Gotta Get Gadget: Remote Temperature Probe

Found a great new gadget for mashing/fermenting today. It is a digital thermometer on a 2 foot long braided steel cable. It has a 12 inch long steel probe which can be inserted into a mash tun (or anything else) and all for only $19 bucks. Not only can you get a remote temp readout, but you can set a temp "threshold" where the device will beep at you when you reach a certain temperature. As you can see in the picture, I have mine set to 151 degrees for mashing. I insert the probe into my mash tun and go have a beer when temps reach the optimum temperature it beeps and I put down my beer and turn off the stove. I also use it for getting good sparge water temps. Could also be used to monitor fermentation in a secondary by drilling a hole in the bubbler stopper and inserting the probe (sanitized of course). Cool. Made by CDN and it is supposed to be used for making candy or cooking meat. I use my to make beer...

I've got one I picked it up at WallyWorld for ~ $15. Mine has a rubber sleeve and seems to be water proof. I think the braded lines like the one you've got can go hay-wire if they get wet. Check it every once in a while to make sure it's still calibrated properly.

Cheers.

yep it happend to me...

I was trying to see the temps my dishwasher would get to durring different cycles...worked out really well BUT!!

it's totaly off now if it's 77 in the house it'll say 177....

it's all jacked up but i liked it a lot so i'll probubly get another one pretty soon

just something to keep in mind

greenhornet said:

it's totaly off now if it's 77 in the house it'll say 177....

Click to expand...

Happened to me, too. You can fix it!

Throw it in the oven at about 350 for 30 minutes. Keep as much of the probe/wire in the oven as possible, but snake the plastic connector out through the door so it doesn't melt.

Mine worked great after that.

Thanks tree for posting that. But where did you get it?

Sause, you can get one at Wal-Mart or Target for about $15.

Mine's a Pampered Chef model - SWBMO got it when she was selling the stuff. The one above looks identical (minus the Pampered Chef logo), and probably cost half as much.

Thanks yuri i'll try that!

I bought a cheap ass meat thermometor but I don't trust it as much plus it's not as easy to use...

I'll try that tonight

thanks again

Well I just got home and it's in the oven at 350..

BUT

I tried to pull the plastic connector thing up and out of the way so wouldn't melt and it pulled the wire out of the metal probe thing

i think its even more jacked up but we'll see in half an hour

So if liquid getting into the actual probe is causing the false readings....then what about sealing the end of the probe with silicone? Seems to me that if you smear silicone around the area where the probe meets the wire, then liquid wouldn't get in there. I'll try on the new one I bough last night and see.

Jester4176 said:

So if liquid getting into the actual probe is causing the false readings....then what about sealing the end of the probe with silicone? Seems to me that if you smear silicone around the area where the probe meets the wire, then liquid wouldn't get in there. I'll try on the new one I bough last night and see.

Click to expand...

They make subersible probe thermometers...that's probably a better solution.

My solution is to run the whole thing through some silicone air tubing from the pet shop. You leave the last few inches of the probe sticking out for an accurate reading, but the part that bends and the whole braid/wire part can be inside the silicone tubing. You just need a way to clamp it to the probe to seal it. Maybe some 100% silicone caulk would "glue" it. You can also use a piece of stainless lock wire as a twisty tie style clamp.

Silicone tubing is high temp rated. I wouldn't hesitate to dangle it into a boiling kettle.

I bought one of these at Target on Sunday. Worked great on Sunday but while measuring the mash temp yesterday it went from 149 to 213 and now it says it's 156 degrees outside on my deck. It has about a 2 inch long silicone-looking cover over the end of the metal cord that plugs into the "wand" at the end. I'm going to return it rather than try the oven thing, I can't trust it anymore.