Thermometer Choice

[fields]

Hi Guys,

I had two digital thermometers to use for my still and both recently died, ... am currently looking to run them in a boka - one for the top and one for the port

Sorry for the ebay links - if someone has a more reliable link please advise me how to post it,

I had one simple probe thermometer for about two years; http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Digital-Cook ... 45f9930bbd

Which was ok - but has a slow time to update and auto shuts off after a while.... this was dropped into some icecream we were in the process of making the other day and died (not waterproof but what do you expect)

The other digital thermometer I had was one with an alarm from ebay that I thought sounded good, easy to read, does not auto turn off and reasonably cheap http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Digital-Food ... 1182wt_905

This was a horrible piece of junk, I tried calibrating in boiling water and the reading was off - after putting in the vapour stream from a kettle for 1 min the probe melted, was ok for another day then for whatever reason it thinks that room temperature is 50DC... got my money back

I was able to use two dial based cheesemaking thermometers but I could not get the precise measurements or rapid response time I'd prefer from a digital thermometer

I'm thinking that a thermo-couple type K would be best as I could leave the probes in and some online have the capacity to read 2 or 4 at a time...

I know that people say go online and buy one - I've done this twice and am now looking for something better, what do you guys use?

[busman]

Digital thermometer from Jaycar - stainless probe, 5000hr battery life, reads in .1 degree increments, accurate to within 1 degree (mine is spot on, I boiled the kettle, stuck it in and it read 100.0). $22 but you'll never need another one.

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=QM7216&keywords=digital+thermometer&form=KEYWORD

[torry73]

+1 on the jaycar thermometer. It has a fairly quick reaction time and has survived a few meetings with the floor.

[Sam.]

The one I use is very similar to the Jaycar one, the digital stick thermometer http://www.beerbelly.com.au/measuring.html

They are waterproof as well a mate of mine dropped his in his mash tun doing all grain beer and still works fine.

[maheel]

i have a few different ones and also have a k-type screw in thermocouple in my boka.

the issue with some k-type is you need to make sure you digital reader is able to be calibrated (and changed) to try to get them to read "correct" the cheap import ones might be "out" a fair amount. Mine is out a bit at "zero" but the pid i use to read it can be adjusted to get it to read more accurately.

I like it but still use it more as a guide to changes rather than being "super accurate"

some beer guys reckon these PT-100 things are better, i am not sure what reads them
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Thermocouple ... 2eb6be0fce

[fields]

Thanks Guys, I'm thinking i'll buy one jaycar one and one thermocouple and see how they both perform