Infrared Temp Sensor for Wort?

[GHBWNY]

I was in Home Depot the other day and saw the IR temp sensors, reasonably priced at ~ $29., and wondered if it would be practical for measuring temp of wort, etc.? Wouldn't have to sanitize and immerse a digital thermometer in your brew. Anyone tried it/use one?

 

[Sailingeric]

Funny, I just got a fish tank immersion digital thermometer. Wish I had thought of an ir thermometer

 

[dtgrdn]

I use one for wort and checking the carboy while in the fermentation chamber. Works great and never have to worry about sanitizing it.

 

[Brettomomyces]

I have one too and use it occasionally to check fermenters. I wouldn't call it a necessary tool by any means but if you've got 30$ burning a hole in your pocket go for it. They're fun to use on other things too, like checking the temp of your saute pan or looking for heat loss in your house.

 

[ubnserved]

I used one for my first few batches. The ir thermometer worked fine as long as there was not a lot of steam blocking the beam. I tested it to be sure it was giving me accurate readings with an analog thermometer and it was spot on. If you are going to use one I would suggest doing the same. Even a thin layer of steam above the wort could alter my readings. I was able to fan or blow away the steam to get it to read accurately. Mine is a really cheap Keychain one from harbor freight I got years ago for diaging vehicles at my shop. You also want to make sure that you don't allow it to get into the steam column above your bk. Steam can get inside the housing and cause problems. You don't want the steam to condense on or inside the thermometer. They also make laser thermometers which have less problems withe steam interference and are just as accurate and are better at readings from a distance than the ir thermometer. The laser one I used could take accurate readings from 30' without too much problem. Another thing to note is that some use to have a lower high end limit 300° or less so make sure that the one you get can read high enough. If you are going to make candy sugar be sure the one you get can read temperatures over 350° or 375° I can't remember which at the moment.
The only other thing that I can think of is that if you brew outside strong wind will alter your readings as will subfreezing temperatures. That's the nice thing about mine, it is small enough to put in the pocket on really cold days.
The only thing that I don't like about mine was that you can use it as a room thermometer and it will take readings every so often and it goes through batteries too fast in that mode. I haven't replaced the battery in probably 3 years so it just sits on my desk collecting dust.

 

[PatrickGoss]

I used one for my first few batches. The ir thermometer worked fine as long as there was not a lot of steam blocking the beam. I tested it to be sure it was giving me accurate readings with an analog thermometer and it was spot on. If you are going to use one I would suggest doing the same. Even a thin layer of steam above the wort could alter my readings. I was able to fan or blow away the steam to get it to read accurately. Mine is a really cheap Keychain one from harbor freight I got years ago for diaging vehicles at my shop. You also want to make sure that you don't allow it to get into the steam column above your bk. Steam can get inside the housing and cause problems. You don't want the steam to condense on or inside the thermometer. They also make laser thermometers which have less problems withe steam interference and are just as accurate and are better at readings from a distance than the ir thermometer. The laser one I used could take accurate readings from 30' without too much problem. Another thing to note is that some use to have a lower high end limit 300° or less so make sure that the one you get can read high enough. If you are going to make candy sugar be sure the one you get can read temperatures over 350° or 375° I can't remember which at the moment.
The only other thing that I can think of is that if you brew outside strong wind will alter your readings as will subfreezing temperatures. That's the nice thing about mine, it is small enough to put in the pocket on really cold days.
The only thing that I don't like about mine was that you can use it as a room thermometer and it will take readings every so often and it goes through batteries too fast in that mode. I haven't replaced the battery in probably 3 years so it just sits on my desk collecting dust.

I second the steam warning. But they do work good for telling you the temp of wort in the kettle, as well as checking your mash. Mine does not work accurately on the side of the pot or on water. It will work on a plastic spoon sitting in the water. I suspect if I put some flat paint on the side of the pot it could be used on that.

Enjoy the new toy.

 

[BrewSavage]

Amazon has several of these sensors on sale for $10-$12...right now.

 

[fj605]

Good to know about the steam affecting it! I got a free one from my wife's co-worker and it was reading low. I'll have to try it again without steam interference.

 

[NickTheGreat]

I use mine for lots of things, brewing among them.

I have never found it to be off by more than a degree or two in past experiences. So I am deemed it reliable enough for my purposes.

Of course the top is going to be a different temp than deep inside, but that is true of any thermometer. I try to have a good stir then temp it.

It also works very well for my deep frying also.

 

[GHBWNY]

I use mine for lots of things, brewing among them.

I have never found it to be off by more than a degree or two in past experiences. So I am deemed it reliable enough for my purposes.

Of course the top is going to be a different temp than deep inside, but that is true of any thermometer. I try to have a good stir then temp it.

It also works very well for my deep frying also.

So, you have to open your fermenter because you have to stir it (to destratify the thermocline?). Then you sanitize a spoon. Then you stir the wort, potentially stirring up the sediment and introducing unwanted O2. Just to take a temp reading with an IR thermometer? Wouldn't it be less invasive to use a long-probe thermometer you can stick through the airlock hole or neck of the carboy without disturbing the trub or oxidizing the wort? If you are checking active ferm, there will little to no thermocline because of the yeast activity. And post-exothermic reaction, when temp is not critical, the wort should be relatively the same temp top to bottom anyway.

 

[LoudHousebrew]

i am not a fan of these. the readings i get can vary quite a bit from my immersed thermometers and steam, or other factors can effect it. this might be ok for extract brewing or general range type of thing but when temp counts i just dont really trust it.

 

[NickTheGreat]

So, you have to open your fermenter because you have to stir it (to destratify the thermocline?). Then you sanitize a spoon. Then you stir the wort, potentially stirring up the sediment and introducing unwanted O2. Just to take a temp reading with an IR thermometer? Wouldn't it be less invasive to use a long-probe thermometer you can stick through the airlock hole or neck of the carboy without disturbing the trub or oxidizing the wort? If you are checking active ferm, there will little to no thermocline because of the yeast activity. And post-exothermic reaction, when temp is not critical, the wort should be relatively the same temp top to bottom anyway.

Sorry, I was talking about the wort. Or my sparge water.

On the burner, before sanitizing is necessary.

I don't stir in the fermenter (besides the fact that I use carboys)