Remote probe thermometer wort proofing

[springer]

I'm a little embarrassed to say.

you started now you have to finish... we wont laugh..... maybe a little, but out with it

 

[Chriso]

Yeah. Now I'm really curious too. Sex shop? Old people's care center? The Veterinarian?

 

[jcarson83]

Bed Bath & Beyond

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=14283323&RN=210&

 

[Chriso]

Oh well hell, I go there regularly. You're not losing any man points, man!
They carry good bar-cessories too. Like the margarita sets or the liquor carousels or the gas-pump liquor dispensers.

 

[thedude123]

20 bucks that isn't bad.

 

[Bokonon]

If its anything like one of the ones I have theres still a chance that liquid can get between the probe and the silicone covering.

 

[illinibrew04]

OK so I tried to put the silicone tubing on my thermo twice now with keg lube and I've spent a couple hours. I just can't get it to budge anymore! How the heck did you guys do this? Any tips would be much appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[conpewter]

What I did was hold the front and back of the probe, I'd pull some tubing onto the probe, then hold tight with that hand and release the back hand (That was holding the probe in place)

Basically I "bunched" up the tubing on the probe, then let it slide back over the cord, though no bunching actually happens, it just expands a little and compresses.

 

[Saccharomyces]

Bumped and prost'd.

Thanks for the method, I'm going to try this out with my probe thermometer since I had a nightmare with an instant read going on the fritz on Saturday. I ended up delicately dangling the probe in the mash and praying I wouldn't ruin it.
This method will save me the worry so I can RDWH-another-HB next time. :rockin:

 

[Brew-ta-sauraus]

I batch sparge in a coleman cooler, and use a Term like the ones in this thread. I have been duck tapiong it to the side (above the mash line), but would like to submerge it compleatly but with out the possibility of snagging the cord while sturring. Any suggestions on what I could use to hold it down to the bottom of the cooler? I saw silacone tape at HD, would this work, and still not impart off flavors on my brew?

BTW, I fried my first therm ( braided wire type), by submerging. I then purchased another at Wally World $14 bucks that is not a braded line to the probe, but rather a silacone line. I used shrink wrap on the ned where the line meets the probwe and sealed top & bottom with zip ties.

 

[Hegh]

Would Vaseline work instead of keg lube?

 

[Hegh]

Would Vaseline work instead of keg lube?

Nevermind, I'm going to try Ideal at Lowe's: Clear Glide Lubricant

It says it's good for using on electrical equipment, and it's non-toxic. Of course, I'll be washing the probe quite thoroughly afterward, but it's good to be safe.

 

[raceskier]

Vaseline and the silicone tubing are not compatible. The hydrocarbon lube will attack the silicone. However, your average everyday "personal" lubricant works just dandy.

I think I used dish detergent when I made my waterproofing setup. It works well and won't harm the silicone.

 

[Hegh]

Vaseline and the silicone tubing are not compatible. The hydrocarbon lube will attack the silicone. However, your average everyday "personal" lubricant works just dandy.

I think I used dish detergent when I made my waterproofing setup. It works well and won't harm the silicone.

But won't the water in those things cause the same problem that we're trying to avoid, by conducting electricity and throwing off the reading?

 

[jp1316]

so did anyone try the bed bath & beyond thermometer because its only $10 right now?

 

[Duckfoot]

I tried two of the TruTemp's from Target and I tore the cords off of both of the leads... Probably my fat sausage paws to blame... I have just gone to simple stick thermometers... Maybe I will try again...

 

[Hegh]

Nevermind, I'm going to try Ideal at Lowe's: Clear Glide Lubricant

It says it's good for using on electrical equipment, and it's non-toxic. Of course, I'll be washing the probe quite thoroughly afterward, but it's good to be safe.

So the clear-glide wasn't what I thought it was. It looked like it came in a small bottle, but it was more like a quart, and it says that it's conductive until it dries. Since I don't know how it's going to dry when sealed in some surgical tubing, I don't know that it'd work so well.

I may just go with the dish soap and hope it doesn't run under the silicone sheathing.

 

[nowise]

What about just using some silicone caulk? I have thought about just caulking all over the cracks in the probe (that's what she said) but I'm not ready to ruin my $30 thermometer just yet.

 

[avaserfi]

I just realized, I have that same probe as Bobby M (Taylor TruTemp) and it has been sitting in a fermenting bath/blow off mess without any issue. Does wort really treat it differently so that it will break?

 

[nowise]

I have a "Polder" brand from Bed Bath and Beyond and as soon as the littlest bit of liquid hits those cracks between the probe and the braid, it freaks out and beeps like crazy and the temperatures go all wacky.

 

[Hegh]

I ended up using dish soap, but I must have used too much because the tubing kept sliding around after I'd slid it on (went on really really easily, too). So I had to tie a knot at the top of the tubing, with the cable inside, to keep it from sliding around any more.

Seems to be working fine with the dish soap in there, so I'm not too worried. Getting those o-rings on it was very tough, and I doubt it's really water tight, but I really just want it to be safe in case it slips into some liquid and I grab it immediately. Not going to soak this thing at all (I'd probably get some dish soap out if I did).

 

[jp1316]

my attempt to put the silicone tubing from the pet store did not go smoothly at first, but then I accidentally pulled the cord out of the probe and just put the tubing on. I then pushed the cord back in the probe and tested it in boiling water and it seemed to work just fine.

 

[Hegh]

I used the flexible rubbery tubing (it might be called surgical tubing) instead of the clear vinyl stuff.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

I just used my "wort proofed" probe this weekend and it worked like a charm. Submerged in the mash and all. I used #68 o-rings (couldn't find 70 in three different stores). With one under the tubing and two over I don't see much of anything getting int here. Good work Bobby!

 

[Jewrican]

so when you do this wort proofing, can you just leave it in the wort during the boil, or do you have to take your reading and take it out?

I left mine in without doing that and now it reads 123 degrees at room temperature. Will the baking idea fix this or is this one shot

 

[Hegh]

so when you do this wort proofing, can you just leave it in the wort during the boil, or do you have to take your reading and take it out?

I left mine in without doing that and now it reads 123 degrees at room temperature. Will the baking idea fix this or is this one shot

Baking fixed mine, but all I had in mine was sanitizer solution. Not sure if the sugars in Wort would continue to affect the thermoprobe afterwards, but I doubt they'd make any real difference.

Couldn't tell if you'd already wort-proofed your probe from your post, but if so, you may not want to leave the tube on there when you bake it.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

I don't see a point in reading a boiling temp (boiling happens at 212º). I use the thermometer for mash temps.

And yes, the baking idea should fix. I had the same issue before wort proofing and it worked like a charm.

 

[Bobby_M]

I don't know many people who can claim they've completely submerged the probe and wire without having a "misfire" reading afterwards. I'm pretty sure it's a moisture thing that messes with the thermocouple reading. If you're going to put this probe in liquid often, you really should waterproof it as I outlined.

 

[Jewrican]

cool! thanks. I did it for an extract batch and left it in while i was steeping at 153 and then i turned it up to 170 for a quick dunk for a BS partial mash.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Jewrican]

I don't know many people who can claim they've completely submerged the probe and wire without having a "misfire" reading afterwards. I'm pretty sure it's a moisture thing that messes with the thermocouple reading. If you're going to put this probe in liquid often, you really should waterproof it as I outlined.

I just thought they were already waterproof.. so much for that idea