Remote probe thermometer wort proofing

[Cookiebaggs]

I'd just look for a type k thermocouple and probe.

I just bought this one.

It reads from -83.2 to 1999 degrees F. And the sensor wire can be exposed to water.

I took the old SS probe from my cheap thermometer and cut 3 inches off the end with a tube cutter. I then stuck the new thermocouple sensor wire into the tube and crimped the end.

No sure if I had to but, I did add another layer of shrink tubing (red in the pic) just to protect the wire where it was crimped.

This thing works great.

To quote Evan!

few things are as important as temperature in this bidness.

 

[PtotheL]

I'd just look for a type k thermocouple and probe.

I just bought this one.

It reads from -83.2 to 1999 degrees F. And the sensor wire can be exposed to water.

I took the old SS probe from my cheap thermometer and cut 3 inches off the end with a tube cutter. I then stuck the new thermocouple sensor wire into the tube and crimped the end.

No sure if I had to but, I did add another layer of shrink tubing (red in the pic) just to protect the wire where it was crimped.

This thing works great.

To quote Evan!

I also thought about using shrink tube instead of o-rings, but wouldn't shrink tubing release chemical compounds of any kind when sitting at 210*F + ?

If not, then I don't see why going through the trouble of using silicone tubing and o-rings... We could simply buy a cheap remote probe which already has its wire covered with silicone and just slip a small lenght of shrink tubing over the area where the silicone covered wire goes into the stainless steel probe and that's it.

 

[Bobby_M]

Shrink tubing is definitely not going to be water tight.

 

[illin8]

I tried this and couldn't get the damn aquarium hose up past the elbow, then I couldn't get it off...two times. Needless to say my 3' of hose is now down to just over a foot. I don't have keg lube, I tried to use olive oil (I know, I know...about all I could think of that wasn't toxic/bad for you that I had on hand)....ah well...I'm about to give up on it.

 

[Bobby_M]

You're pushing it on and not trying to pull it right?

 

[samc]

I tried this and couldn't get the damn aquarium hose up past the elbow, then I couldn't get it off...two times. Needless to say my 3' of hose is now down to just over a foot. I don't have keg lube, I tried to use olive oil (I know, I know...about all I could think of that wasn't toxic/bad for you that I had on hand)....ah well...I'm about to give up on it.

Silicone tubing & Olive Oil slid right on for me. Teaspoon of oil.... Works great and perfectly accurate readings so far. My guess is that the Aquarium tubing is not as good an idea. Although fish and olive oil go well together!

 

[culaslucas]

What size silicone tubing are you guys using? 3/16" ID? like this: Silcon® Silicone Tubing - US Plastic Corporation

Sorry to bring this back from the dead....can anybody confirm the ID of tubing needed? is it 3/16" or 1/8"?

Thanks!

 

[ArcaneXor]

After losing three thermometers due to Hot Wort Intrusion (tm), I picked up some tubing and #60 O-Rings - seems to work great. Thanks OP.

 

[WC87]

Just finished modd'ing my temp probe with the silicone tube/o-ring system. Looking forward to the results.

Note to self - temp probes are sharp and will inflict a nasty puncture wound in your palm if you are an idiot and pushing/pulling the pointed end towards you...turns out my body temp was only 98.1...

 

[bmckee56]

Now you don't have to worry about tossing the probe in your kettle, MLT or fermentor and having it start reading way off after getting the wire wet.

Well now I see this thread after ruining my probe. I will be headed to PetSmart on Tuesday to pick up the tubing and Lowes for the O rings.

Curious about whether shrink wrap for electrical components would not also do the trick.

I saw another thread here a while back using a probe built into a cooler. Nice job I think, but not a multitasking probe. But I still like the setup in the picture. Just have to purchase additional probes, right?

Salute!

 

[roostra]

Wish I'd read this thread a few weeks ago. I've killed two RediCheck remote thermometers.

I just broke down and ordered this today

http://www.coleparmer.ca/catalog/product_view.asp?sku=9020522&pfx=RK

Hopefully it will work out ok.

 

[springer]

good read here on thermometers I believe the one you bought is the same as one that is the topic of conversation POS thermometer

 

[roostra]

good read here on thermometers I believe the one you bought is the same as one that is the topic of conversation POS thermometer

Arrgghh! Should have kept reading thermometer threads. Maybe it is not too late to cancel.

 

[springer]

other people have had good luck with the thermometer you bought. I think its all a crap shoot anyway. I have a thermocoupler and the thermopen they both came with calibration certificates and they both don't coincide with each other at mash temps.. Ice water yup and boiling water too but mash temp they are like 2 ° different. I don't sweat it anymore .

 

[roostra]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I'm gonna go with a thermocouple and high temp wire probe. I really like being able to leave a the thermometer in and read the results remotely, even if not 100% accurate.

