Where to Place Temperature Probe in Kegerator

[Brewmegoodbeer]

Hello all,

I am curious regarding on where the best spot is to place a temperature sensor from a temperature controller in my kegerator to measure beer temperature? In my fermentation chamber, I have my sensor sitting against the wall of the fermenter with Styrofoam insulation around it to measure just the outside the fermenter and not air temperature. This works great. I was thinking that I could do the same in my kegerator, but I did not know whether or not the temperature of a steel keg shell was consistent with the inside of the keg and beer temperature. Thank you.

 

[IslandLizard]

I think that is preferred location in a kegerator too. But put it on a cold keg, not a fresh warm one.

 

[jwalkermed]

I took a full can of beer and taped the probe to it insulated with bubble wrap. I place the can on the compressor hump. Works okay for me.

 

[raysmithtx]

In my kegerator I have the temp probe in a quart mason jar filled with water and a bit of bleach. That keeps the compressor from cycling so often and I never have to move it when adding a new keg.

 

[Tarpon87]

I have mine in a single serving fairlife milk bottle filled with a starsan mixture and a hole drilled in the lid. Did the same in my fermenter and it sits on the seedling mat with the fermenters

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

People completely overthink temp probes in a kegerator.

Its not a ferm chamber where the yeast is creating heat

When have you gone out, bought a 6 pack or 12 pack, stick it in your fridge and say " now I have to override my fridge thermostat and Stick the probe in a bucket of water or tape a probe to one of the beers" or my beer will be sh*tty....I'm going to say never in your entire life and you've enjoyed every beer....whats the difference....nothing

Leave the temp probe hanging in the air around the center of the fridge and youll be more than fine.

The fact that your mentioning a temp probe means you overridden the thermostat on your kegerator and have complete temp control. Set it for 37 for starters. If you want the beer a little warmer or colder adjust the temp and the next day youll have the "perfect" temp beer.

Put as much thought into it as you put into your beer shelf in the fridge....which is none

 

[Brewmegoodbeer]

People completely overthink temp probes in a kegerator.

Its not a ferm chamber where the yeast is creating heat

When have you gone out, bought a 6 pack or 12 pack, stick it in your fridge and say " now I have to override my fridge thermostat and Stick the probe in a bucket of water or tape a probe to one of the beers" or my beer will be sh*tty....I'm going to say never in your entire life and you've enjoyed every beer....whats the difference....nothing

Leave the temp probe hanging in the air around the center of the fridge and youll be more than fine.

The fact that your mentioning a temp probe means you overridden the thermostat on your kegerator and have complete temp control. Set it for 37 for starters. If you want the beer a little warmer or colder adjust the temp and the next day youll have the "perfect" temp beer.

Put as much thought into it as you put into your beer shelf in the fridge....which is none

I got a temp controller because I have been having trouble dialing in the appropriate temp for a specific style of beer. I can get it "as cold as the rockies", but my tongue won't enjoy the IPA I spent time on which should be served warmer (45-50) to really get the hop flavor and aroma that the style screams. Maybe I am over thinking it, as I can just turn my temperature dial in my kegerator to a low setting and get it somewhere in the 40's. i also want to perfect the pressure ill be putting on my beer for a specific temp to reduce the foaming, but there is a wide range of temps that a certain psi is good for. Now you got me thinking whether or not I really need to worry about a temp controller. Hmm... I mean breweries don't individually perfect the temp they serve their multiple kegs at. Maybe im over thinking it.

 

[Brewmegoodbeer]

JONNYROTTEN thank you. I just canceled my controller. I am just going to get a ballpark. I want to simulate what good breweries do in my home. Good breweries do not individually assure the temp for every beer in their refrigeration is specific for each keg. I will just go about a ball park temp and a general pressure at that temp, just like they collectively do with all the kegs that are stored at a brewery. I am assuming that breweries probably keep their kegs in the low 40's, which is a median to all of the styles. 38 is just too damn cold for some styles and it suppresses flavors of big beers like IPA's.

 

[Tarpon87]

I dunno, it was maybe a minutes worth of work as I was doing the same thing for the ferm chamber. Hardly feels like it was a product of over thinking.

 

[Enemygod]

In my kegerator I have the temp probe in a quart mason jar filled with water and a bit of bleach. That keeps the compressor from cycling so often and I never have to move it when adding a new keg.

This is what I do as well. Minus the bleach. What is the bleach for?

 

[raysmithtx]

This is what I do as well. Minus the bleach. What is the bleach for?

