+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 20

Thread: Best Digital thermometer?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Covington OH
    Posts
    56

    Default Best Digital thermometer?

    I've tried a couple different $30-$50 digital thermometers that do not last. Any suggestions for a quality long stem digital thermometer for a decent price?
    Thanks, Braden
    2000 taps, 3x10 Oil Fired, 3 post H2O RO, WesFab filter press

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Middlebury Center, PA
    Posts
    1,391

    Default

    What are you using it for? I got mine from Lapierre Dealer works great and has lasted 2 seasons I use it for my tank washer on my RO and sometimes to check syrup. I know some can't handle the constant moisture of say steam coming off evaporator.
    Jared

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Brookfield, Nova Scotia
    Posts
    250

    Default

    Check out these. They work great.
    http://www.thermoworks.com/
    2'x4' Smoky Lake Hybrid Pan
    Copper parallel flow preheater & hood
    17'x12' Sugar Shack
    130 taps
    Two chocolate labs to help collect sap
    Brookfield, Nova Scotia

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Barnet, VT
    Posts
    2,580

    Default

    Have pretty good luck with these.

    http://m.ebay.com/itm/Maverick-CT-03...209?nav=SEARCH

    I have seen them at Maple dealers for $35
    William
    950 taps
    3 X 12 Thor pans on a Brian Arch
    CDL 600 expandable

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Putnam County, Ohio
    Posts
    377

    Default

    The Maverick thermometer looks a lot like the one I got from Leader. I got it because I could get a more instant and exact reading for syrup temp than with the thermometer that came with my turkey fryer that was a dial thermometer. The temps on the dial thermometer look more realistic though and I don't really trust the digital one. They certainly don't agree. I just checked it and there is no name on it as to who made it, only that it was...made in China.
    RC Maple

    14X14 sugarhouse - new for 2012
    RO Bucket - RB10 - New for 2019
    2x3 barrel evaporator with continuous flow pan
    55 taps - most on buckets
    This is next year!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by wiam View Post
    Have pretty good luck with these.

    http://m.ebay.com/itm/Maverick-CT-03...209?nav=SEARCH

    I have seen them at Maple dealers for $35
    I used the Maverick, worked perfectly for 2 years.....until I dropped it in the boiling finisher. I got it out in a couple of seconds, but it no longer worked. I now bought 2, so I have a spare. My 1st one was $35 at a Leader dealer. My new ones were $19.99 online + $4.99 ship.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Bangor, ME
    Posts
    32

    Default

    I 2nd Pibster's suggestion. The Thermoworks ultra-fast thermapen is the gold standard in my opinion. Worth the investment.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Hopkinton, MA
    Posts
    1,778

    Default

    I use this Taylor thermometer:
    http://www.target.com/p/taylor-gourm...or+thermometer

    I like that it has a long, wire probe that I can put anywhere and leave the unit itself on the counter or beside the evaporator. What I like most though, is I can set my own target temperature and set an alarm for it. For me, that is worth its weight in gold. More than once it has caught me chatting with someone or outside the sugarhouse doing something. I use it from the evaporator right through to bottling in the off season.

    The downsides are real, though. I've experienced the same things the people in the reviews have. When they go (and they do go), they give inaccurate temp readings - an obvious deal breaker, right? My way around that is to always have another ready to go. At $17, it's worth it. The shortest time I've had one fail is less than a year, but my current one is about to finish year two.

    I would love to have this same functionality from a reliable unit.

    Sean
    Last edited by SeanD; 10-24-2015 at 07:56 AM.
    Woodville Maples
    www.woodvillemaples.com
    www.facebook.com/woodvillemaples
    Around 300 taps on tubing, 25+ on buckets if I put them out
    Mix of natural and mechanical vac, S3 Controller from Mountain Maple
    2x6 W.F. Mason with Phaneuf pans
    Deer Run 250 RO
    Ford F350
    6+ hives of bees (if they make it through the winters)
    Keeping the day job until I can start living the dream.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Chaplin, Connecticut
    Posts
    297

    Default

    Having gone through a few of these thermometers, I realized that the weak point is the connection between the stainless probe and the flexible mesh connection. Submerging this connection into the syrup shorts out the wiring.
    I haven't had any issues since I keep the flex part above the hot syrup.
    2 1/2 X 8 Leader revolution pans on an inferno arch with steamaway. 1500 taps, 600 gph Springtech RO, 3 vacuum systems (3/4 hp. Airablo, 2 hp. Tuthill oilring pump and a 2 hp. Busch claw pump)
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/batsofbedlam/

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    SW Wisconsin
    Posts
    3

    Default Digital Thermometers

    I have tried several of the digital Thermometers with not much luck. Tried the Taylor wire braid probe from "Wal-Mart" -failed- Took it back got a new one -failed- Thought I would upgrade and bought a UET DT 15A at a lot higher price. First batch worked great, second -failed-. This year I just got a ThermoWorks "ThermaQ" with a HD wire probe K 39 has a Teflon Tip for steam boiling water. Talked to a rep. at office, she recommended this for my needs. As with all we shall see. They were very nice to deal with and talked to a person first ring! I am in Wisconsin and tap about first week in March.

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts