Hi - I'm new to Phidgets and looking to use some thermocouples to experiment with espresso brewing and coffee roasting.
For measuring water or coffee temperatures, could I use the TMP4104 "Fiberglass bead probe thermocouple"? Can the tip be submerged in liquid?
I'm planning to use the stainless steel probes for monitoring roasting temperature, but a flexible probe seems like it would be easier to mount on the output of the espresso machine.
It depends on how conductive the liquid is. If the liquid effectively shorts out the actual thermocouple junction, then you won't get reliable measurements. Pure water is an insulator but once you start introducing contaminants (such as the compounds the coffee beans leach into the water) then it can become conductive. Realistically, I would recommend a probe style sensor for this application.
