Probe for auto draw off

[tonka]

What kind of life span do you guys get from your temperature probe off your auto draw off systems?

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

2 years so far and no issues. We soak it in acid a few times per season and gently run some steel wool up and down the bottom half of the probe. Any caked on syrup comes right off and it looks like new.

[regor0]

9 years for mine so far. I always keep a spare just in case. I have found the cables that are in stainless mesh are horrible, they break constantly, get the ones that have silicone casing on the wires.


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[bill m]

A have a Marcland and I just replaced the probe this year. I bought it in 1997 so 23 years. The reason I had to replace it is because I think I broke it. It had a 90 degree bend about 3 inches in from the end because of the way I had it in my old syrup pan. On my new Revolution pan I needed it to be straight and after I straightened it out it didn't work any more. If I didn't try to straighten it I don't know how long it may have lasted.

[maple flats]

One of my probes is 5 yrs old (that was when I bought my auto draw), the other probe I got in a deal with several used parts and equipment, over 12 years ago, I have no idea how old that probe might be. I only clean my probes as I flush the front pan with hot permeate.

[Bricklayer]

I got 3 years out of my probe from Auber Instruments. My fault though. When I took it out to clean it I would always thread it out and not use the compression fitting and slide it out. So I had a small break in one of the wires. Noticed it at end of season. Was getting all these weird temps and swings in temp not normal. I bought a new PT 100 with a stainless steel braided wire that completely covers the whole wire from end to end. Way tougher.

[regor0]

I got 3 years out of my probe from Auber Instruments. My fault though. When I took it out to clean it I would always thread it out and not use the compression fitting and slide it out. So I had a small break in one of the wires. Noticed it at end of season. Was getting all these weird temps and swings in temp not normal. I bought a new PT 100 with a stainless steel braided wire that completely covers the whole wire from end to end. Way tougher.

Better buy a couple more. I used to buy the stainless braided wire, they are absolutely junk. The braid will kink and break the wire. Since I switched to the silicone covered I have never broke a single wire.


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[Bricklayer]

The silicone was what I had. The probe is the exact same as the CDL modulating drawoff probe. Not a cheap Chinese braided stainless probe. Was around $160. Better last.

[regor0]

The ones I had were from auber, about $20, probably from China. Went through a bunch before I switched to the silicone covered ones.


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[West Sumner Sugar]

Do you have a link to the silicone coated probes? We too have run the stainless braided ones and they fail and fray like crazy.

[ennismaple]

Our first one lasted maybe 15 years. The newer one has been maybe 5. Since we switch out our front pans daily we went with the vertical probe holder that Lapierre sells so we can easily move the probe without having to screw it in and out of syrup pans. The added benefit is the probe gets soaked in permeate every night so it's always nitre free at the start of each boil.