MLT thermometer probe guard

You want your MLT thermo probe to penatrate as far into the center as possible to get an accurate mash temp reading, but you also want to be able to go nuts with your mash paddle. Here's what I HOPE fixes the problem of bashing up my thermo.

1/2" MPT to 1/2" copper pipe "male adapter" with a short piece of pipe drilled with a few 3/8" holes top and bottom. It threads out easy for cleaning.

I foresee a gradual smashing with copper pipe. Should work for quite some time...

What about soldering a SS steel tube into the copper MPT adapter? My local scrap yard has a lot stuff laying out that is at scrap rate...takes time to scope it out but the price is quite pleasing.

Nice Job Bobby. I notice you went nuts with the weldng of outlets on your kegs. Where is the "auto-stiring" device? Just kidding.......... it looks great.

No auto stirring for me. I'm going for a balance of automation and manual intervention, leaning towards the manual side.

I do agree the copper will take a beating but it's the heavywall stuff that I did actually get from the scrapyard. You know my one beef with them is that they WAY over estimate the weight when you only have a few scrap pieces here and there. They told me I had 4 pounds of copper and when I double checked at home, it was just under 2. Of course they make the same error in the other direction when you're selling. The scale goes up to a ton so you can imagine how bad the resolution is under 10.

Bobby, bring your scale when you buy and see what they say.

When I converted my sanke keg, there was a SS tube that ran down from the top valve. I wonder if this tube I removed would work....

Looks like a nice solution and a sweet MLT. Well thought out and executed!

bobby, what are the three in/outlets for? thermometer, wort-out (ball valve?) and what?

I decided to put a sight glass on it as well. It's relatively non standard as far as MLTs go but I want to directly fill it with strike water and heat right in the MLT. You can alternatively fill your strike in the HLT and pump a measured amount over while you watch the HLT's sight glass but that's a whole extra step.

how do you keep mash grains out of it? Or do you just flush it afterward?

It's only threaded in fingertight so I remove it when it's time to hose it out.