Recommendations for dual probe thermometer

[AleofWight]

Hi all as title, I'm not allowed a brew fridge so I'm going to do water bath fermentation. I'd like to measure both the water temp and the wort temp preferably with alarms and maybe bluetooth. Looked at inkbird IB2 2x (or something) does anyone have a better example?

Cheers

 

[britton]

They will both be the same, might as well just get a single channel one.

 

[Dutto]

Aquarium heaters are:

• Accurate.
• Reliable.
• Cheap.

They are superb bits of kit so all I ever do is:

• Insulate the trug and FV with an old duvet cover.
• Install a temperature probe in the water, tight up against the FV and on the far side of the trug from the heater.
• SLOWLY adjust (over one or two days) the aquarium heater setting so that I get the required temperature, as shown by the probe. (*)

The temperature probe then shows a temperature that is very close to that of the wort in the FV.

I don't recommend putting a temperature probe inside the FV. It is unnecessary and also a potential source of infection.

Hope this helps. :thumb:

(*) I recommend that the temperature of the Aquarium Heater is set to the desired temperature prior to using it to ferment a brew. That way, the in situ adjustments are +/- 2*C and don't stress the yeast.

 

[Clint]

Not allowed...? Just get one...you could be under a bus tomorrow.

 

[Fil]

i would suggest a calibration 'wet run' with the heater in a beer free waterbath to double check the built in thermometer/controllers accuracy with a known good thermometer. That way if it reads wide you can accommodate that with and adjusted setting before use with valuable beer.

 

[110ben]

When i used to use a trug i had a pump as well as heater. About a fiver and the water is kept moving over the heater and round the trug so no hot or cold spots.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aquarium...hash=item485a82e1cc:m:m-MJoPnMMOXmUX6bvUMz7Cw

 

[AleofWight]

Not allowed...? Just get one...you could be under a bus tomorrow.

Can't put one in the house and no electricity in the garage.
I pick and choose my fights.

 

[Clint]

I think you might only need to heat it during the winter..when I brewed in the house on the kitchen worktops,the only problem I found was keeping the brew cool in the summer. I used to wrap the fv in wet towels which worked to an extent. The other option this time of year is to brew beers that don't mind it a bit warmer.

 

[AleofWight]

I think you might only need to heat it during the winter..when I brewed in the house on the kitchen worktops,the only problem I found was keeping the brew cool in the summer. I used to wrap the fv in wet towels which worked to an extent. The other option this time of year is to brew beers that don't mind it a bit warmer.

Yep that's what I'm doing. Not fussed about heat. Cheers

 

[Llamaman]

If you want to cool rather than warm, I've had the same issues brewing without a brew fridge. My solution was an IceProbe - it's a peltier-powered aquarium chiller. It's very similar to the BrewJacket, except that I've rigged it up to go through the side of the FV rather than down through the lid (the rod is much shorter than the BrewJacket). Cost me about £120 imported from the US, which is about a third of what a BrewJacket costs.
I've had no problems keeping 12L brews at 20C (and went down to 18C as a test as well) even in the recent heat, with my brew cupboard reaching 27C. I'm now stepping up to 20-25L and I'm pretty confident it'll cope.

 

[AleofWight]

Thanks, I had read about them I think when I was considering a brew jacket. Have you got a photo of the setup?

 

[Llamaman]

Thanks, I had read about them I think when I was considering a brew jacket. Have you got a photo of the setup?

Not at the moment - I took it off my 15L (which is now in the shed) to add to the 30L Brupaks fermenter I bought (and broke - I drilled too close to the handles so the nut won't tighten fully - doh!)

I'll reattach it in the next day or two and post a photo. I've been meaning to do this anyway as I keep banging on about the IceProbe

 

[AleofWight]

Ha, they do look like a great alternative to the brew jacket.
I'll enquire about shipping I think.

Cheers

 

[Llamaman]

I got mine from Amazon using their global shipping service.

 

[Llamaman]

Here are some pics of the setup in a 15L Young’s bucket;

 

[Llamaman]

Sorry about the awful pics - it was late and bed was calling!

 

[AleofWight]

Pics are pics, they help thanks.

 

[AleofWight]

I have now got a fermentation fridge with ITC 1000