Silly Ranco Question

[culaslucas]

So I just bought a Ranco controller & installed it on my keezer. Can I place the probe in water to take an accurate liquid temperature or is it not waterproof?

I guess I should have asked before because I submerged it in water already.

I'm using this one: http://www.honeyrunapiaries.com/store/pdf/ranco_etc_instructions.pdf

 

[The Pol]

I dont think you can submerge the probe, not sure it is water tight.

The PDF sayes that you have to put the probe in a bulb or something to immerse it. Id say it is not water tight.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Put the probe in a sandwich bag and then submerse.

Many use a White Labs yeast vial filled with either water or ice pack goo.

 

[culaslucas]

DAMMIT! I hope it's not ruined.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

If it were ruined the contorller would be coding an E# on teh display.

 

[wilserbrewer]

DAMMIT! I hope it's not ruined.

If it is wet I have heard people having success drying them gently in a warm oven...say 120 - 140 degrees.

With regards to a thermowell, IMO all you need is something that buffers the temperature change of the probe. I just wrapped mine in a paper towel and then wrapped it in a zip lock. Seems to work fine and doesn't cylcle the freezer to often.

 

[david_42]

I don't recommend putting the probe in water; here's why: Thermal lag and residual cooling. When the compressor shuts off there is still some refrigerant in the evaporator. This will continue to chill the interior past the shutoff point. If you put the probe in water, you increase the overshoot because the water won't cool off as fast as the air.

The purpose of the controller isn't to provide you with a temperature, it's to control the process.

 

[culaslucas]

I don't recommend putting the probe in water; here's why: Thermal lag and residual cooling. When the compressor shuts off there is still some refrigerant in the evaporator. This will continue to chill the interior past the shutoff point. If you put the probe in water, you increase the overshoot because the water won't cool off as fast as the air.

The purpose of the controller isn't to provide you with a temperature, it's to control the process.

so you suggest just dangling the probe in the ambient air? I just want to make sure my LIQUID is at the right temp - not the AIR.

 

[JVD_X]

tape the probe to the side of the fermenter... that works very well and somewhat compensates for the increased heat of fermentation.

 

[culaslucas]

just to clarify, this is for a keezer (kegerator built from a freezer), not fermenter.

 

[slim chillingsworth]

i had mine submerged for months before i noticed a problem, but then i noticed a problem! i started getting readings 15-20 degrees off. i ended up replacing the probe for $15 from morebeer.

 

[The Pol]

i had mine submerged for months before i noticed a problem, but then i noticed a problem! i started getting readings 15-20 degrees off. i ended up replacing the probe for $15 from morebeer.

Bingo........

 

[culaslucas]

Fair enough - so we've established that they're not supposed to be directly submerged in water.

Is there a consensus on what one should do for a thermowell? Or not one at all?

 

[alohanole]

I like the idea of using a spent white labs yeast tube, maybe heat-shrink the probe and submerging it in some gel from a freezer pack. Currently, mine is just free in the kegerator, hanging out near one of the kegs! Seems to work fine. The compressor doesn't cycle excessively, but then again I don't open the lid very often either.

 

[TexasStu]

<snip!> ...Currently, mine is just free in the kegerator, hanging out near one of the kegs! Seems to work fine. The compressor doesn't cycle excessively, but then again I don't open the lid very often either.

+1 ditto for me

 

[broadbill]

What do people suggest if they are using their Ranco to control the temperature of a water bath via an aquarium heater?

My setup is a 30-60 gallon aquarium heater sitting in about 10 gallons of water in a big rubbermaid tub. The aquarium heater is plugged into the Ranco controller and the Ranco probe is taped to the side of the rubbermaid tub, half-immersed in the water bath, but not so that the probe/wire junction is under water (where I would expect water to leak in).

Worked well until the water bath water evaporated to the point where the ranco probe ended up out of the water....the temperature started to go up because the probe was measuring air tem instead of water temp. whoops!

Anybody suggest a waterproof way to protect the probe so I can stick in the waterbath without getting water in it?

Thanks!

 

[The Pol]

Use a thermowell

 

[wildwest450]

just to clarify, this is for a keezer (kegerator built from a freezer), not fermenter.

I have a controller that has a waterproof bulb and I used to keep it in a aquafina bottle. But actually found the freezer ran more that way. I then taped it to the side of a cornie and set the differential for 5 degrees(39f to 44F). This gives me a 42f pour every time.