Temperature probe for Keggle

I'm in the process of trying to make a temperature controlled keggle and recently took delivery of the temperature probe i intend to use. (Hope I've bought a suitable one!) The question i have is at what point would you guys recommend placing the probe on the side of the keggle. I intend to do 5 gallon batches based on the limitations of my tun.

This is the probe i'm gonna use

do you have a link to the retailer that sells that?

It looks very similar to the K-type thermocouple that came included with my ebay PID, but the problem with it was that it was not liquid tight. The bolt on the end of the probe was drilled out so that the probe could run through the center of it, but it was just loose around the probe wires. Suitable for screwing into the side of an oven or something dry, but not for screwing into the side of a tank full of liquid.

As for placement of the probe... it might depend on what you are intending to do. Are you just trying to heat strike or sparge water to a specific temp? Are you just trying to monitor the temp of the wort as you chill?

It is that K-type one that you mentioned. I just intended on using some type of sealant between that nut and the probe itself, could that be problematic? I was planning on using it in conjunction with a PID controller to control the temp for doing decoction mashes. Any pointers most welcome

gerrywalsh said:

It is that K-type one that you mentioned. I just intended on using some type of sealant between that nut and the probe itself, could that be problematic? I was planning on using it in conjunction with a PID controller to control the temp for doing decoction mashes. Any pointers most welcome

Click to expand...

I think you can seal it up if you get the right kind of goop. I believe an old HBT user (The Pol) did exactly that with a probe that wasn't liquid tight and it worked fine for him.

I am not sure how you would do decoctions, though. Decoction mashes are conducted by taking a measured amount of the whole mash (wort plus grain) out of the MLT, boiling it in a smaller pot, and then adding it back to the MLT to raise the temp.