Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?

Username: Password:

Author Topic: Maverick probe reading driving me crazy  (Read 4656 times)

Bluegrass Wood Burner

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 218
  • OWF Brand: Ozzark Biomass
  • OWF Model: Gasconade 500 gallon
    • View Profile
Maverick probe reading driving me crazy
« on: January 08, 2018, 06:57:07 AM »

Can you guys give me a heads up on how you get the probes to give accurate readings on my supply line just before it goes into my heat exchangers. Sometimes off as much as 20-25 degrees. I have it zip tied on the plastic pex with the tip on the brass fitting. I also have a short piece of pipe insulation zipp tied over the whole probe. Not working for me at all.
Logged
South central Kentucky
Ford F-150
16 ft tandem trailer
3000# winch
Husqvarna 142
Husqvarna 460 rancher
6ft spud bar
Poulan 3314
22 ton lowes splitter
Timberline sharpener
"Worn out body"

smithbr

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 95
  • OWF Brand: Central Boiler
  • OWF Model: E-Classic 1450
    • View Profile
Re: Maverick probe reading driving me crazy
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2018, 07:32:38 AM »


In electronics, when you want good heat transfer from a semiconductor to a metal heat sink, you need two smooth, clean faces bolted to one another, usually with "heatsink compound" or "heatsink grease" applied to the surfaces before you bolt them together.  Barring that, even with two visibly smooth plates, you're looking at trying to make contact between two bandsaw blades placed business-edge to business-edge; I've seen the microscope pictures to verify this.

So to improve your heat transfer, grease the interface, then wrap the whole thing.  Keep in mind that your probe itself will conduct heat away from the contact point, so you'll need to insulate 3 or more inches of the probe as well.

Finally, keep in mind that the actual sensing point on the probe tip often is offset from the point, so you might get a better reading just rotating the probe.  I've done this with 1/8" type K thermocouples.

The best way to get good readings is immersion of a long portion of the probe, but that only works in some circumstances.
Logged

E Yoder

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1296
  • OWF Brand: HeatMaster
  • OWF Model: GS 100
    • View Profile
    • www.heatmasterfurnace.com
Re: Maverick probe reading driving me crazy
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2018, 01:48:27 PM »

I've used foil tape to help transfer heat, several wraps. Then insulate thoroughly. Usually within 5℉.
Logged
HeatMaster dealer serving southwest VA.
www.heatmasterfurnace.com

artbaldoni

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 131
  • OWF Brand: Nature's Comfort
  • OWF Model: NCB-175 Modified to burn coal and/or wood.
  • Continuously burning since 2010!
    • View Profile
Re: Maverick probe reading driving me crazy
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2018, 04:41:51 PM »

I just do the adjustment in my head. Reading + 20 is close enough for me.
Logged
Nature's Comfort  NCB-175
Dolmar 5105 20"
Makita DCS6401 28"
1995 5/8 ton Dodge
7 x 14 10k Trailer
Bobcat 7753 w/EEL Tracks
22T Huskee Splitter
Fiskars X-27
Fiskars X-11
15 # Monster Maul
Titan 60"  Twin Cyl. Root Grapple

tinfoilhat2020

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 634
  • OWF Brand: POS
    • View Profile
Re: Maverick probe reading driving me crazy
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2018, 11:27:56 PM »

wrap foil tape around the pipe. then put sensor on the foil tape and tape down with a few wraps of foil tape. then place a small piece of pipe insulation over that area and zip or tape it down nice and tight. That should get you within a few degrees if not dead on. If you have any piece of copper on your supply or return run, just tape the sensor right to the copper with foil tape. I use two of these sensors (both mounted to copper), on in the house and one in the barn and they are dead on.
Logged

Bluegrass Wood Burner

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 218
  • OWF Brand: Ozzark Biomass
  • OWF Model: Gasconade 500 gallon
    • View Profile
Re: Maverick probe reading driving me crazy
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2018, 03:13:36 PM »

I have never bought foil tape before. Is it like the HVAC guys use on duct work? Where is the best place to buy it.
Logged
South central Kentucky
Ford F-150
16 ft tandem trailer
3000# winch
Husqvarna 142
Husqvarna 460 rancher
6ft spud bar
Poulan 3314
22 ton lowes splitter
Timberline sharpener
"Worn out body"

E Yoder

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1296
  • OWF Brand: HeatMaster
  • OWF Model: GS 100
    • View Profile
    • www.heatmasterfurnace.com
Re: Maverick probe reading driving me crazy
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2018, 03:33:51 PM »

