Any opinions on this digital thermometer?

[kaipee]

So I have been having a hunt for digital thermometers and came across this. It's a 'turkey-probe' style but is digital.
I'm hoping it would be long enough to be usable for homebrew

http://www.thermometersdirect.co.uk/home-brewing-thermometers/thermometers-direct/a-digital-waterproof-pocket-thermometer-stainless-steel-construction_ct523bd195pd2015.htm

[JD]

Personally I'd go with something else. There is a cheaper one on the same site that would be more useful if a little less robust.

http://www.thermometersdirect.co.uk/waterproof-thermometers/comark-thermometers/comark-dt400-waterproof-thermometer_ct509bd194pd1991.htm

The benefits of the DT400 is it is more accurate and it reads in 6 seconds.

[Covey]

My two cents, i got one of these. Have it 6months no probs. i checked it vs and proper calibrated probe and it +/- 0.5C. Plus it has two probes so you can leave them different parts of the mash.
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Digital-Thermometer-Meter-HD23LHandheld-Contact-TYPE-K-Digital-Temperature-Meter-/121167351354?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c36230e3a

[brenmurph]

@ covey

excellent idea two probes, is there two seperate displays of do u toggle between probe 1 & 2?

[Covey]

@ covey

excellent idea two probes, is there two seperate displays of do u toggle between probe 1 & 2?

both displayed at the same time, reads every 2 seconds. Can set alarms on it max min.Handy for the end of the mash. pull one out of the mash and then stick  one in the HLT for sparge temp.

[Damofto]

Thanks Covey I'm gonna buy one of those

[kaipee]

My two cents, i got one of these. Have it 6months no probs. i checked it vs and proper calibrated probe and it +/- 0.5C. Plus it has two probes so you can leave them different parts of the mash.
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Digital-Thermometer-Meter-HD23LHandheld-Contact-TYPE-K-Digital-Temperature-Meter-/121167351354?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c36230e3a

Awesome, those wee jobs look the ticket! I think I'll have to invest in one

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[RichC]

My two cents, i got one of these. Have it 6months no probs. i checked it vs and proper calibrated probe and it +/- 0.5C. Plus it has two probes so you can leave them different parts of the mash.
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Digital-Thermometer-Meter-HD23LHandheld-Contact-TYPE-K-Digital-Temperature-Meter-/121167351354?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c36230e3a

Do you need thermowells with those? The TCs look like theyre just exposed conductor? or are they enclosed somehow?

[Will_D]

My two cents, i got one of these. Have it 6months no probs. i checked it vs and proper calibrated probe and it +/- 0.5C. Plus it has two probes so you can leave them different parts of the mash.
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Digital-Thermometer-Meter-HD23LHandheld-Contact-TYPE-K-Digital-Temperature-Meter-/121167351354?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c36230e3a

Looks great OK

Are the probes really that "unfinished" looking ? Are they water proof?

[Covey]

Are the probes really that "unfinished" looking ? Are they water proof?
[/quote]

Not sure i get ya, they are Ktype thermocuples which measure at the tip. They all look like that AFAIK. Each cable has two wire which are soldered at the tip. The are used for Thermal mapping industry wide. Thought you worked in a Lab?
Covey.

[kaipee]

@Covey are they braided or plastic sheathes on the wires?

I don't fancy braided wires, might be a bit difficult to clean/sterilize

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[Ciderhead]

I used them pre use of stc1000's and occasionally if I want to be sure of something I drag it out if the box.
They are in HLT which is not an issue, and you boil everything post mash so no concerns there either.
They do stain from wort

[Covey]

what he said, no issue with them, not braied. Not stained on me yet

[RichC]

Are the probes really that "unfinished" looking ? Are they water proof?

Not sure i get ya, they are Ktype thermocuples which measure at the tip. They all look like that AFAIK. Each cable has two wire which are soldered at the tip. The are used for Thermal mapping industry wide. Thought you worked in a Lab?
Covey.
[/quote]
I doubt you'd ever see anyone in a lab sticking a bare TC in a liquid:)
They are indeed used for temperature measurement in a wide variety of industries but in most cases they would be installed in some sort of thermowell. Where I see them they're installed in a quartz sheath to prevent exposure to process chemicals. Seen as they look bare it's surprising that they're not electrically compromised inserting them in a mash.

[HomeBrewWest]

I've only come across them in stainless steel probes, lent one to a friend that was about 700mm long.

But, you could always tape them to the outside of your fermenter. I've done this and taped some paper over them. Works perfectly.

Ah, mashing! That's a bit trickier. Put them in a silicone rubber tubes that have their ends tied.  This would work:
http://www.homebrewwest.ie/silicon-hose-9-x-13-mm-per-metre-1684-p.asp
although its probably a bit too big; a thinner tube would be better. I've seen them here recently but I just can't find them. And I've spend a few minutes trying.

NHC: improve your search engine! Doesn't come up under "silicon". And it then makes me wait before I can search again.

But I do remember the thread and he has thinner tubing which would be perfect.