Adding a thermometer

[coastie]

Anyone put a thermometer through the side of a hotel pan? I have a leader thermometer that I would like to install my barrel evaporator parallel to the bottom of one of the pans. How far from the bottom the should the thermometer be? Can I use a weldless setup like for a brew kettle or do I need to weld in a nipple? Thank you.

[maple flats]

Not on hotel pans, but I soldered a fitting in a syrup pan for a thermometer, 2 in fact, one for each side. It was a copper fitting into a SS pan.

[Shaun]

I have soldered a 1/4 inch stainless nipple into a very thin hotel pan. Used lenox stainless flux. Worked very well to my surprise.

[coastie]

How far from the bottom should the thermometer be?

[Shaun]

Hard to say not knowing your exact setup. Really just has to be submerged. If at an angle I would say about 2 inches of the thermometer should be submerged. A lot of syrup pans the thermometer is angled, some not.

[brass maple]

Should be about a 1/4 inch from the bottom. That way if you boil down to an inch you still are covered