If you just need a small roll Lowe's or HD would have it. I get it through Supplyhouse.com. silver metal tape like you use on ducts.
Logged
HeatMaster dealer serving southwest VA.
www.heatmasterfurnace.com

Bluegrass Wood Burner

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 218
  • OWF Brand: Ozzark Biomass
  • OWF Model: Gasconade 500 gallon
    • View Profile
Re: Maverick probe reading driving me crazy
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2018, 10:34:51 AM »

I finally got my temperature monitor all set up and am very please at this point. I bought a roll of foil tape from Rural King and put foil tape on pex and copper fitting and then put foil tape on the probe about 4 inches up. I then place the foil covered probe on the pex wit the tip being on the brass copper pex fitting. I wrapped this continuously with the foil tape as tight as I could get it. Then I placed a piece of foam insulation the size of the whole probe over the probe and wrapped it tight in the foil insulation. My reading is 3 degree off boiler temp. The brand I have is not Maverick, unless this unit is made by Maverick. The brand I have is Ivation , it seems to be doing a great job. I have my MAX high set for 195 and my low minimum set for 160. Anxious to see how it performs next couple days. Hoping it saves me some trips out to the boiler. When temp starts dropping I Know it needs wood. When its steady or gradually climbing I know its cycling with plenty of wood.
A thumbs up to this simple device. :thumbup: 
Logged
South central Kentucky
Ford F-150
16 ft tandem trailer
3000# winch
Husqvarna 142
Husqvarna 460 rancher
6ft spud bar
Poulan 3314
22 ton lowes splitter
Timberline sharpener
"Worn out body"

Bluegrass Wood Burner

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 218
  • OWF Brand: Ozzark Biomass
  • OWF Model: Gasconade 500 gallon
    • View Profile
Re: Maverick probe reading still driving me crazy
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2018, 04:36:30 PM »

Forget everything I said on last post. The thing has been everything but accurate. I have a split system and the 2 exchangers are side by side. I ran a probe to each of th two inlets on each side and foil taped zipped tied, pack tight. When I first turn the monitor and transmitter on they came right up to temps of 178 with boiler sitting on 180. After about 30 minutes to an hour the temps started falling on the monitor. The temp fell to 161 and I thought maybe the boiler dropped that much. I went out there to check and it was sitting right on 180. Both probes were sending the same temp so I can't blame it on the contact and accuracy with the pex. It has to be the unit. So next day I turned it back on and it did the same thing. It went up to 178 or so for an hour or two and then started dropping. Both probes are reading exactly the sme temp. What could cause my temps to fall 20 degrees for no reason at all? I'm about ready to remove and forget the crazy thing. It was a Christmas gift or I probably would have already. Anyone else experience this?
Logged
South central Kentucky
Ford F-150
16 ft tandem trailer
3000# winch
Husqvarna 142
Husqvarna 460 rancher
6ft spud bar
Poulan 3314
22 ton lowes splitter
Timberline sharpener
"Worn out body"

shepherd boy

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 365
  • OWF Brand: HeatMaster
  • OWF Model: C375
    • View Profile
Re: Maverick probe reading driving me crazy
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2018, 06:05:15 PM »

 What's going on inside the boiler? If the temp drops after it runs for a while, with the boiler temp the same, I would suspect your lack of circulation within the boiler. Your water is flowing from the return to the supply without being heated.
Logged
Let the youngin's have it
 Gettin' old and lazy
 Lookin' for the next good fishing hole

tinfoilhat2020

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 634
  • OWF Brand: POS
    • View Profile
Re: Maverick probe reading driving me crazy
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2018, 06:45:26 PM »

you can use some boiling water to test the accuracy of the sensor...but I would agree with shepards theory....the mixing within the boiler seems to be suspect
Logged

Bluegrass Wood Burner

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 218
  • OWF Brand: Ozzark Biomass
  • OWF Model: Gasconade 500 gallon
    • View Profile
Re: Maverick probe reading driving me crazy
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2018, 08:14:16 PM »

How do most people hook theirs up. There are 4 ports, 2 at top 2 at bottom. Do you all recommend return coming in at the bottom and supply going out at top?
Logged
South central Kentucky
Ford F-150
16 ft tandem trailer
3000# winch
Husqvarna 142
Husqvarna 460 rancher
6ft spud bar
Poulan 3314
22 ton lowes splitter
Timberline sharpener
"Worn out body"