My kegerator sits outside in North Texas in the high temps and high humidity. I put a little bleach in it to keep mold from growing around the edges.

 

[casualbrewer]

I keep a quart jar of half vodka and water for my temp probe. Keeps it pretty stable.

 

[wisconsinitebrewer]

I use to have the temp probe in some water in a glass in the keezer.
Now days, i do exactly what JONNYROTTEN does...just let it hang...much simpler and one less thing that for whatever reason could get knocked over.

 

[raysmithtx]

Although I have never tested it... I believe that with the probe hanging in the air the compressor will cycle more often than if it is placed in a water (or whatever) solution.

Might be an interesting test to see if that's true of not.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Although I have never tested it... I believe that with the probe hanging in the air the compressor will cycle more often than if it is placed in a water (or whatever) solution.

Might be an interesting test to see if that's true of not.

That's what they say but when they designed the kegerators they weren't planning on people overriding the system and sticking remote probes in a glass of water...yet they still last.

Not to mention nobody overrides there home fridge and sticks the probe in a glass of water....And home fridges get opened tons of times a day and nobody thinks anything of it....and they last

A kegerator gets opened like 2 or three times a month yet people feel the need to "save the compressor" makes no sense. Its going to break when its going to break. Not to mention if you put the probe in water it will run the compressor for longer periods of time as it takes longer to cool water than air...Again not the way the fridge was designed or the manufacturers would have the probe sealed in some sort of jell to mimic a water jug. But they don't as far as I know....

Which brings it back to overthinking it, Not knocking the people that feel like doing it but I see absolutely no need for it.

 

[wapitiscat]

I keep a quart jar of half vodka and water for my temp probe. Keeps it pretty stable.

And also doubles as a quick cocktail!

Todd

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I have my probe duct taped to a triple thickness square of reflective insulation and slid down the corner of the freezer in the little triangle of space between the keg and the wall. Its at the bottom so I can set my freezer a few degrees above freezing, get nice cold beer, and ensure the bottom of the kegs don't freeze. Everybody has their method. That's mine.

 

[casualbrewer]

It does lessen the cycling of the compressor especially if you live in a hot climate like I do. Even if you open the lid all the time it won't cycle as the jar and kegs have alot more thermal mass than the air does. When I had my probe just dangling my keezer would freeze up much more often due to the hot air triggering the compressor to come on more frequently.

 

[kristiismean]

i drilled a water bottle lid, put the probe in there and siliconed it shut.

You want liquid temperature, not air temp.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

i drilled a water bottle lid, put the probe in there and siliconed it shut.

You want liquid temperature, not air temp.

Why the air temp is going to penetrate the sealed lid at the same rate as the water bottle sides...Plus the probe is submerged in water and reading the water temp not air temp...sealing the lid would make zero difference....No lid would make no difference. No disrespect but this is what I mean by overthinking it

 

[raysmithtx]

That's what they say but when they designed the kegerators they weren't planning on people overriding the system and sticking remote probes in a glass of water...yet they still last.

When you have the kegerator outside and it gets over 100 degrees in the Summer you want the compressor to cycle as little as possible. Just the heat infiltration is bad enough and if putting the probe in a glass of liquid lessens the compressor cycling that's what I want.

The manual on my converted chest freezer says it shouldn't be in areas that get over 80 degrees and mine lives in an area where it gets way hotter than that.

 

[kristiismean]

Why the air temp is going to penetrate the sealed lid at the same rate as the water bottle sides...Plus the probe is submerged in water and reading the water temp not air temp...sealing the lid would make zero difference....No lid would make no difference. No disrespect but this is what I mean by overthinking it

for spillage and evaporation reasons.

 

[bonsey]

My Summit kegerator is located in my pool shed during the summer months, which for all intents and purposes can be considered "outside" (temp wise, even though it's under cover in a building) and the stock thermostat can't keep it cool enough when its 80/90F outside.

I ordered a Kegco RTC-2 but it has its flaws, the main one being when there is a power loss, it does not automatically turn cooling back on. You have to manually press a button to have it start cooling mode again. Which is, of course, not acceptable if no one is around when there is a power outage. There are many other issues you can read about as well.

So I wrote a message to support of where I purchased it and they were aware of the issues and offered a super deal on a Johnson A421 in its place. It was just received and I was trying to find out the best probe location.

I found a good read where someone did a fairly scientific test with different probe locations and came up with some good results. Located here: http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2014/10/temperature-probe-place-to-immerse-or-not-to-immerse.html

I'll let the readers interpret what works best for them, but looking at the results, zip tying the probe on a can of liquid or similar seems best for me.