Use of infrared or laser thermometers

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by cates1tg, Aug 1, 2014.

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  1. cates1tg

    cates1tg Initiate (0) Jul 18, 2010 Michigan

    What are your thoughts? My concern is that it would be surface temp, but I don't really know the specifics either way. Thanks!
     
  2. hoptualBrew

    hoptualBrew Initiate (0) May 29, 2011 Florida

    I've used it in commercial setting a while back and it was accurate +/- a degree from the thermowell.
     
  3. scurvy311

    scurvy311 Savant (1,111) Dec 3, 2005 Louisiana

    I have one I use a lot for cooking, but I find it indespensible for checking starter temps falling during cooling. I drop my flask into cold water and let it sit for 10 minutes. After that I can handle the flask andnswirlmit to get it moving and shoot it to check to see if I'm at pitching temps. No guessing and nothing touches starter wort before yeast and stir bar.

    I use it to check the temp of my small sample of wort before I put a few drops on the refractometer.
     
  4. udubdawg

    udubdawg Initiate (0) Dec 11, 2006 Kansas

    it's something I use during mead/cider fermentation to tell me at a glance if I should take a closer look. Kinda like the pH meter on my reef tank; can see the number on either from a distance as I walk by.

    starter temps and wort temp during cooling - indispensible.

    plus, my dog gets exercise chasing the dot, while I sit there and drink beer.
     
  5. ronobvious2

    ronobvious2 Initiate (0) Aug 24, 2010 Tennessee

    Curious. What's a suitable model for this kind of application and/or cooking?
     
  6. mikehartigan

    mikehartigan Maven (1,397) Apr 9, 2007 Illinois

    I may be speaking out of turn, but,like so many other cookie-cutter technology toys, these are looking more and more like commodity items. Widely available on ebay, shipped directly from China, for $10-$15. No doubt a Fluke has its advantages, but it may be overkill in the home brewery.
     
  7. cates1tg

    cates1tg Initiate (0) Jul 18, 2010 Michigan

    Well in case anybody is in the market, Newegg has a Rosewill infrared thermometer on sale for 23.99 with an 8 dollar promotional code EMCPCHA95 and free shipping bringing the grand total to 16 bucks.
    Here's the link if you're interested
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16896268001
     
  8. spartan1979

    spartan1979 Pundit (946) Dec 29, 2005 Missouri

    I put the stir bar in the wort before I boil it.
     
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  9. scurvy311

    scurvy311 Savant (1,111) Dec 3, 2005 Louisiana

    I deformed the coating on my first one to the point where it wouldn't spin in the middle reliably any more. It was sitting in the flask over one of the cast supports on my gas cooktop. Now I just clean it well and before use soak it in starsan.
     
  10. bushycook

    bushycook Initiate (0) Jan 31, 2011 Virginia

    I've got one, and use it quite a bit. Only thing I don't trust it for is checking mash temp, you're only getting a reading from the top layer.
     
  11. Tebuken

    Tebuken Initiate (0) Jun 6, 2009 Argentina

    I use it to know beer temp right before force carbing to adjust the correct gas pressure.
     
  12. dennho

    dennho Initiate (0) Oct 29, 2006 New York

    They are not intended for liquid or anything shiny or that reflects light. I use one and I add 5% to the reading and I'm close. I wouldn't use it for an important temperature reading. I shoot the top of my wort when it's reaching boiling temperature. When I see around 200 I know it's close to boiling.
    20 years ago they were several hundred dollars. I got one on Amazon for fifteen bucks that just as accurate as a Fluke.
     
  13. Adirondack47

    Adirondack47 Initiate (0) Dec 25, 2013 New York

    Im wondering how one of these would work for gauging the temperature of the water in a swamp cooler and or the exterior temperature of the carboy in it. It doesn't exactly call for extreme precision but might be an easy way to make an otherwise arduous task a little bit easier. Anybody used one of these effectively for such a purpose?
     
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