Syrup thermometer recommendations?

[Arctic Fox]

It appears my short stem dial thermometer is wildly inaccurate (even after attempting to calibrate it as specified in the directions) and I'm considering either replacing it directly or trying a digital thermometer. I haven't used a digital thermometer for syrup before and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions one way or the other?

[bill m]

What exactly are you using the thermometer for so we know what to recommend.

[Arctic Fox]

What exactly are you using the thermometer for so we know what to recommend.

I should have been more specific. I'm referring to the syrup thermometer in the front pan.

[Sugarbush Ridge]

Short stem ,, that's your issue. Get a longer stem to get the tip further away from the side of pam.

[ecolbeck]

I'm curious about what conditions are causing the thermometer to behave in a way that tells you it has an issue.

[Arctic Fox]

I don't know exactly, but I suspect the thermometer may have been dropped and therefore something internally has lost calibration.

[ecolbeck]

So you did the thing where you place it in boiling water and set it to zero? What happens after that?

[Arctic Fox]

My pan is not compatible with a long stem because of the position of the bung on the pan. My thought is if short stems didn't work they wouldn't design pans to only be compatible with them.

[Arctic Fox]

So you did the thing where you place it in boiling water and set it to zero? What happens after that?
Yeah I tried that. When I installed it back in my pan and started boiling, the sap was not syrup at 7 degrees, it was more like 11 or 12 above the boiling point of water.

[ecolbeck]

As you probably know, the boiling point of water changes as atmospheric pressure changes. It is entirely possible that you set the thermometer in the morning and then the weather changed by the time your syrup was done later that day. A thermometer is really only a crude measure of syrup readiness, the most important tool is your hydrometer. I actually set my thermometer each day based on my hydrometer rather than boiling water. It’s both more convenient and accurate.

[Arctic Fox]

I am aware of that possiblity, but in my case I think it is so remote it isn't even worth considering, as I have tried this twice and had syrup ready or almost ready to draw off in less than 2 hours after I set the thermometer.

I agree that the hydrometer is the only true way to know the syrup is syrup, but having a thermometer that indicates somewhat close to syrup is quite handy.

I take it you use a dial thermometer and are happy with the results after you set it to your hydrometer reading?

[ecolbeck]

The thermometer works great as a reference once it is set. Even a thermometer that has error can still be useful as long as it’s consistent. Like I said, I boil until I get syrup based on the hydrometer and then set the thermometer to +7 and then continue to reference the thermometer for the rest of the boil. I bet you could do the same with yours even though it’s off.

[ebliese]

Just throwing this out there but it may already be known (and observed) that the bubble size will change when the sap is getting close to syrup.

[Openwater]

my maple thermometer is mounted in a port at an angle so the tip of the thermometer is about 1" from the bottom of the pan and I run around 1.25" depth. When the syrup/near-syrup really starts bubbling, doesn't all the bubbling in the syrup throw off the thermometer reading? How much of the thermometer tip must be submerged to give a correct reading? Will it show a wrong reading if the tip is touching the bottom of pan?

[Vtmbz]

I use a thermoworks chef alarm digital. It has an alarm and can be calibrated. There is an available 12” probe as well. I set it much closer to the bottom out of the bubbling. On my first draw of the day i test often with the hydrometer until i know what temp syrup will be, and then set my alarm to that point. Digital thermometers are so reactive once i get to the right temperature, i draw off with my installed analog thermometer, which doesnt change readings so often.

The issue with small pans is that theres so little syrup to sample in a draw before it gets thin. It makes getting a temperature reading difficult.

[Arctic Fox]

My thermometer may be more accurate than initially thought, as the syrup I've been getting has definitely been on the heavy side. I'll take a closer look at it in the coming boils and comment on what I observe.

[Pdiamond]

Openwater, my thermometer mounts similar to yours with the exception in that the tip is about 1/4 inch from the bottom of the pan. If the thermometer is touching the bottom of the syrup pan I do not believe you will get an accurate reading as the fire is in direct contact with the bottom of the pan.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

When I set up the probe up for our auto draw system, I put one of my fingers in the syrup and set the probe firm against it. 1/4"-3/8" above the bottom of the pan.

[Rockport]

Echo what ecolbeck says ! You will find it best whether selling or just for yourself and friends to use a hydrometer to get it "right" or finished. A thermometer or temp gauge is good to get you close and then to use as a draw off point or to use as the reference after checking with the hyrdometer. Hope that helps

[Maple Producer]

So I dont want to throw off topoic but could you use like a meat thermometer with a cord and fasten the probe on the divider and put the display on the steam hood? I too am struggling to know how to get a good thermometer!

[therealtreehugger]

I have had trouble getting what I believe is a reliable reading. The thermometer I am using mounts on the dividers, but when pushed down all the way, the protective metal frame is on the bottom and the bottom of the thermometer bulb is almost an inch from the bottom. I like to boil at about 1 to 1.25 inches, and when it really starts boiling, the temp goes up but it’s not close yet (so says the hydrometer). I think it is due to the steam from the bubbles, which can get much hotter than the liquid.

[Maple Producer]

I had somebody give me a hydrometer and now I just check it untill its done right on the evaporater! If you get a hydrometer I would advise this one from ease and simplicity! https://www.smokylakemaple.com/product/murphy-compensation-cup/

[maple flats]

I never worried about the accuracy of my thermometer probe after i got an auto draw. i started each day set on yesterday's setting on the auto draw, then as the first draw opened I caught and tested the density. I adjusted from there, until correct. That was before I bought a Marcland boil/baro meter. It gives you the exact boil temperature at that moment, then add 7.3F and that's where I set the auto draw, but then at the first auto draw I tested the density and adjusted if necessary. On my auto draw I had a temperature probe for each of 2 draw off locations, it seemed one was closer than the other, but once adjusted it was good. I also rechecked the meter every hour or two, as the boil temp changed, I then re-set the auto draw, but this time I just raised or reduced it whatever the boil meter showed for a change.
Before having that Marcland meter, I knew the boil temp changed during the day, but never quite grasped just how often it changed when I couldn't detect any change in the weather.

[tpathoulas]

My $.02 worth.
I use a ThermoPro digital thermometer but I went online and ordered after market waterproof probes. I stretch a bungee cord across my pan and hang the probe so it dangles just off the bottom of my pan as close to the middle as possible. If the probe touches any of the pan it reads higher then the actual syrup temp. And, if the probe gets bumped and takes a soaking, the waterproof probe keeps working as expected.
When calibrating my thermometers, I was taiught to put into ice water and expect a reading of 33 degrees F. If that is my zero, I would expect to reach syrup at 220.2 depending on the day/night.
Hoping sap starts to flow tomorrow here in southern MN.

[GramaCindy]

So I dont want to throw off topoic but could you use like a meat thermometer with a cord and fasten the probe on the divider and put the display on the steam hood? I too am struggling to know how to get a good thermometer!I'm pretty sure that a meat thermometer isn't made to go above 200*.