i am in the process of commissioning a small brewery with 2 fermenters and 1 brite beer tank. one of the vessels has a 12" thermocouple with a micromega controller. the TC is threaded into the thermowell (although the housing cap was cross-threaded and probably needs to be replaced).
the other two have been retrofitted with ranco controllers. the the ranco controllers come with about a 2" thermistor and 8' lead hard-wired into the controller. these thermistor were just shoved into the thermowells with some insulation backing (on the side for the fv and on the bottom for the bbt).
first of all, is this a reasonablably accurate method for temperature sensing? i have a friend that is a controls engineer and is going to wire up a scavenged PLC for controlling all of the tanks. should we invest in two more 12" thermocouples or try to scavenge the thermistors off the ranco controllers or buy new thermistors?
on another note, what type of temperature differential exists between the tank thermowell and the actual beer inside? is this something that bears investigation?
tia,
matt
the other two have been retrofitted with ranco controllers. the the ranco controllers come with about a 2" thermistor and 8' lead hard-wired into the controller. these thermistor were just shoved into the thermowells with some insulation backing (on the side for the fv and on the bottom for the bbt).
first of all, is this a reasonablably accurate method for temperature sensing? i have a friend that is a controls engineer and is going to wire up a scavenged PLC for controlling all of the tanks. should we invest in two more 12" thermocouples or try to scavenge the thermistors off the ranco controllers or buy new thermistors?
on another note, what type of temperature differential exists between the tank thermowell and the actual beer inside? is this something that bears investigation?
tia,
matt
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