How to attach Auber RTD sensor in my Blichmann pots?

[kal]

ooohhhohoohohho... what about this!

Could you tap through the hole so that the RTD would thread directly into the pot?

You mean so that you don't need a nut at all on the inside? The Blichmann Boilermaker walls are only 18ga. That's pretty thin. There's not enough for the RTD's threads to hang on to.

Kal

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

hmmmm..... well maybe that would still be an easy and unintrusive mod?

That would have been cool if you could have threaded it directly into the pot.

 

[kal]

Yup. You never know, I may end up just getting some bulkheads welded in. For starters I want to limit the number of holes I put in this thing to ones I *know* I'll never move.

Kal

 

[BrewBeemer]

Just quoting Blichmann. Don't shoot the messenger.


Not that I've seen. Otherwise that would be an easy solution.


So instead of spending $30 on a new probe and $2 on a bushing, spend $10-20+ on some stainless stock and other supplies and get it machined exactly right? Sorry, but this is an insane amount of work and running around to save about $5-10 assuming I can get the machining done for free. I don't have the means to machine stainless nor do I want to learn or figure out how to do it to save $5. Sorry Carl!

Kal

That there is the difference between me and you. For one thing I do not have to "spend $10-20+ on some stainless stock and other supplies and get it machines exactly right?" No I just walk 20' away from my lathe in my materials stock supply that is seperated in copper, brass, aluminum, steel and stainless and take what I need for the project to fit my finished size. A little 15 minute job on the lathe to make a adapter fitting, tap, thread then parting tool cut off and debur. I'm a doer and make parts that are not available problem solved.
I invested my money over the years purchasing tools like a lathe, Tig, Mig, Plasma cutter Bridgeport mill, press for personal hobby use and know how to use them. When a special tool is needed like for rebuilding a BMW LS differential I can machine and make the needed special tools like the factory use. A machine shop background has come in handy dad raised me in a machine shop and to think and build things not shoot hoops. I just think things out and make them work solving problems how I was raised with the ability to think and work with my hands. Sorry Kal I did not know your limitations.

 

[BrewBeemer]

I'm not sure myself

The Auberins PID manuals do mention:

Measurement accuracy:

0.2% Full scale: RTD, linear voltage, linear current and thermocouple input with ice point compensation or Cu50 copper compensation.

0.2% Full scale or ±2ºC: thermocouple input with internal automatic compensation.

I'm not really sure what that extra "or ±2ºC" for TC's really means.

I really didn't mean to spend much time figuring out if the $25 more was worth it. I just planned on ordering the more expensive temp probe.

Kal

I find this funny your above statement reply of 0.2% full scale RTD then again
0.2% full scale or +-2*C: thermocouple with internal automatic compensation.

0.2% full scale between both the RTD and the TC reads the same to me on your above posting. From brewing with many brew shops besides working in a full scale brewey they have told me that the difference is so little in error between a TC and a RTD your only fooling yourself and your wallet unless it's a must have item for the involved ego. This from a Anheuser Bush master brewer at a brewery tour I went thru asking questions. Questions to the master brewer himself allowed by our tour guide person as we had a group of homebrewers in our small group. A one on one question and answer time from those that know and make bier by the millions of gallons besides I worked on that brewery for 7 months as a electrician.

 

[BrewBeemer]

Yes, they have a TC probe too with a disconnect, along with the two RTD's listed in the original post. You can see what they sell on two pages:

RTD: Temperature sensors, RTD (PLT) : auberins.com, Temperature control solutions for home and industry
Thermo: Temp Sensors, Thermocouple : auberins.com, Temperature control solutions for home and industry

Kal

Kal;after going thru both the RTD (8 posted) and the Thermo coupler section of the Auber company looking thru what you posted above is there a secret page you know about that I "can see"? On the Auber company the only spring lock disconnecting wires are on the RTD probes. I can no find any spring lock disconnecting wires to the thermo couples, for that matter any of the thermo couple probes. On the thermo couple probes (16 posted) the only thing they show is a spring strain relief for the wires. Can you please repete your finding again so that I can find them this time? Thanks as my BCS-460 that i'll order in a couple weeks only works with 10K ohm thermo couples not RTD's.

 

[BrewBeemer]

Yes, they have a TC probe too with a disconnect, along with the two RTD's listed in the original post.
Kal

After emailing Auber Sales with a reply from a person named Suyi, Auber does not make a disconnect probe for any of their TC probes.
This straight from the Auber manufacture.
RTD's yes you can get them ordered with a spring lock disconnect probe leads.

 

[kal]

That there is the difference between me and you. For one thing I do not have to "spend $10-20+ on some stainless stock and other supplies and get it machines exactly right?" No I just walk 20' away from my lathe in my materials stock supply that is seperated in copper, brass, aluminum, steel and stainless and take what I need for the project to fit my finished size. A little 15 minute job on the lathe to make a adapter fitting, tap, thread then parting tool cut off and debur. I'm a doer and make parts that are not available problem solved.

Fair enough. I guess I just find it odd when people make suggestions when they must realize that 99.9% of the people here could not undertake the work involved. If I had an entire machine shop complete with stock of various raw metals and the machines to make anything I wanted like you do, I wouldn't have started this thread in the first place right?

I find this funny your above statement reply of 0.2% full scale RTD then again
0.2% full scale or +-2*C: thermocouple with internal automatic compensation...

It's not my statement. I didn't write that. I was just quoting what's on the Auberins website. I mentioned I didn't understand the differentiation.

After emailing Auber Sales with a reply from a person named Suyi, Auber does not make a disconnect probe for any of their TC probes.
This straight from the Auber manufacture.
RTD's yes you can get them ordered with a spring lock disconnect probe leads.

MY mistake. Just use RTD then. They're about $8 more then their TC's with nice NPT screw-in fittings ($29 instead of $21). Pays for the disconnect and the 'upgrade' to RTD.

Kal
Kal

 

[kal]

Anyone know if it's ok to extend the wires on an RTD probe? These are about 6 feet long and I'll need an extra couple of feet inside the panel.

Kal

 

[kal]

I use one pid in my system. The thermocouple is located between the heat exchanger (herms coil) and the return manifold at the top of the mash tun. I fill my mash tun with the mash water and the HLT with the sparge water. I set my PID to my desired temp and start pumping the mash water thru the herms coil. The HLT heats up to several degrees above the temp I dialed in for my Mash tun and gradually my mash water is heated to the desired temp.

Had some questions about your process so I started a new thread here:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/how-avoid-over-under-shoot-herms-hlt-103745/

Kal