New toy/tool

I was at Target and saw this little beauty and decided it was a needed tool. It is instant read, has a target temp alarm, a timer, heat resistant probe and cable. What more could I want for $17.00?

niiice

seen the wireless ones?

Only the ones with preset temps. What do folks know about other varieties?

Just be carefull when you are using it. That you don't get it wet where the cable goes into the prob it will give false readings. If that happens just bake the prob in the oven till it drys out.

They are nice. I have one just like it. You most likely already know this, but don't let the braided steel cable get wet. The point at which the cable connects to the probe should not be allowed to get wet either. This will cause the calibration to be way off.

If it does get wet and won't read right anymore, just bake the whole probe, cable and all, in a 350˚F oven for 25-30 minutes and it will be as good as new.

John

Too fast for me Justin!

That was strange, I lost the post so I will try again. I was thinking of running the cable through a length of tubing and then sealing the end to waterproof it. Does that sound reasonable?

If you could insure that it was completely water tight, I don't see why not. Maybe something that you can heat shrink onto it.

John

What about silicone inside the tube at the end around the probe?

You will have to do something, not so much to keep the braid from getting wet, but to keep the probe in the same place and not touching the bottom of the pot. I use mine for cooking turkeys as well so encasing mine in anything wont work but if you were to slide the braided end into some form of pvc or something that would allow you to rig a device to then attach that to the side of your kettle and get an accurate reading every time.

Mine have leaked where the tip meets the shaft (I know...) I'm considering geting rid of both of my electronic thermometers...

This is EXACTLY what I have. Had the same problem but seemed to solve it in my last brew. I wraped the probe end with the wire with teflon tape. Then I got one of them glad/rubbermaid containers for leftover food. They come in a set of like 3 or 5 (not the thick rubbermaid kind....this is cheap very thin plastic). I got one as wide as the L section of the probe and punctured the bottom of the container with the probe. Do it real fast and the container will form a tight fitting around the probe. Push the probe all the way down so it sticks out of the bottom as far as it can then put the lid on the container. It will float in your mash/tun. I poured boiling water right ontop of it. Not one drop of liquid entered the container.

I recently bought a similar item with the intention of altering or building a new probe.

I have a call in to a laboratory supply company that builds probes to specification and I will pass the info on when it comes in.

I wish I had known about baking the probe 5 months ago when I tossed mine. Was the exact same model from Target. Well...now that I know, I guess I'll be picking up another one.

I have been useing the same EXACT one from target for several years now and have never had a problem with off temps but I will tell you do a calibration with an analog thermometer I have found them to be off a couple of degrees from one to another.
just a thought
JJ

I have that exact thermometer...it rocks for cooking meat on the grill or for measuring the temperature of oil for frying (sue me, I'm from the South). I'm going to stick with my analogs for brewing. The alarm feature, however, is quite nice, especially for hitting strike temps.

Baron von BeeGee said:

I have that exact thermometer...it rocks for cooking meat on the grill or for measuring the temperature of oil for frying (sue me, I'm from the South). I'm going to stick with my analogs for brewing. The alarm feature, however, is quite nice, especially for hitting strike temps.

Click to expand...

Actually the first time I tried to use this I used the alarm feature in the reverse way. I set it a few degrees from where I don't want to be.

Buy a can of Plasti-Dip from Home Despot for $5 and use it to waterproof the braid........

ablrbrau said:

Buy a can of Plasti-Dip from Home Despot for $5 and use it to waterproof the braid........

Click to expand...

What temp is that stuff good up to?

Not re about that model, but many are good till 200c And thats frackin HOT.

I have a wireless one from costco. Now I can check on my mash temp from anywhere in the house.

I'm talking about the plastic coating, not the probe itself. But then, I still only use mine for meat so it's more of an academic question in my case.

Baron von BeeGee said:

I have that exact thermometer...it rocks for cooking meat on the grill or for measuring the temperature of oil for frying (sue me, I'm from the South). I'm going to stick with my analogs for brewing. The alarm feature, however, is quite nice, especially for hitting strike temps.

Click to expand...

I can fry like a MoFo

Oops, should have read your post better. ha.

Plastic coating is NOT oven/BBQ safe.

Silcone tubing crimped with a hose clamp might be.

Baron von BeeGee said:

What temp is that stuff good up to?

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There was a thread about this exact subject last week........


https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=10205

I wound up experimenting in plain boiling water with no problems. I only use mine for beer, though, so I don't know what would happen in oven temps......

I have the same thermometer also. Be sure to calibrate it in boiling water. Mine reads 208 in boiling water, so I add 4 degrees to get the actual temp.

Keep in mind that water boils diferently at higher altitudes. In Celcius 100 deg at sea level. Where I live it's 97c.

Dang, decided to use it for brewing for the second time and got it wet. The oven's seein' a lot of duty these few days! And the baroness uses it for the baby's bathwater, so I don't have time to lose...

I let my dry for 2 weeks and it's still off. Can I still bake it?

jezter6 said:

I let my dry for 2 weeks and it's still off. Can I still bake it?

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One way to find out, and nothing to lose!

Baron von BeeGee said:

the baroness uses it for the baby's bathwater

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Gee, that's not your first kid is it?

Chairman Cheyco said:

Gee, that's not your first kid is it?

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34C => too low
35C => bathe! bathe! bathe!
36C => too hot

This thanks to my MIL who had 4 kids and has never owned a digital thermometer.

Baron von BeeGee said:

34C => too low
35C => bathe! bathe! bathe!
36C => too hot

This thanks to my MIL who had 4 kids and has never owned a digital thermometer.

Click to expand...

I must be old. We just dipped our elbow in the bathwater to test for temp