Faulty thermometer

[Howard Taylor]

Hi All,

I have an old Boots brand Floating beer makers Thermometer, had it for about 30 years. Its given me great service. For my latest brew went to measure the wort temperature prior to adding yeast, found my trusty thermometer looking like the photo, so how do I get the red fluid back in the bulb? Tried shaking it, putting in boiling water, freezing it, nothing works. Any ideas? I know I could buy a new digital thermometer, but I'm kind of sentimental about this one!

Regards,
Howard

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Skip to 24 seconds.

 

[Howard Taylor]

Thanks Chippy Tea. Wonder how I'm going to secure it well enough that it doesn't fly off and smash!

 

[terrym]

Try putting the bulb in boiling water, so that the lower column expands into the top column, then allow to cool. This usually fixes broken liquid columns. Worth a try
And I had one one of the old Boots thermometers, but dropped it on the worktop last year. ☹

 

[MyQul]

If the above doesnt work you could just get another spirit thermometer from ebay for a few quid. That's what I bought when my last digital one died

 

[terrym]

If the above doesnt work you could just get another spirit thermometer from ebay for a few quid. That's what I bought when my last digital one died

Umm. I bought a replacement liquid in glass thermometer from an online HBS and found it was out by at least 2*C. so don't use it, since my cheapo digital is far more accurate (although in general I am not one who works to National Physical Laboratory standards )

 

[MyQul]

Umm. I bought a replacement liquid in glass thermometer from an online HBS and found it was out by at least 2*C. so don't use it, since my cheapo digital is far more accurate (although in general I am not one who works to National Physical Laboratory standards )

I think it's pot luck when buying cheap thermometers on ebay. I bought a cheapo digital one that was accurate (when tested in boiling water and ice water) which I used for a couple of years. But then it finally died. So I bought another one that looked the same. But that was wildly inaccurate, so I bought a spirit one that seems to accurate. I doubt very much whether any of the cheapo Ebay thermometers I've ever bought are up to National Physical Laboratory standards though

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks Chippy Tea. Wonder how I'm going to secure it well enough that it doesn't fly off and smash!

Mine is like the one on the video and has a notch near the top I guess yours doesn't, could you put it inside a tube and attach the string to that.

 

[Banbeer]

could you put it inside a tube and attach the string to that.

Or just put it in a bag and swing it around.

 

[Howard Taylor]

Doh! Didn't think about either of those simple solutions! Must be getting old! Well 67. Thanks Chippy Tea and Banbeer.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Let us know if either work.

 

[Drunkula]

Wrap masking tape around it then use a constrictor hitch or boa on it and it'll grip it like crazy.

 

[Howard Taylor]

Hi all, I put the thermometer in a plastic bag, wrapped tightly around it then secured with plastic bands at each end. The bag was one of those thin ones you get (or used to!) in supermarkets to put fruit/veg in, so it has a couple of “handles” as part of the bag. Twisted those together and knitted them to a piece of twine. Swung the who thing rapidly for about a minute as shown on the video. It worked well!!! Thermometer is now as it should be. Thanks for the help everyone, it’s really appreciated. My Young’s IPA brew is coming along fine now. A great kit I would recommend to all. This is my fourth batch to date!

 

[kelper]

Thanks for coming back and advising success.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Glad it worked thumb