Thermometer for evaporator question

[mspina14]

I just finished cleaning up my pans for the season.

pans.jpg

Definitely my least favorite part about sugar making.

I'm already thinking about what changes I want to install for next year.

One of the problems I have on my evaporator is the location of the thermometers in the syrup pan. My syrup pan has 2 thermometers, one on each side: one next to the draw-off valve and one next to the sap intake from the flue pan. They are dial thermometers with a 1/4 thread that screws into the side of the syrup pan. A 4" temperature probe extends into the syrup pan.

Thermometer 2.jpg Thermometer 1.jpg

My problem is that I have a hard time seeing the temperature during a boil. I'm 6'3" and usually stand at the front of the evaporator to load wood. My shack is small and it's a pain to have to bend down to check the sap temperature on the dial on the side of the pan.

I was wondering if there is a digital thermometer that attaches to a screw-in probe with a long wire. It'd be great if I had the thermometer at eye level so I can just glance at it to see if the sap it nearing draw-off temperature.

Anyone use something like this?

thanks

Mark

[wiam]

I just finished cleaning up my pans for the season.

Attachment 16442

Definitely my least favorite part about sugar making.

I'm already thinking about what changes I want to install for next year.

One of the problems I have on my evaporator is the location of the thermometers in the syrup pan. My syrup pan has 2 thermometers, one on each side: one next to the draw-off valve and one next to the sap intake from the flue pan. They are dial thermometers with a 1/4 thread that screws into the side of the syrup pan. A 4" temperature probe extends into the syrup pan.

Attachment 16440 Attachment 16441

My problem is that I have a hard time seeing the temperature during a boil. I'm 6'3" and usually stand at the front of the evaporator to load wood. My shack is small and it's a pain to have to bend down to check the sap temperature on the dial on the side of the pan.

I was wondering if there is a digital thermometer that attaches to a screw-in probe with a long wire. It'd be great if I had the thermometer at eye level so I can just glance at it to see if the sap it nearing draw-off temperature.

Anyone use something like this?

thanks

Mark

Here is my homemade. Sideways. Wish maple trader would fix that. Happens a lot when uploading from my phone. Pid's came from eBay. Probes are from Auberins, come with different mount options. Listed as maple probes. Bottom number is stack temp. That has a high temp probe from eBay.

[mspina14]

Thanks William.

I did a quick look on ebay and Auberins.

Looks like I could make a simple digital thermometer with a screw-in temperature probe for about $60.00.

Sweet!

Thanks.

Mark

[johnpma]

Mark bought a heat control and a type K thermocouple
On ebay Configured the control for the correct T/C probe and it worked like a charm

[Bricklayer]

I originally bought this digital thermometer from auber last year for my evaporator. I ended up buying an autodraw kit instead. But the digital thermometer is great because it has set temp alarm. Only thing you would gave to do is notify auber about needing a different non pointed probe and a compression fitting to attach it to pan.

[wiam]

I used 1/4" stereo jacks for connectors for the probes going into the box. That way I can remove them for cleaning or storage in off season.

[n8hutch]

Nice looking units you guys made, I sure wish I was better at working with those kind of things, I'd love to have something like that myself.