Question about temperature probe length...

[r8rphan]

Does the probe (either electric or mechanical thermometer) have to extend into the kettle? Can it come right up to the end of the bulkhead fitting (without actually extending past it into the kettle) and still be accurate?

I need to install a second temp probe up near the top of my keggle, and it's a BIAB set up so I can't have anything that extends into the keggle that will cause the bag to snag on....

Grassyass

 

[mredge73]

What is the purpose of it?
It will work fine for the boil as the water will always be moving.
For the mash you will get temperature gradients. The top, bottom, and middle will all be different temperatures unless you circulate.

 

[cubalz]

For the probe to be the most accurate, it needs to extend into the pot. Yes, what you propose will "work" but the reading will not tell you what is actually the temperature toward the center of the liquid column. My advice it to not use a probe for BIAB but buy a thermopen.

 

[day_trippr]

Well...again, we need to know how the system works to understand what the probe will see.

If the mash is recirculating (RIMs, presumably, with a SV BIAB setup) then a probe can be located in a tee at the return and will provide an accurate reading of the return wort temperature. Depending on the probe type a compression fitting can be useful.

Otoh, if the mash is static, there's actually no point in a fixed probe anywhere, as the temperature gradients will be all over the place. I'd recommend getting one of these for probing around the mash...

Cheers!

 

[r8rphan]

I'm having huge issues with temp layering/striation in my mash... Temp below false bottom (where probe is now), when reading 152, results in 168 degree liquid at top of mash (which locks the enzymatic process and results in a lot of unfermentables).. I am setting up for recirculation, but in addition I want to monitor the mash temp at both locations... (I also plan to mash in low and bring the temp up once the grain is all in, and stirred and what not)

I have an old mechanical gauge/probe that I used when I was mashing in a cooler that I can use... But obviously, the probe can not stick into the kettle where the bag is....

I'm not sure which I will put where, but I am thinking of installing the mechanical one where the electronic one is now (under the false bottom), and moving the electronic one up to the top.. But I may set it up vis versa..

It's just something so i can check for consistency throughout the keggle/mash..