Help me off the ledge

[william_shakes_beer]

Got batch 11 in primary for 2 weeks now, and I decided on a lark to pop the old turkey fryer thermometer into the wort to see what that little tiny delta between the temp controller sensor and the actuals are. The temp controller display is hovering at 61 F. The setpoint is 62. The thermometer reads 75!!! EEK!!!

Here are some possibilities that have occured to me, I'd like the opinions of others as to which is most likely;

1. The turkey fryer thermometer is not calibrated for temps that low, get a better one

2. That's the usual temp swing for your setup, adjust the temp controller lower to compensate and get to the 68 your yeast is looking for

3. The sensor needs to be in the wort, here's how...

Here's my setup

Dual stage temp controller, sensor placed in a block of foam insulation and taped to the lower third of the bucket so the sensor only touches the insulation and the bucket. Entire assembly placed in a 5CF chest freezer running on the temp controller. Heat and cooling setpoints are set to 62, with the default 3 degree swing. Temp sensor is reading 60-61F.

Brew belt at the upper bucket ridge top provide heat

WLP 300 fermenting quietly, no blowoff to speak of. Krausen ring is 1.5 " high.

 

[onthekeg]

How do you monitor the temp, meaning where exactly is the sensor controlling the temp of the liquid?

 

[william_shakes_beer]

sensor placed in a block of foam insulation and taped to the lower third of the bucket so the sensor only touches the insulation and the outside of the bucket.

 

[onthekeg]

Turkey fryer thermo's are notoriously inaccurate. Do you have anything more accurate to double check with?

 

[william_shakes_beer]

The only double check I have done is observing the temp at start of boil, read 212. What do you use to check fermentation temps?

 

[Bernie Brewer]

The process of fermentation creates heat, so the temp of the fermenting beer will always be higher than that of ambient. If you want to ferment in the low 60s, you need to adjust accordingly.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

The process of fermentation creates heat, so the temp of the fermenting beer will always be higher than that of ambient. If you want to ferment in the low 60s, you need to adjust accordingly.

I understand. However, primary fermentation is complete. The batch has been in primary for 2 weeks now.

 

[pstrohs]

Step back from the ledge. It sounds like the thermometer is giving you a false reading.

 

[day_trippr]

Step back from the ledge. It sounds like the thermometer is giving you a false reading.

Agreed. It'd be a rare batch indeed that's still significantly exothermic after two weeks of fermentation...

Cheers!

 

[brushvalleybrewer]

That thermometer is designed to be most accurate (however acurate that might be) at the temperature of frying oil. Check it in some water filled with crushed ice to see how accurately it reads at low temperatures.

 

[mashuganabrew]

As an avid amateur chef, I can assure you that turkey thermometers are notoriously bad. If your primary thermometer is completely housed in foam insulation that reading may also be off a little. Can I assume that one side is open and placed directly against the bucket? If so, plastic is not the best conductor... I recommend you go to a local kitchen store and buy an electric thermometer and double check your readings by placing the sterilized sensor directly into the bucket, it will take seconds to give you an acurate reading.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

ok. Do you have any recommendation for an appropriate thermometer that is available at Target or Sears? Has anyone put the sensor DIRECTLY into the wort? I hesitate because its the only sensor I have, and I'm mot certain it is approved for immersion service.

 

[Kingfish]

ok. Do you have any recommendation for an appropriate thermometer that is available at Target or Sears? Has anyone put the sensor DIRECTLY into the wort? I hesitate because its the only sensor I have, and I'm mot certain it is approved for immersion service.

Go to the party supply store and pick up some long balloons the kind a clown makes animals out of. Clean and sanitize the balloon, put your probe in that and stick it in the wort.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

ok. Do you have any recommendation for an appropriate thermometer that is available at Target or Sears? Has anyone put the sensor DIRECTLY into the wort? I hesitate because its the only sensor I have, and I'm mot certain it is approved for immersion service.

make or buy a thermowell. you can buy them at Midwest for $24, it's a #10 bung with a metal tube for the temp probe. or you can make one from a carboy cap and a metal cold water inlet for a toilet tank. ($8 at home depot), Revvy and i both have pics of the 'how to' on our profile pics.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Went to Target last night and picked up a digital oven thermometer with a separate probe. Dropped it into the wort after appropriate sanitization. It read 67 F. whereas the outer probe from the temp controller read 61. Pretty much exactlyu where the yeast needs to be. Will review the references to thermowells and rig up somehting a little more permanent. Its good to know that the beer gods have been taking care of at least ONE detail for me.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

make or buy a thermowell. you can buy them at Midwest for $24, it's a #10 bung with a metal tube for the temp probe. or you can make one from a carboy cap and a metal cold water inlet for a toilet tank. ($8 at home depot), Revvy and i both have pics of the 'how to' on our profile pics.

I have a length of small bore coppe tube left over from my dip tube build. Will that work or are there issues with copper reacting to the PH of wort?

 

[onthekeg]

Even easier, get any size rubber bung that is larger than the hole you drilled into your fermenter.
Core a small hole large enough to tightly push your probe into, and stick the bung into the hole. It works best to stick the bung with the larger side on the inside so it won't get bumped and come out.

 

[bruin_ale]

I have a length of small bore coppe tube left over from my dip tube build. Will that work or are there issues with copper reacting to the PH of wort?

Not sure I want to touch this one.. it's controversial. Palmer says no copper after fermentation has started - I go with that.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I have a length of small bore coppe tube left over from my dip tube build. Will that work or are there issues with copper reacting to the PH of wort?

both the plumbing part and the store bought thermowell are plated copper. i haven't had an issue with the copper reacting to the beer. after use do clean it and dry right away to keep the copper in shape. the thing i liked about the water pipe is that yellow cap you can see, i makes it fit into the carboy cap nicely. just a little silicon and it's water tight.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I use ale pails, so I need to find a grommet the appropriate size. Fortunately I can drill any size hole I need.