 

[samc]

Updating my success with the waterproofing method. It finally failed after about 10 uses, but I was using it for beer, roasting chickens/turkeys and BBQ tasks. I now just use K type thermocouples with a BCS controller.

 

[hlumbard]

What do you think? It's got some sort of rubberized cord to begin with.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

I would think so. But it might be a good thing that you have a 'built-in' o-ring groove.

FWIW, I only used one o-ring and mine has been good for about 30 batches plus I use it to monitor the fermenter water bath temp so it's often submerged for weeks at a time.

 

[Bobby_M]

In that case, I might be inclined to put a smear of aquarium safe silicone where the cord goes into the metal probe and call it done.

 

[tincob]

I have the same model that hlumbard posted and used it for my first brew last night.

I didn't submerge it in the wort like you guys seem to be doing and I was still getting a good reading.

I just hung it on the side of the pot with the tip in the wort (about 2~3 inches of the probe).

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Bobby, why would silicone work on that one but not on the one in your OP? I had originally considered silicone (using the same model probe as your OP) but decided that IF water got in it would be harder to get it out so I went with your wort-proofing method. I also have had varied results using silicone like this...but that could just be not applying it well enough.

 

[Bobby_M]

Mine had a wire braid the whole length of the wire so I didn't think a good seal could be made. Maybe it could. Not sure.

I used to just remove the probe when stirring the mash, then drop it back in.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

My fault, didn't notice the braid. Mine is plastic but the probe has just a crappy crimp that doesn't seal.

Didn't think I'd use the alarm feature but it is handy and I use it often.

 

[Effington]

I just purchased and used this probe thermometer on my last boil:

It's a standard Polder digital probe thermometer/timer, but despite what is shown in the product picture, the probe cable on mine is covered in a rubber seal... and not that bare braided cable that ruined my last one. I was still careful not to get it wet, which was also fine since it came with a pan clip... worked amazingly well. Having the timer/thermometer is great for the hop schedule and I use the alarm mainly to let me know when I'm at steeping temperature. Anyway, for the price it was a great buy and I'll be able to use it for cooking too.

I looks like Polder finally got the hint and has started sealing their probe cables.

Amazon is actually selling another, identical model through a third party that is $2 more and without the super saver shipping... am I the only one that loves buying stuff on Amazon just under $25 so I have an excuse to buy something else to get super saver??

 

[mcBrewsAlot]

I shoved kabob sticks with lub on them down the tube, about three of them, then got them back out, then it made it a little easier once the probe got past the stuck part

 

[v2comp]

I have one similar to these that came from (insert mega mart) that I have been using in it original configuration (stainless braid over wire) for nearly 3 years now and I have never ruined the probe. (luck I guess).
after reading over this thread, I was suddenly struck with an obvious (to me anyway, question/observation): after mash in, stirring and covering with lid, initial reading I.E. 152Deg .....whatever., I only have a one degree temp loss over a 1 hour mash., why leave the temp probe in the mash tun at all? I have to admit, that when I first started this, I left mine in hanging down from the top and would look at the temp over and over again only to not see anything change...........DOH!
now, I use a little handheld stick thermo probe (maybe 4" probe) and check the stabilized temp at the beginning and maybe at mash out. I do use the original remote stainless probe stuck down into the HLT lid to monitor sparge water and use the alarm on it to tell me when its ready., I also use it to monitor after boil cooling temps with an IC and the timer for hop additions. I did actually get water in mine a few times and I just unplugged it and let it sit for a couple of days and it goes right back to working correctly. I guess it dries out on its on. JM .02

 

[Bobby_M]

It's not necessarily just for dangling into the mash. A lot of these have temp alarms so hanging it into the HLT with an alarm set to 170F makes it great for strike, sparge heating. It's also good to set the alarm to 208F so you know to get ready for a potential boil over.

 

[Blackhawkbrew]

I just stumbled onto this thread and was pleased to read that you can "revitalize" the probes by baking them. This is the kind of probe I have. It has a little plastic piece covering about 2 or 3 inches of the braided wire attached to the probe. I don't think I can put this part into the oven at 350 degrees. Should I try and cut it off and then put it in the oven?

 

[Bokonon]

I just stumbled onto this thread and was pleased to read that you can "revitalize" the probes by baking them. This is the kind of probe I have. It has a little plastic piece covering about 2 or 3 inches of the braided wire attached to the probe. I don't think I can put this part into the oven at 350 degrees. Should I try and cut it off and then put it in the oven?

You can definitely stick that whole thing in the oven, otherwise it wouldn't have been there in the first place

 

[Blackhawkbrew]

The oven trick worked like a charm on my probe! Now I have to get some silicone tubing from the pet store and some o-rings (#60 right?).