What level of accuracy is required in a thermometer used in a still? +/- 1 degree F? +/- .1 degree F?


Would a digital fryer thermometer do the trick?

Wow, it's been ages since I've written anything here..

I've recently received a thermometer from Fisher Scientific. It's their least expensive remote probe digital with hi and low alarms. Great peice of kit. It cost £21.

I've been using various thermometers whilst brewing and distilling for quite some time. It's really handy to know things like the temperature of the mash so you don't kill the enzymes and likewise of the wort so you know when to pitch in the yeast.

I'm sure you would find it interesting knowing what happens at the various temperatures if nothing else. On the other hand it can be very usefull. I have mine to ring the alarm at the temperature where the tails start come out. Of course this temperature depends on the smmount of tails present and thus on what your distilling as well as the dynamics of your still. With a little note takeing you'll soon have alarm temps for your chosen brew.

Chaars
Phil

I feel you should strongly think of where the thermometer is placed inside the column, that is if you are using a reflux still. I happened to think of a peculiar problem when designing my stillhead. Think, what is it that you want to measure the temperature of? If it is the vapor temp, which I think would be what you want as that is the boiling temp of the most volatile componets ,at the top of the column of course,. So make sure it is ONLY in contact with the vapor, NOT the reflux liquid which is COLDER than the vapor I assume. Give this a thought.