AndyPanda Said:

I won't have a chance to take pics for a few days.  But here is the thermometer I use:
Click Here (www.bedbathandbeyond.com)

I carefully pry the case apart (this is how you would replace the battery if you ever needed to) and lift the digital display portion out of the plastic shell ... I've done several of these and on "most" the wire simply slides easily out of the metal probe ... but I did have one where the wire seemed to be glued into the metal tube and I had to pull pretty hard to get it to come out.

Once I have the display completely out with the wire dangling, then I cut off the plastic nub that is holding the metal probe-tube to the shell. Toss the probe-tube away and put the display back into the shell with the wire hanging out the hole left behind where the metal tube used to be.  Now you attach the shell to the front of the machine (I like it at the bottom left - but whatever you like as long as the wire will reach) and fish the wire through one of the gaps along the bottom edge near the grouphead.  Then you can decide where you want to attach the bead onto the boiler.  I like to put it right smack in the middle of the flat side of the boiler (the side facing the front of the machine).  If you put it higher on the boiler, it will read hotter (that's where the hottest water is) lower on the boiler will read cooler (group head and portafilter sucking some of the heat away and the cool water comes into the bottom when you start the pull).  You may get better data putting it somewhere else - but I like it right in the middle so I'm reading the temp as far away from the heaters as possible (the heaters are on the sides) and as close to middle (up and down) so I'm reading the average temp from the water in the middle of the boiler.  I noticed that the brew thermostat is a bit lower down, more towards the bottom of the boiler (maybe 1/4 or 1/3 of the way up from the seam between the two halves of the boiler) - so you may have better luck mounting the bead a little lower than where I said I put mine.

I've used a spot of hi temp glue (hard to remove if you decide to service your boiler someday) and I've used a small piece of tape.  I've tried just wedging a piece of cork or silicone between the case and the boiler to press the wire bead against the boiler side.  But I think just using a piece of tape seems to work just fine for me (it's going to see 280 degrees F so use something that can stand that).  If you have some heat sink compound, you can place a small dab on the bead --- but it'll work just fine without it.  Ideally you will use something that isn't heat conductive (like don't use a piece of aluminum) because it will be much cooler than the boiler and cause the reading to be low.  I used plain old blue painters tape and it seems to be holding just fine.

Don't be temped to pinch the bead under a screwhead or under the brew thermostat - the bead is brittle and will shatter (I know, I've done it) and for some reason this particular thermometer will not work if you simply twist the ends of the wire together - so if you shatter the bead you will have to invest another $10 in a second thermometer.

Posted March 3, 2012 link

tegee Said:

Thank Andy, but your link did not come through?

Posted March 4, 2012 link

tegee Said:

Thank Andy, but your link did not come through? x]

If you click where it says "click here" that will take you to the link ... if you click where it says "www.bedbathbeyond.com" it only takes you to the main page .... something about how links show up here in the forum.

Posted March 4, 2012 link