Stupid question about stir plate

[kenpotf]

What does the rare earth magnet do really? It would almost seem like the spin of the fan would continuously stir the yeast.

 

[dirkomatic]

It attracts the stir bar... The only thing inside the flask is the magnetic stir bar. To get it to spin, some strong magnets need to be attached to the fan to attract the ends of the stir bar.

 

[ThreeRatBastards]

With a stir plate you need a stir bar (a pill shaped magnet you place inside the starter). The rare earth magnet is what grabs this stir bar and spins it which ultimately spins the wort and keeps the yeast inside it active.

 

[brew_ny]

What does the rare earth magnet do really?

there is a small piece of metal cover with a coating call a stir bar that you put in your flask

and that is what stirs the starter, the magnet spins the bar that stirs the wort

S_M

I type way slow

 

[kenpotf]

That's the missing piece of the puzzle. I didn't realize I was also putting something in the flask, but now I can see why. It's funny, as I was writing this, there's an episode on dirty jobs that he was talking to a guy in a lab coat. The guy put his flask on a stir plate, and voila, threw the stir bar at the bottom, filled it with liquid and turned it on. You could see the stir bir spinning. Timely post

What size stir bar do I need if I decide to get a 2L flask? I have a 1L right now.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Scutrbrau]

That's the missing piece of the puzzle. I didn't realize I was also putting something in the flask, but now I can see why. It's funny, as I was writing this, there's an episode on dirty jobs that he was talking to a guy in a lab coat. The guy put his flask on a stir plate, and voila, threw the stir bar at the bottom, filled it with liquid and turned it on. You could see the stir bir spinning. Timely post

What size stir bar do I need if I decide to get a 2L flask? I have a 1L right now.

Thanks everyone!

It depends more on your stir plate than the size of your flask. I use a 1" stir bar in a 2L flask because my plate won't turn the 2" bar. YMMV.

 

[kenpotf]

Another stupid question: How do you get the stir bar out of the yeast after you're done stirring without making a mess or losing yeast before you cold crash it?

 

[smcinco]

Stick a magnet on the bottom of your flask that will hold your stir bar in place while you pour your starter out.

 

[kenpotf]

That would make way too much sense