plates.

New stir bar: link


Current stir bar setup: link

You don't need or even want a vortex a 1/2" dimple on the surface of the starter is more than sufficient.

wyzazz said:

You don't need or even want a vortex a 1/2" dimple on the surface of the starter is more than sufficient.

Click to expand...

Agreed. Some people don't even use a stir plate. They just put the starter in a bottle or jug and swirl it around every day to get the yeast off the bottom. As long as your wort is spinning you're keeping the yeast off the bottom and adding oxygen.

Try using two O-rings on the yellow stir bar. With only a single O-ring, it will always be out of balance and likely be noisy. Stir bar noise is typically due to one or more of the following:

1. Poor magnet alignment on the fan face. (must line up with center line of fan)
2. Poor magnet balance on the fan face. (must be equally spaced from center of fan)
3. Wrong magnet spacing for a particular stir bar.

When using a single bar magnet, No. 2 would not apply as the spacing (of the magnetic poles) would be fixed. A properly aligned and balanced stir plate with the correct size stir bar should run silently or very nearly so.

Try removing the o-ring from the stir bar. The raised center portion should be the bearing area. Mine works silently that way as long as I have the magnets properly spaced on the fan hub.