I recently built an arduino temperature controller for my fermentation chamber, and am using a PT100 RTD as a temperature probe. It's responsive and it works well. But now I'm starting to question if I can improve it.
I currently have a stainless steel thermowell installed in my fermenter lid that drops down to about dead-center of 5 gallons of wort. I've just been dropping the RTD all the way in and running with that. I'm concerned that the cold air being circulated is just falling down into the thermowell, and the probe is just seeing the temperature of that air which may not accurately reflect the actual temperature of the wort.
I've thought about putting some mineral oil in the thermowell to submerse the probe and maybe better conduct the temperature of the surrounding liquid, and stuff a bit of paper towel or something in the opening so as to help insulate it. My concern there is that it would be too difficult to clean afterwards. Maybe just water?
Anyone have any thoughts or experience with this?
Thanks in advance!
I currently have a stainless steel thermowell installed in my fermenter lid that drops down to about dead-center of 5 gallons of wort. I've just been dropping the RTD all the way in and running with that. I'm concerned that the cold air being circulated is just falling down into the thermowell, and the probe is just seeing the temperature of that air which may not accurately reflect the actual temperature of the wort.
I've thought about putting some mineral oil in the thermowell to submerse the probe and maybe better conduct the temperature of the surrounding liquid, and stuff a bit of paper towel or something in the opening so as to help insulate it. My concern there is that it would be too difficult to clean afterwards. Maybe just water?
Anyone have any thoughts or experience with this?
Thanks in advance!