Cheap and easy Thermowells

[NoNothing]

Building a fermentation chamber I'm in the market for a themowell.

Finding them at around $30 per with a stopper and down to $15 per without sounded insane to me for a stainless steel tube. Not to mention nothing lists the inner diameter and I need to get .245in DS18B20 OneWire Thermocouple into it.

Now, this isn't food grade stainless steel, though I can't find that any other thermocouple listed is food grade.

McMaster Carr sells 3' of 316 Stainless Tubing with a .257" ID for $20.85, enough to give you 2 thermowells.

Hell, you can save $6 and get 304 Stainless for $14.16

For those with Amazon Prime, the 3' piece is available for $16.46 shipped.

It's easier if you order some other stuff along with it so shipping doesn't kill you. Even with shipping I have 2 316 Stainless Steel thermowells for $12 per that I know are the right size, length, and are nice steel.

Making them into thermowells is a piece of cake if you have a vice, cutting tool, and sander. Still pretty simple if all you have is a hammer and cutting tool.

Using a sander and having a dermel will make it a lot nicer finish.


1. Cut your tubing in half giving you 2 18" lengths of pipe. Straight cut isnt important, we'll clean it up later.

2. Clean up the inside of the pipe you cut, outside isnt as important, just get any internal burrs out with a screwdriver or deburring tool.

3. Slap those babies in a vice about 1/4" from the end you just cut. I wrapped my tubing in paper so as not to mar it while clamping.

4. Tighten until you can't tighten anymore.

5. Remove and marvel at how air tight it is. Do it, try to blow in it or hook some hose up to it and an air compressor (dont point at anything you dont want to get hit.)

6. Hit your sander/sand paper and clean up that edge. I've sanded mine down where I can't even see the seam.

7. Finish the stainless with some high grit sand paper to bring it to a shine and give nasties nothing to hide in for easier cleaning/sanitation.

Tada!

$10 per thermowell, easy peasy.

 

[30Bones]

Compression fitting on the top to hold it in place? I have wanted to buy a long thermowell for my Speidels (rather put a hole in the lid that replaceable, than the side) but the price has kept me away.

 

[NoNothing]

Compression fitting on the top to hold it in place? I have wanted to buy a long thermowell for my Speidels (rather put a hole in the lid that replaceable, than the side) but the price has kept me away.

These are holding so tightly to the stopper (I use the orange rubber type with 2 shoots coming out of it like this: http://www.homebrewing.org/Burgundy-65-Gallon-Carboy-Cap_p_2931.html) that I'm not even the least bit worried about it falling in.

compression fitting would hold it nicely, or even more hacky, just a hose clamp.

I thought about flaring the end with a screwdriver but after a test fit it's more than fine.

 

[CGish]

For those with Amazon Prime, the 3' piece is available for $16.46 shipped.

 

[NoNothing]

For those with Amazon Prime, the 3' piece is available for $16.46 shipped.

Holy crow, I've never even thought to look at Amazon.

That's an amazing price. $8 per thermowell.

 

[30Bones]

I have a plastic flat lid, hose calmp would work to keep it from falling in, but I would have to make sure the hole I drilled into the lid was super sung. Possible, but unsure how long term that would work

 

[CGish]

I have a plastic flat lid, hose calmp would work to keep it from falling in, but I would have to make sure the hole I drilled into the lid was super sung. Possible, but unsure how long term that would work

This is what I did - it seems to work well and I can put a solid bung in the opening if I needed to use the lid without a thermowell.

Small bung on the thermowell:



Bung firmly installed in an appropriately sized hole in the lid. Can be wedged in for as much compression as is needed:

 

[iijakii]

Thanks, this is fantastic. Going to build two myself.

 

[30Bones]

Thanks CGish, I have a flare tool for brake lines I may use

 

[MaxStout]

Nice. I just added the tubing to my Amazon wish list. The 0.257" I.D. will be perfect for my 0.25" dia. temp probe. A great add-on item for next time I order a book. Can never have too many thermowells around.

 

[NoNothing]

CGish, you're the real hero in this thread.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

FWIW you can buy a 16" spun and welded shut stainless thermowell from BrewersHardware for $12...hardly expensive. I would be worried about a DIY thermowell like this only because wort/yeast will get in the bottom where its pinched shut, even if it doesnt make it all the way inside to your probe i can see it being a source of infection because of all the crevices.
http://www.brewershardware.com/16-Stainless-Steel-Thermowell.html

They are more than wide enough to fit a DS18B20, even the premade ones with stainless tips, its what I use for my BrewPi build and recommend others use.

 

[gromitdj]

FWIW you can buy a 16" spun and welded shut stainless thermowell from BrewersHardware for $12...hardly expensive. I would be worried about a DIY thermowell like this only because wort/yeast will get in the bottom where its pinched shut, even if it doesnt make it all the way inside to your probe i can see it being a source of infection because of all the crevices.
http://www.brewershardware.com/16-Stainless-Steel-Thermowell.html

They are more than wide enough to fit a DS18B20, even the premade ones with stainless tips, its what I use for my BrewPi build and recommend others use.

