got my 1550 in this week and was all ready to brew yesterday. the hlt mash tun probe was a tight fit but went in. the hlt wouldnt go. i heated the thermowell, greased the probe( ), dilated the thermowell and sanded the probe a little. Finally it went in- just far enough to get stuck. when i tried to pull it back out the probe popped off and i had a stroke or something. i got the beer brewed on the old system and in trying to get the probe out it got pushed down in the thermowell. got a long drill-bit and ever so carefully drilled out the probe after trying everything else and - you guessed it- the thermowell tip cracked. no big deal - i can get a patch welded over the thermowell and get a new probe but at that time it felt like the end of the world. wondering if this has happened to anyone else. i drank out of spite before going out with the wife and made it through the first 8 minutes of avatar before passing out and disturbing everyone with snoring.

you should talk to b3. they are very helpful in matters like this. i don't want to speak for them or suggest what they might do, but they are very committed to having satisfied customers. if this is your first brew, let them know, and i'm sure they will work something out with you.

Support@MoreFlavor.com
Toll Free Number: 800-600-0033
Toll Free Number: 800-823-0010

i'm not complaining about b3. i never meant this to be a slant against them. i was just relating what seemed at the time like a big deal. fixed my thermowell already with ss solder. b3 is a great company with excellent support.

never heard of stainless steel solder. do you have to use a torch to put it on or will an iron work.

i didnt do it, my dad did. he used a torch and said that it was ss. maybe it was lead for all i know. if i start having headaches and weird looking x-rays i'll check it out.

Silver solder?

There's another type of solder I've seen that works on stainless (and copper to stainless). It was in a post on an electric HLT. I'll see if I can pull up the reference.

Charlie

"Silver solder" can mean many things; usually it's a tin/lead alloy with a bit of silver added.

that's BS you can't call it silver solder with lead in it.