I don't know about other people, but I always find it frustrating when I dough in to try to get a good idea about the actual temperature of the mash. I'll probe one place and itle be 153, another place will be 159-164. It annoys the hell out of me and I cannot figure out what the actual temperature is. My efficiency hovers around 70% which isn't terrible but I think better temperature measurements could help improve it a little.
Anyways I think I found the solution to my problem. Today at work I was playing with a Fluke Ti55 infrared thermal imaging camera. This bad boy allows you to look at the infrared spectrum emitted from an object to determine its temperature with a sensitivity of ~ .1 degree F. You can point it at objects like tables, chairs, walls (and the sides of a cooler) to see the temperature of objects on the other/inside. So essentially if you set the temperature range from about 145-160 and point this at your mash tun you would see very clearly the temperature variations throughout your mash, allowing you to take steps necessary to ensure better uniformity and consistent temperature gradient throughout the cooler.
Definately a must have in every brewer's toolbox, and at 22,000 dollars you can't afford NOT to have this.
Sarcasm aside I do wish I could bring this thing home and play with it on brewday.
Here is a link to the product at some fancy test equipment website...
Fluke Ti55 Ti 55 FT 10 20 54 IR Infrared Thermal Imager Thermal Imaging Camera
Patrick
Anyways I think I found the solution to my problem. Today at work I was playing with a Fluke Ti55 infrared thermal imaging camera. This bad boy allows you to look at the infrared spectrum emitted from an object to determine its temperature with a sensitivity of ~ .1 degree F. You can point it at objects like tables, chairs, walls (and the sides of a cooler) to see the temperature of objects on the other/inside. So essentially if you set the temperature range from about 145-160 and point this at your mash tun you would see very clearly the temperature variations throughout your mash, allowing you to take steps necessary to ensure better uniformity and consistent temperature gradient throughout the cooler.
Definately a must have in every brewer's toolbox, and at 22,000 dollars you can't afford NOT to have this.
Sarcasm aside I do wish I could bring this thing home and play with it on brewday.
Here is a link to the product at some fancy test equipment website...
Fluke Ti55 Ti 55 FT 10 20 54 IR Infrared Thermal Imager Thermal Imaging Camera
Patrick