What Thermometer can i trust?

[jeffmeh]

This is what confuses me...

Most thermometers with a calibrate with a push button. When you push that button, it calls whatever that temp. it is sensing, say 32F. I cant tell it to call it 40F.

So, if I boil at 209F, can I place it in a boil and calibrate it to 209F, or will it call it 212F?

EDIT: I have been trying to research how the Thermapen calibrates, and all I have found is that it uses a calibration trim button to fine tune at a single temp. (thier example was ice bath)

This may be useful if it is a TRIM, you could place it ina boil, if you know you boil at 209F, then trim the reading to that... that would work.

EDIT: That is how the Thermapen works, it has a ZERO and SPAN screw. Placed in ice water you adjust the ZERO trim to 32F. Placed in BOILING water you then adjust the SPAN to (212F) or whatever temp. your water boils.

I like the trim idea, that is nice. For $100 though, I will keep the ones I have as they are only off .5F at boiling and dead on 32F for $28

I agree that if it works at that price then by all means go for it. I bought the thermapen before I started brewing, as I had gone through 5 $25-$40 digital thermometers and I was getting tired of replacing them. Cooks Illustrated gave the thermapen top reviews, so I figured I would spend a little more for something that presumably would not be junk. How long have you been using yours? I plan on converting a couple of coolers to go all-grain, and maybe I will give these a shot.

 

[JVD_X]

My thermoworks came with a calibration certificiation from NIST. My thermoworks pen exactly matches my lab thermometer, so... I trust my thermowork.

 

[abracadabra]

This web page shows 90-100% Isopropyl Alcohol boils at 180*F or 82*C

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/i8840.htm

This would be much cheaper than boiling consumable ethanol

A mixture of 50% or greater alcohol to water is flamable and boiling alcohol over an open flame is extremely dangerous.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol

this wikipedia site show ethanols boiling point at 173*F

 

[400d]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemVersion&item=300344845981&view=all&tid=385695517020

what do you guys think of this thermometer? it has 3 ft long waterproof sensor cable which could be inside the mash tun.....

I'm worried about 2% deviation. Is it too much?

 

[Bobby_M]

I use the Taylor 9842

and it has a calibration screw with a relatively small range. IOW, not all digitals that have calibration do it via a fixed temp calibration "button".

I was thinking I'd prefer the CDN version because it does have an auto calibrate but I can see the problem there. I just with the taylor had a hold button.

 

[springer]

I picked up this one for the Turkey as my thermapen was missing I found it the as I was brining the Turkey
I checked it with the Thermapen and its really dead on in all ranges . $14.95 at Lowes was cheap so I am going to keep it.

 

[Blindguardian]

Hello everyone,
With all this talk about calibration of thermometers I went out and found a few tools that might be helpful to everyone:
Current barometric-pressure map
and this
Calculator
be mind full you will need to know your current elevation to get accurate results at the time of calibration.
Also note that the boiling point of water changes almost daily/hourly due to the current barometric pressure in your area, sometimes this can be as much as 2º F. To get the most accurate temps. for your mash, it would be a good idea to calibrate your thermometer about 30 min to 1 hr before your start your mashing.

 

[abracadabra]

Hello everyone,
With all this talk about calibration of thermometers I went out and found a few tools that might be helpful to everyone:
Current barometric-pressure map
and this
Calculator
be mind full you will need to know your current elevation to get accurate results at the time of calibration.
Also note that the boiling point of water changes almost daily/hourly due to the current barometric pressure in your area, sometimes this can be as much as 2º F. To get the most accurate temps. for your mash, it would be a good idea to calibrate your thermometer about 30 min to 1 hr before your start your mashing.

Good point!

The adage that water boils at 212*F at sea level and can simply be adjusted for altitude does not take into account that:

The 212*F boiling point at sea level also includes standard atmospheric pressure of 29.92 inHG

That's why I just got a $6 lab thermometer and calibrate the thermometer I'm using in the MLT for mashing temps or the thermometer in the HLT for strike water temp.