+1, The Brewer's Hardware thermowells are practically works of art. I went with them because I was concerned about the crimped end on some of the thermowells out there. I've also used mine with a waterproof temp sensor. Which is a DS18B20 with an additional stainless probe end. And it fits beautifully in the thermowell. And the price is right.

 

[NoNothing]

+1, The Brewer's Hardware thermowells are practically works of art. I went with them because I was concerned about the crimped end on some of the thermowells out there. I've also used mine with a waterproof temp sensor. Which is a DS18B20 with an additional stainless probe end. And it fits beautifully in the thermowell. And the price is right.

I'd have gone that route had I known about them.

Very great price point.

 

[Finlandbrews]

You rock CGish! Was just reading about the importance of having the probe inside fermenter and was wondering what technique could I do for my 60l speidel fermenter to get the probe inside! Brewers are like Yeasts, they are geniuses! Thanks a lot!

 

[Finlandbrews]

FWIW you can buy a 16" spun and welded shut stainless thermowell from BrewersHardware for $12...hardly expensive. I would be worried about a DIY thermowell like this only because wort/yeast will get in the bottom where its pinched shut, even if it doesnt make it all the way inside to your probe i can see it being a source of infection because of all the crevices.
http://www.brewershardware.com/16-Stainless-Steel-Thermowell.html

They are more than wide enough to fit a DS18B20, even the premade ones with stainless tips, its what I use for my BrewPi build and recommend others use.

Any idea what drilled rubber stopper to use with the thermowell of Outside diameter 5/16"? I can't find anything...

 

[BrianGee]

I have wanted to buy a long thermowell for my Speidels (rather put a hole in the lid that replaceable, than the side) but the price has kept me away.

I use a 16" Brewer's Hardware thermowell and a small bung sized hole drilled in my Speidel lid with a paddle bit like @CGish did.

Note in this photo, that's a 12" thermowell. Get the 16" for a 30L Spiedel otherwise the tube will be barely below the surface of the wort in a 5G batch. I had to make a second order.

I replace with a solid small stopper when necessary, though I do have a replacement lid on my Morebeer.com wishlist for next time I have something to order worth paying shipping.

 

[Bobby_M]

$10 per thermowell, easy peasy.

This is the same kind of DIY spirit that got me out of my corporate drag of a career and into homebrew hardware..

I've got spun, welded and polished versions for $12 right here:

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/thermowell.htm

The crimp shut is cool and effective, but...

 

[30Bones]

Just saw at my LHBS they have crimped 14" thermowells for $27! [emoji30]

 

[Finlandbrews]

This is the same kind of DIY spirit that got me out of my corporate drag of a career and into homebrew hardware..

I've got spun, welded and polished versions for $12 right here:

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/thermowell.htm

The crimp shut is cool and effective, but...

I have itc-308 as temp controller with probe of 0.236" od with 60L speidel fermenters. What is the inside diameter of your 18" thermowell? What hole size do I need to drill in my lid to fix it? Thanks

 

[odorf]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

Any idea what drilled rubber stopper to use with the thermowell of Outside diameter 5/16"? I can't find anything...

Every thermowell from BrewersHardware i've used fits into a standard drilled stopper that you would stick an airlock in. Its a snug fit but thats what you want..spray some starsan all over both things and it slides right in.

 

[Bobby_M]

Mine are 7mm ID so they fit every probe.

 

[Eamon]

From BrianGee: I replace with a solid small stopper when necessary, though I do have a replacement lid on my Morebeer.com wishlist for next time I have something to order worth paying shipping.[/QUOTE]


I really like what you did and I am thinking of putting an 18" brewhardware thermowell through my Speidel lid. You mention that Morebeer sells a replacement lid, but I don't see one listed on their site. I would really like to drill the stopper hole in a replacement lid, just in case I screw it up.

 

[odorf]

thermo-well

 

[BrianGee]

I really like what you did and I am thinking of putting an 18" brewhardware thermowell through my Speidel lid. You mention that Morebeer sells a replacement lid, but I don't see one listed on their site. I would really like to drill the stopper hole in a replacement lid, just in case I screw it up.

There isn't a photo, but from the product description this seems to be the right part. Might be worth a call first if you're planning to order one.

https://www.morebeer.com/products/replacement-lid-2030-plastic-speidel-tank.html

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

I really like what you did and I am thinking of putting an 18" brewhardware thermowell through my Speidel lid. You mention that Morebeer sells a replacement lid, but I don't see one listed on their site. I would really like to drill the stopper hole in a replacement lid, just in case I screw it up.

Thats the nice thing about using rubber stoppers, you cant mess it up. If the hole is too big you just buy a slightly bigger stopper. As long as you dont plan on a 1/4" hole and drill a 2" hole on accident i think your ok...you can get stoppers in all sizes with predrilled holes for airlocks or a thermowell. My LHBS sells like 10 different sizes.

 

[Eamon]

There isn't a photo, but from the product description this seems to be the right part. Might be worth a call first if you're planning to order one.

https://www.morebeer.com/products/replacement-lid-2030-plastic-speidel-tank.html

I think you found it. Thanks a lot!