Thermowell or long probe??

[-Bezza-]

As I'm working on tweaking my Burco boiler, I'm struggling to find a conclusive answer on a couple of questions around controlling the temperature.

My plan is to bypass the thermal cutout on the boiler (or replace it with a toggle switch) and then use an Inkwell ITC-308S to control the heating. Is it just sensible to get the one with the 12" probe and simply clip it to the inside of the boiler - I'm thinking that where part of the probe is out of the wort it won't adversely affect temperature readings.

Alternatively, if a thermowell is the better answer, how snug does the probe need to be in the thermowell for it to be effective? Inkbirds look to have a 6mm diameter on the probe, so do I need a 6mm ID on the thermowell or will an 8mm one be ok (plenty of 8mm for cheap on ebay but not 6mm).

Or is there a better solution that I've not considered here?

 

[BarnBrian]

As I'm working on tweaking my Burco boiler, I'm struggling to find a conclusive answer on a couple of questions around controlling the temperature.

My plan is to bypass the thermal cutout on the boiler (or replace it with a toggle switch) and then use an Inkwell ITC-308S to control the heating. Is it just sensible to get the one with the 12" probe and simply clip it to the inside of the boiler - I'm thinking that where part of the probe is out of the wort it won't adversely affect temperature readings.

Alternatively, if a thermowell is the better answer, how snug does the probe need to be in the thermowell for it to be effective? Inkbirds look to have a 6mm diameter on the probe, so do I need a 6mm ID on the thermowell or will an 8mm one be ok (plenty of 8mm for cheap on ebay but not 6mm).

Or is there a better solution that I've not considered here?

8mm will be fine for the thermowell.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
For the boil kettle, why do you need temperature control?

 

[-Bezza-]

Hi!
For the boil kettle, why do you need temperature control?

Good question!

I want to do a few more BIAB in the Burco before moving things up a gear (either modifying the Burco further or buying an all-in-one). The plan was to mash in the Burco, using the inkwell to control temperatures accordingly. I'd then do a dunk sparge in a my 20l SS pan (having heated water on the hob), before combining everything back in the Burco for the boil.

 

[AdeDunn]

I was doing something similar with my ACE Bezza. Only rather than doing a dunk sparge, I'd drain the boiler after mashing and then do a sort of fly sparge with the grain bag still in the boiler, recirculating the sparge. This gave me a good SG from my sparge, and nice clear runnings too. I'd then lift my grain bag onto a clean FV to drain, and drain the sparge runnings into the same bucket as my mash wort.

Next I'd clean out the bottom of my boiler, as it'd still have some floury substance left in there, then put the contents of the FV back in for the boil, topping up with drainings from the grain bag.

So not really true BIAB, but gave me really excellent efficiency, and clear wort to boot.