External thermometer for hot water tank

almighty1

Hi,

Our hot water is supplied by our oil burner. However I have no way of knowing how much hot water I have in the tank.

Is there any such thing as an external thermometer that I can make a small hole for in the tanks insulation so it can make contact with the tank itself? I would place one at the top, middle and bottom so I can determine if I need to boost the oil burner (or not) for a shower/bath.

Thanks,

esox28

There is a few thing U could do...

Strap on pipe thermometer that could be altered to attach to cyl.

Boiler pressure and temp thermo but would need to be machanicaly fixed to pipeline at top of cyl.

If you could get a second hand solar controller These will give you a read out of what your looking for with the benifit of a temperature switching differencial.

almighty1

esox28 wrote: »

There is a few thing U could do...

Strap on pipe thermometer that could be altered to attach to cyl.

Boiler pressure and temp thermo but would need to be machanicaly fixed to pipeline at top of cyl.

If you could get a second hand solar controller These will give you a read out of what your looking for with the benifit of a temperature switching differencial.

Thanks man. Just referring to your initial idea re pipe thermometer.
Would you think that these would suffice?

spireland32

http://radionics.rs-online.com/web/p/thermometers/3248558/

Take off the spring and cut the insulation to fit the gauge in.

Dtp79

almighty1 wrote: »

Thanks man. Just referring to your initial idea re pipe thermometer.
Would you think that these would suffice?

I have that exact one. Works grand

almighty1

Dtp79 wrote: »

I have that exact one. Works grand

How did you attach it to your tank? Did you glue it or wedge it under the insulation?

Dtp79

almighty1 wrote: »

How did you attach it to your tank? Did you glue it or wedge it under the insulation?

I just cut my insulation verticall. About a 3 inch slit that's narrower than the probe. Then when I pushed the probe in vertically against the cylinder it was tight and I put the insulation I took out back in

almighty1

Dtp79 wrote: »

I just cut my insulation verticall. About a 3 inch slit that's narrower than the probe. Then when I pushed the probe in vertically against the cylinder it was tight and I put the insulation I took out back in

Perfect. Thanks for the info.

Dtp79

almighty1 wrote: »

Perfect. Thanks for the info.

No bother anytime

Merch

Dtp79 wrote: »

I just cut my insulation verticall. About a 3 inch slit that's narrower than the probe. Then when I pushed the probe in vertically against the cylinder it was tight and I put the insulation I took out back in

Did you bond the probe to the tank?
Anyone know if there is a glue that would suffice for this, ie not insulate against heat transmission?/bond remain intact when it heats/cools and stick to the relevant metal without deteriorating it (copper).

what point (height) of the tank did you place it?

esox28

Get a pencil and trace around the probe and about one inch of the wire to the required height on cyl insulation.
Now get a sharp blade long enough to reach the copper behind the insulation and carfully cut out the piece of insulation, try and take out the piece hole use a flat screw driver or the likes to lever the piece out.
Now insert your probe next to the cooper and push the cutout back on top of probe. If you want to be really neat before you reinsert the cutout trim off a piece the depth of the probe as the cutout will fit snug and flush back on top of probe.

I.e. you don't need to bond it thanks

Dtp79

Merch wrote: »

Did you bond the probe to the tank?
Anyone know if there is a glue that would suffice for this, ie not insulate against heat transmission?/bond remain intact when it heats/cools and stick to the relevant metal without deteriorating it (copper).

what point (height) of the tank did you place it?

I have solar so I have the readings for the top and bottom already. I just used thus stat for the middle of the cyclinder

Merch

Dtp79 wrote: »

I have solar so I have the readings for the top and bottom already. I just used thus stat for the middle of the cyclinder

I see,
does it read out what you might expect? between the other sensors?

Out of curiosity, what readings do you normally get off the three at different levels of heat/solar input?

Dtp79

Merch wrote: »

I see,
does it read out what you might expect? between the other sensors?

Out of curiosity, what readings do you normally get off the three at different levels of heat/solar input?

That really depends on the sun! But when I've the stove lit all evening I'd have at least 60 top to bottom in the morning. That's on a 55 gal cylinder

almighty1

Dtp79 wrote: »

That really depends on the sun! But when I've the stove lit all evening I'd have at least 60 top to bottom in the morning. That's on a 55 gal cylinder

And are the external thermometer readings pretty accurate? Like do they generally matching the readings you are getting from the solar panel readings?

Dtp79

almighty1 wrote: »

And are the external thermometer readings pretty accurate? Like do they generally matching the readings you are getting from the solar panel readings?

Ye pretty close alright