STC-1000 thermometer placement

[Seanana]

I was wondering where exactly the best place to put this would be use the temp prob. I have it in the fridge right next to the carboy (as the photo shows). The temp prob is placed in one of the used Apple Juice jugs and had starsan in it. Is there any problems with me using it this way and what would be the better solution? Its only been in two days now, so I still had sometime to change it, I just need to make sure I am doing the most affective way.

 

[reverendj1]

Most people attach them to the carboy itself, either with tape or other means. You can also buy a thermowell that will allow it to actually sort of sit in the fermenter. You want to be measuring the temp of the fermenting beer, not the ambient temp, if you want the "most effective way". There can be a 5-10* difference in wort temp and ambient temp due to the fermenting process creating heat.

 

[funnycreature]

I actually submersed the probe in my beer (in the fermenter) the first time last night. When I checked this morning everything was fine and I read in other posts that others did the same thing. I'm curious to see how it turns out but I didn't have any issues placing the probe in a small bottle either.

EDIT: The only downside might be that I had to run the wires for the probe through the hole for the airlock thus breaking the tight seal. I haven't seen any activity in the airlock yet but I'm sure it's fermenting...

 

[boswell]

IMO, the method you are using is theoretically more sound than taping it to the fermentor, in theory at least. The water will give you a more accurate temp with the density of fluid rather than taped to the carboy. I am still using the big tub of water method with stuck on fermometers and I have a beer that is finished fermenting alongside a currently fermenting beer. Interestingly, both fermometers are showing within two degrees of another, therefore, it is easy to see that fermentation does throw off heat, the amount is negligible compared to ambient temp.

 

[raouliii]

IMO, the temperature of the beer/wort is what you are trying to control, so the temperature of the beer/wort is what should be monitored.

I compress my probe against the carboy glass under a piece of closed-cell pipe-wrap foam. I have a nylon/elastic/velcro band around the carboy that holds it tightly in place. I have validated it by also submerging a probe in a very active fermentation and had less than 0.5 degree of difference between the two readings. Works great for me.

 

[biestie]

Probably arguing semantics. The important thing is that you're controlling the temp. I choose to tape it to the side, 'cause that's what I did when I got my controller, but I'd be comfortable doing it other ways as well.

 

[Seanana]

A fellow brewer friend of mine said that he would change the starsan solution to water because the acidity of the solution vs just plain water. I have seen people place the prob in the beer, taped and insulated on the carboy and placed in a bottle of water right next to the fermentation. I understand you want to find proper temp of an equivalent thermal mass, but filling a carboy with water to the save volume seem like overkill. I am only trying to find the proper temp of liquid in the fridge. Any ideas to that? Which would be better of the three, actually two because placing the probe in the beer is not an option for me ATM.

 

[funnycreature]

A fellow brewer friend of mine said that he would change the starsan solution to water because the acidity of the solution vs just plain water. I have seen people place the prob in the beer, taped and insulated on the carboy and placed in a bottle of water right next to the fermentation. I understand you want to find proper temp of an equivalent thermal mass, but filling a carboy with water to the save volume seem like overkill. I am only trying to find the proper temp of liquid in the fridge. Any ideas to that? Which would be better of the three, actually two because placing the probe in the beer is not an option for me ATM.

Your best option would be to tape the probe to the fermenter and insulate it from the surrounding air. I've read in numerous threads that people got great results that way.

 

[reverendj1]

You don't want to find the temp of an equivalent mass of water, you want to know the temp of the fermenting beer. This will not be the same as a jug of water next to the fermenter, as the actual fermentation process creates heat. If you want accurate measurements, you need to attach it to the carboy to get as close to the right temp as possible. If you want "good enough", keep it in a jug of water, but realize this can be 5-10* colder than your fermenting beer, so set your temp colder. When you read a yeast that says "works best between 65-70*" they are referring to the temperature of the beer, not the ambient temp.

 

[tre9er]

You don't want to find the temp of an equivalent mass of water, you want to know the temp of the fermenting beer. This will not be the same as a jug of water next to the fermenter, as the actual fermentation process creates heat. If you want accurate measurements, you need to attach it to the carboy to get as close to the right temp as possible. If you want "good enough", keep it in a jug of water, but realize this can be 5-10* colder than your fermenting beer, so set your temp colder. When you read a yeast that says "works best between 65-70*" they are referring to the temperature of the beer, not the ambient temp.

Exactly. The container of water only serves to mimic the more gradual temp adjustment of liquid based on ambient temp changes...but it's not going through an exothermic process like your beer is. Your beer essentially has a little heater in it that cycles from a little hotter than the jug to 5-10 degrees hotter. If you're not trying to keep that in check you could go into a range of temps that causes the yeast to throw some interesting flavors...some that you might not like.

Taping to the side DOES get the beer temp, just not the core temp. Ambient will affect the outer-most beer first, so the inside could still be slightly different, but it's much closer than taking the temp of a jug of water that's not being heated from within.

 

[GotPushrods]

Just tape the probe to the side under a folded up towel. I use a shop towel folded twice (4 layers) with packing tape holding it tight to the carboy.

People who have tried it will tell you it works.

People who haven't tried it will tell you it doesn't work.

Try it. I used to use thermowells and have switched for simplicity.

 

[Seanana]

Thank you all or the input. As soon as I get home I'm going to adhere the prob to the carboy and insulate the hell out of it. I know this is sort of off topic, but does anyone have any ideas about how to monitor these temp from an iPhone or other device? I think it would be extremely helpful to monitor these levels without having to actually be there.

 

[tre9er]

Thank you all or the input. As soon as I get home I'm going to adhere the prob to the carboy and insulate the hell out of it. I know this is sort of off topic, but does anyone have any ideas about how to monitor these temp from an iPhone or other device? I think it would be extremely helpful to monitor these levels without having to actually be there.

there is a teensy pi thread somewhere that might help