Temp Sensor in Orange Cooler?

[njs170]

Has anyone put a Temp Sensor in an Orange Home Depot 10 Gallon Cooler? I am working on building a HERMS setup and I need a Mash Temp. I thought about getting a long sensor and putting it through the lid so I can have worry free stirring. Thoughts?

 

[pvpeacock]

A probe for a digital thermometer might work, but not the analog thermometers advertised for this purpose. I bought the latter and installed it and it's not worth the money. First, the thermomter I bought for this is not very accurate which is a major problem with mashing. Second, the analog thermometer's probe interferes with stirring when you dough in or batch sparge. Third, the directions told me where to drill the hole to install the probe. It's too high to measure the water temperature before I dough in which means I can't tell how many degrees I've lost to the cooler itself and from trasfering the water to the cooler. I'm about to pull out my thermometer and plug the hole. Oh, there is one plus......it looks cool! Like a real scientific-like brewer's mash tun (except that it's orange and says "Igloo" on the side).

If you plan to use a digital thermometer and install the probe in the cooler, just make sure you install it so it can measure the temperature of the water before you dough in and that it doesn't interfere with stirring/mixing. Good luck.

 

[Ddubduder]

Another option would be to put the thermometer in line with your tubing so that it will take a reading while recirculating. Think about putting a T fitting coming out of your valve with a thermowell or compression fitting holding the thermometer. Of course this only works while recirculating but with a herms system you'll need to recirc quite a bit anyways so that shouldn't be a problem. This solution could also be universal if you add a disconnect to the T fitting now it can be moved to each of your vessels.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Rivenin]

are you talking about something like this?

take a small solid stopper, drill a small hole in it.
Drill a hole for the stopper through your mashtun, stick the stopper through from the inside.
than stick the thermometer through the stopper.

just make sure its' snug before every brewday.

there is a post somewhere around here, but i haven't an idea where it is.

:EDIT: found a website for ya!

http://simplybeer.com/2010/12/13/how-to-a-add-thermometer-to-your-cooler-mash-tun/

 

[njs170]

You guys rock! That will work for me! How high do you think I should put it? I am using a BCS460.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[day_trippr]

You might want to rethink this.

If you're going to be recirculating the mash through a hex using automation, the best and easiest place to monitor the wort temperature is at the mlt outlet on the way to the pump, not in some random spot inside the tun...

Cheers!

 

[njs170]

Also a good point! That maybe be the best way! Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[snowtires]

I stick one through the little hole in the middle of the lid. Just a cheapo $10 thermometer. It works quite good and to remove it I just pull it out.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[njs170]

Thank you for everyone's help. This is the way that I ended up going! My temp probe is too long to be put on the side. I figured that this will get the job done. Thanks again!