Easier to read thermometer?

[buck3m]

I've got my new-to-me setup in operation and it's working well. I'm not impressed with the thermometer design, however. (it's a standard thermometer so maybe it's just me!)

It's at about waist level and I have to crouch/sit down to read it squarely and accurately.

It's a hassle adjusting it when it's hot, so I don't. I just vary the draw-off reading depending on what the hydrometer says.

The numbers go from 0-50. Why? Maybe I'm missing something here, but it seems the range I want to see is from boiling to maybe 12 degrees above boiling. Much wider spacing of these numbers would make it much easier to read.

I was really interested in digital thermometers but it looks like they are accurate only to within 1%, which is about 2 deg.

[PerryW]

It's a hassle adjusting it when it's hot, so I don't. I just vary the draw-off reading depending on what the hydrometer says.

That's what I do. Yesterday, syrup came of at 8 on the dial thermometer (instead of 7)

The numbers go from 0-50. Why? Maybe I'm missing something here, but it seems the range I want to see is from boiling to maybe 12 degrees above boiling. Much wider spacing of these numbers would make it much easier to read.

Darned if I know why they all go up to 50 !?!. Maybe for candy making? I think the reason is: It is difficult to build a mechanical device that measures resolutions of less than a degree.

Thermometers are just a guide to know when to start checking with the hydrometer. I repeatedly fill and refill the test cup during the entire takeoff as many as 10 times per drawoff. This allows me to average all the test readings for more accurate syrup density. You would be surprised at how the density varies up and down during the take-off, but the dial thermometer just sits there and hardly changes.