Cheap digital thermometers / distilling water, sous vide etc..

[Mr Gus]

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/330373967 ... 1802JPVBc5

I have been sous vide-ing in a semi decent Coleman Cooler (celotex base & lid) temp drop restricted to around 5 C per day when not in use.

Emptied it out (secondary use) & screwed lid back on so daughter could take it camping for a food poisoning free experience
I'd cooked them off a loin of pork to cut chunks off & pan finish in butter, (60c for 3hrs) otherwise it was burgers & hotdogs.

My concern as ever is the hot/ cold leakage from what are meant to be respected manufacturers..
When empty & in proper cold block use, the lid gap is semi open (loads of leakage potential) you can slide sheets of paper through the gap.
Even more so when semi filled with water (distortion of plastic & foam shell)

Made me wonder, in this age of modernity, if the degree of heat / cold leakage was the reason these things don't come with a basic clip in thermal sensor + outside display pocket, ..so that's what I'm going to do. (Curiosity, & checking for even temp back to front when heating water)

Anyhow, the place in the link above is cheap of late if anyone is after some *basic* digital thermometers & more, the eBay price over the past 12 months has been crazily high) ..nb, batteries not included.

I've bought a few for water distillation, home brew, fish tank etc, in case anyone is after this sort of non critical kit (awaiting delivery)

[Mr Gus]

Solar fish-tanking it.

The wife is now eying up one of my lidded buckets (lengthen if you are a car washing fanatic who doesn't like meguairs!? ..prices for their expensive buckets & grit guards) ..think she'll make me pour all the excess "standing water "tap water into that from here on in for dog water (2+ litres per day) which I can sort of understand as I've used a collection of 15+ pop bottles the past couple of years, there's only so many wine racks allowed in the home for storage.

Water change for fish tank now made easier by leaving it in sun warned conservatory (currently 34c) ..to save arguments later, pointed my inkbird thermometer, registering room temp, (she insists on it being above 25c)

Minimum 24hrs, or thorough approach is 5 days, open container for dechlorination.

[Joeboy]

Used a BIG cooler back in the day as a mashtun. Was OK as was the beer but they are built to a price and with handling in mind can only go so far...

[Mr Gus]

Yeah, I know what you mean, I just use my grainfather & associated kit for 19 litre kegs.