Thermometer calibration

o4_srt said:

I have access to calibrated, lab grade temp measurement equipment at work.

Instead of calibrating at freezing and boiling, like is usually done at home, is there any reason I couldn't calibrate at mash temps?

I've seen thermometers vary at different points in their temp range, but be dead in in other places.

Seems to me like this would be a much more guaranteed calibration.

Click to expand...

jackwhite said:

I just calibrated my new trutemp digital in ice and get 32.0 and in boiling water it reads 201.5 - 202.0. This is at 5040 ft. Of course it just started raining so i am wondering about the upper calculation. Online calulators for altitude say boiling point at my altitude should be 202.8. Would a rain storm drop barometric pressure to account for the difference? Should I even worry? I haven't had my home brew yet today so that might explain the anxiety:cross:.

Click to expand...

Catt22 said:

IMO, your thermometer is well within the acceptable tolerance range and it's probably about as good as it gets. A kettle of boiling water will have some variation in it's temperature depending on where you measure it. The water will be under higher pressure at the bottom of the kettle (just slightly, but some) and this translates to a slightly higher boiling temperature. The water at near the surface will have cooled a tiny bit en route from the bottom. There will be all kinds of convention currents romping around in the kettle with heat escaping from the sides and surface. This is why I perfer a calibrated glass thermometer for a benchmark and you can compare them at any temperature, not just freezing and boiling. A good lab thermometer is not at all expensive and IMO a must have in the brewers tool kit. You do have a brewer's tool kit, don't you?

Click to expand...

jackwhite said:

I do now

Using, how shall I say it, makeshift (trying some PC out) all grain equip and my floating dairy therm my efficiency has been horrible...50%!? horrible or less... So upgrading have a 10 gall brewpot, a nearly completed HD water cooler mashtun and my brand spankin new therm will greatly improve my efficiency.

Click to expand...