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Author Topic: Tired of crappy therm and hydrometer  (Read 14730 times)

Offline PSUhomebrewer

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Re: Tired of crappy therm and hydrometer
« Reply #15 on: May 21, 2012, 02:01:44 pm »
Here's the link to the ones I use at work, https://us.vwr.com/store/catalog/product.jsp?catalog_number=89095-638. None of them are cheap, especially not $7, but for home brewing you don't need something that accurate, just don't look to get it from a reputable science ware supplier.
« Last Edit: May 21, 2012, 02:03:51 pm by PSUhomebrewer »

Offline oscarvan

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Re: Tired of crappy therm and hydrometer
« Reply #16 on: May 21, 2012, 02:35:25 pm »
Although not scientifically sound methodology, I have found that after a while you learn to build the calibration into your process.....

HLT.....about right.
Mash Tun..... a little high
Hydrometer.....a little low

I know, it's not precise but I make adjustments relative to their readings, and the beer comes out great.
I know, if I ever have to replace one of them I have to start over.
Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/WSBW/WSBW_All_grain_Setup.html
I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....

Offline boapiu

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Re: Tired of crappy therm and hydrometer
« Reply #17 on: May 27, 2012, 06:18:01 am »
Did anyone mention 'THERMOPEN' ? I bought one and it is great. I think there was a thread asking how people liked theirs and it had many posts.
Beer is an ancient beverage that has been consumed as part of a balanced diet for centuries - it contains the goodness of sprouted grain extracted into rich liquid and fermented to produce a nutritional 'liquid cereal' beverage.

Offline bluesman

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Tired of crappy therm and hydrometer
« Reply #18 on: May 27, 2012, 07:31:27 am »
Did anyone mention 'THERMOPEN' ? I bought one and it is great. I think there was a thread asking how people liked theirs and it had many posts.

+1

I use a Thermapen. They're calibrated and traceable to NIST standards. They come with test data and a CofC. Well worth the money IMO. Plus they're super fast reading...I think it's a 2-3 second reading.
Ron Price

Offline gmwren

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Re: Tired of crappy therm and hydrometer
« Reply #19 on: May 27, 2012, 07:46:22 am »
Thanks Denny, I'll google it and see what turns up

Here's where I got mine...

http://cynmar.com/SearchByKeyword?word=nist%20thermometer

I bought this thermometer and thought my RANCOs were 7F off. I did an ice bath test (correctly, see the thermapen website) and found it was 3 deg high at 35F. complained to Cynmar and was immediately shipped a new one. Unfortunately it was worse at just over 35F and the boiling points were 221 and 224 respectively. So much for NIST certification. I payed for the Thermapen and have been pleased with the results. The ice bath wavers between 32 and 32.1F. I can live with that...

Offline brewsumore

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Re: Tired of crappy therm and hydrometer
« Reply #20 on: June 16, 2012, 12:59:36 pm »
One of my favorite pieces of brewing equipment and a trustworthy, well-built one is a TM500 Palmer-Wahl instant read thermocouple meter.  I've used mine for six years now with complete accuracy, and it is so easy to use, to accurately and very quickly measure temps for everything from hot liquor, sparge water, mash, sparge, hydrometer flask, chilling wort, wort at pitching, etc.

http://www.palmerwahl.com/product_home.php?cat=3&catl=43&line=12&itm=604 

Along with it, from McMaster Carr I got an 18" flat pin stainless steel immersible probe.  Looking at the website the part appears to be:  316SS Air/Immersion Thermocouple Probe Mini Conn, w/o Cable, Type J, 32-1400 F, 18" L Probe, part # 39095K62 that is around $20.  If you get the 18" or longer probe it will sit in a bucket of sanitizer with the plug-in end still above the solution, for easy reinsertion into the meter when you're working on the cold side.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#flat-pin-thermocouple-probes/=i073vp

Offline brewsumore

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Re: Tired of crappy therm and hydrometer
« Reply #21 on: June 16, 2012, 01:08:24 pm »
As for hydrometers, I bought the two precision hydrometers from Steinbart's, one that is from 1.000 - 1.070, and one that is from 1.060 - 1.130, and I like them a lot.  I still have a couple standard hydrometers for backup.  Check under the TESTING & MEASURING link.

https://www.fhsteinbart.com/products/index.php
« Last Edit: June 16, 2012, 01:10:03 pm by brewsumore »

Offline Greg A.

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Re: Tired of crappy therm and hydrometer
« Reply #22 on: June 21, 2012, 12:17:17 pm »
I bought one of these thermometers to give it a try.  They claim:
"Each thermometer is tested and calibrated in our exclusive triple accredited/registered ISO/IEC 17025:2005, A2LA accredited laboratory against equipment whose calibration is traceable to NIST"

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00551O8V6/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01
Greg Arndt
Homebrewer in training

Offline denny

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Re: Tired of crappy therm and hydrometer
« Reply #23 on: June 21, 2012, 12:40:51 pm »
I bought one of these thermometers to give it a try.  They claim:
"Each thermometer is tested and calibrated in our exclusive triple accredited/registered ISO/IEC 17025:2005, A2LA accredited laboratory against equipment whose calibration is traceable to NIST"

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00551O8V6/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01

That looks like the one I use.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

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Offline DrewG

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Re: Tired of crappy therm and hydrometer
« Reply #24 on: June 22, 2012, 08:35:44 am »
I ended up getting this (I'll never be without one again):
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brix-refractometer-w-atc.html

this thermometer, which works well and calibrated properly in the icebath
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/km14-high-temp-pocket-digital-thermometer.html

And I got this "lab grade" hydrometer for FG. It only goes to 1.070, but with the refractometer I don't need it for anything that high
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/lab-grade-hydrometer-1-000-1-070.html

Happy with all 3
"Well, the Mexicans got a saying - what cannot be remedied must be endured."

-Barbarosa