Dial Thermometer options

[smokeyamber]

I am looking at adding a 5" dial thermometer to my syrup pan for next season due to the digital letting me down due to probe location. I see the Leader 5" and like the setback option, how does everyone like it ? I also found this one that has a swivel head that would help when I am standing at the evap, http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/Shopping/Catalog/Sensors_-z-_Encoders/Temperature_Sensors_-a-_Thermometers/Bi-Metal_Dial_Thermometers_%283_-a-_5_Inch_Dials%29/5_Inch_Dial/T50-0250-9A is this a big deal or does the angled non-swivel work well enough ?

Thanks for any input on this.. :D

[sirsapsalot]

I bought these because of the price.http://www.sugarbush.info/forsale/showproduct.php?product=111&title=finishing-dial-thermometers5-26quot-3b-and-3-26quot-3b&cat=9

[happy thoughts]

smokey- that's a bimetal thermometer and of all the different types these are the least accurate and often extremely off. Save your money. You are better off with a digital. The most accurate of the digitals are those called thermocouples. See this link for more buying info on cooking thermometers. Though geared toward barbecuing there's a lot of useful info there...

http://www.amazingribs.com/BBQ_buyers_guide/thermometer_buying_guide.html

[SapZilla]

smokey- that's a bimetal thermometer and of all the different types these are the least accurate and often extremely off. Save your money. You are better off with a digital. The most accurate of the digitals are those called thermocouples. See this link for more buying info on cooking thermometers. Though geared toward barbecuing there's a lot of useful info there...

http://www.amazingribs.com/BBQ_buyers_guide/thermometer_buying_guide.html

I think pretty much everyone who has used both, including myself, will tell you that the dials are far better then the digital ones. Smokeyamber, you are on the right track with the 5" dials. You will love how accurate they are and how easy to read the marks are on the 5" face. Buy them from smokylake maple. His number is 920.202.4500. Nice guy, best price.

[lastwoodsman]

While I am new to this and the first year of using my new pans I found with a 9 inch stem 5 inch dial and caliberating them every morning in boiling water they were not even close. Now I will mention I have only about 1 1/2 inch of syrup running in my syrup pan which means only about 1 inch of a 9 inch stem is in the sryup at any given time.

I also Calibrated them to the boiling syrup at drawoff after checking with a hydrometer and that got them close but not near perfect.
I am at a loss at what to do. I am watching this thread with great interest to find a solution. I thought of buying a leader thermometer to see how that would work.
I also calibrated the thermometers with only 1 inch in boiling water instead of three inches and it helped a little.
Anyone have any ideas? Right now I can draw off by watching the bubbles and using a hydrometer can be really close.
Woodsman