Can I attach a thermocouple here?

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: Can I attach a thermocouple here?

I have the same Aldi stand

If you use the same clamp method for holding the heat gun as Crema has
and need sliding height adjustment as required for heat control try reversing the handle

To avoid burning ones hands and have up/down adjustment

You can reverse the handle it so it sticks out the other end and not over the heat of the BM
You can do this in two ways
1) slightly longer bolt to post end (3 to 4 mil)
2) or drill larger hole on front end of handle to use the current shorter bolt

And just put it together
I am sure this a good safe mod

KK

[yeeza]

Re: Can I attach a thermocouple here?

Just a thought - I have the same Aldi drill stand and was going to mount my HG the same way you have, but thought that the clamp holding the nozzle of the gun might get a bit hot. I ended up cable tying it to the handle of the press for the long reach to avoid this. Let me know if it gets too hot! If not, I might give that a go.

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: Can I attach a thermocouple here?

Thats a good job Crema

KK

[Dimal]

Re: Can I attach a thermocouple here?

Excellent ck... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Mal.

Re: Can I attach a thermocouple here?

I have now wrapped my thermocouple in fibreglass sleeving as per pics + I have left 5mm of the probe unsheathed. I also bought a flexible wire TC just in case. It is reasonably stable and easy to take out, clears the side and the stirrer blade and hardly moves with 500g green beans in.

[hazbean]

Re: Can I attach a thermocouple here?

I used one of the wire type pictured above (reply #6) for a long time, both
inserted through the bottom of an iRoast, and also in a breadmaker,
where I drilled a small hole in the bottom corner diagonally opposite
the HG -- inserted only a few mm so that it would come out easily when
I lifted the BM pan. If you dont want to drill, then tubing would be best.
I tried at first just letting it dangle and pushing it under the beans with a
stirring spoon, but that just doesnt work -- so I drilled.

[Dimal]

Re: Can I attach a thermocouple here?

Silicone Tubing (non-heat conducting) would work well too. Can probably be found in electric motor rewind shops, etc.... For that matter, so could the f/glass tubing.

I just use the wire-type t/c you have pictured ck and have never had any problems with it. If the bead ever breaks, its very easy to repair so should last a long, long time. If you end up not being happy with the "floppy" nature of the wire t/c, you can grab some small diameter aluminium or brass tubing to thread the wire through such that just the t/c junction is exposed and immersed in the bean mass; just need to make sure that the naked bead does not contact the metal tubing as this will sink away some of the heat being measured. All the best mate....

Mal.

Re: Can I attach a thermocouple here?

You can grab some fibreglass insulating sleeve to slip over the current probe

I can get VIDAFLEX fibreglass Sleeving from Jaycar. Took a long time tracking it as I was googling for tubing. Anyway going by their website it looks similar to what Thundergod kindly gave me but I will still need to get more so at $4.95 a metre it sounds good.

[yeeza]

Re: Can I attach a thermocouple here?

You can grab some fibreglass insulating sleeve to slip over the current probe. Ive got both and looking at (in front of me right now) the one youve got the pic of (probeless) its pretty flimsy. The TC is right on the end of the wire and its just asking to be ripped off (or belted off by beans).

[NewToEspresso]

Re: Can I attach a thermocouple here?

Just to confirm with the others here, the black bit and the yellow bit even will melt in the heat. And I think it melts way under the 235 mark. Ive got the evidence to prove it. When I first started roasting, I wasnt keen on drilling holes either so I had to try and measure the temp like you did but I used tongs to hold the probe. Tongs ok, beans ok, BM ok, probe... er... probe... black and yellow bits showed signs of melting and kinked a little, and that was before we even got near first crack.

Re: Can I attach a thermocouple here?

PM this is the wire Thermocouple from Jaycar, looks cool (will get hot hopefully).
I guess the covering is insulation material.

Re: Can I attach a thermocouple here?

So I know it will melt at 235C or less.

Well, I guess with that little gem, there is only one of the two options by KK and PM left to consider.

Unless some else comes up with a super solution I guess we need go no further with this thread.

thanx guys

[speleomike]

Re: Can I attach a thermocouple here?

Hi
I did find the TC plastic melted at the outlet of my Gene Cafe so had to change its position. So I know it will melt at 235C or less.
Mike

Re: Can I attach a thermocouple here?

What about using one of the wire type thermocouples (no probe, no plastic bits) attached to some sturdy wire? Jaycar sells them for $10. Then you wont need to worry about damaging the plastic.

With the money I am saving by scrapping my TO project I guess ten bucks might be a good investment in this case.

Thanx KK and PM I now have two options.

[PhilMac]

Re: Can I attach a thermocouple here?

What about using one of the wire type thermocouples (no probe, no plastic bits) attached to some sturdy wire? Jaycar sells them for $10. Then you wont need to worry about damaging the plastic.

Cheers