Question about thermometer positioning on boiler

[Anavrin]

Hi Guys

As some of you will be aware I'm building my own still and converting my home brew boiler, I've been looking at a few pictures of various stills on eBay ect, quite a few have a dial thermometer mounted in the lid and I can't help wondering what it's measuring!

Is it in the liquid or is it only measuring the vapour temp entering the column?

I'm guessing it's the vapour temp as the probe would need to be pretty long otherwise, also if it was liquid temp I'm guessing on the side of the boiler would be a better position.

[YHB]

Bling!!!!

Does not do much. Gives you something to look at and gives you a visual indication of progress.

When it gets to 50 degC its time to turn on the condenser water if you have not done it already.

When it gets to 100 degC you only have water left in the boiler, but before you get there the smell of tails will have told you to switch off.

I have one, sometimes turn it on sometimes I do not. I put a half inch tank connector in the lid of my boiler, into which I put a half inch copper pipe with a cap on the bottom - so that I have a thermowell going down into the liquid. I dangle a sensor wire from a cheapo digital thermometer down the tube so that it measures the temperature of the water not the vapour.