AG Equipment

[GeauxBrew]

I got all my AG equipment together and Gave it a "dry run" today. I vave a 10 gal Coleman cooler for my MT. I pre-heated then let the temp stabalize, and noticed a 10F degree temp loss over an hour with plain water. Is this because I don't have the mass of the grains to help hold the temp a little better?

 

[RICLARK]

I got all my AG equipment together and Gave it a "dry run" today. I vave a 10 gal Coleman cooler for my MT. I pre-heated then let the temp stabalize, and noticed a 10F degree temp loss over an hour with plain water. Is this because I don't have the mass of the grains to help hold the temp a little better?

You really shouldn't be losing but about a degree in an hour, if that. Is your lid sealing tight? Did you pre heat the Tun first?

 

[wildwest450]

You will lose more heat with just plain water. I tested my cooler and it lost about 8-10 degrees with just hot water, when I used it today to brew I only lost 1-2 degrees.

 

[GeauxBrew]

Thanks,
I was figuring that the mass of the grain would hold the heat better than just water. Or that's what I'm hopeing anyway.

 

[ddroukas]

I believe the phrase you're looking for is thermal inertia. more mass requires more time to dissipate heat than less mass.

 

[WBC]

If your mash tun is full of water that has been stired and is stableized (not changing), it should hold good for 1 hour within 1 degree. Now if this container is placed outside in a blizzard in Chicago then all bets are off.

 

[Got Trub?]

How much water did you put in it? As posted above the thermal mass of the grain will definetely help as well but if your volume is small you will lose heat more quickly.
GT

 

[GeauxBrew]

I pre heated the tun, then only put in 3 gal. in a 10 gal cooler. Maybee I'll try it again with the cooler full.