Is there a Maximum recommended depth for a pot or vessel? Does the bottom of the unit have to be touching the bottom of the pot or can it just hang?
It can hang.
The water level must be between the minimum and maximum level marking. Otherwise, hang away.
Good to know… but there has to be a depth the circulator becomes somewhat ineffective. I used a coffee maker pump on my home built sous vide rig. The tubing was set up so the cooler water that settled to the bottom of the vessel was pumped to the surface on the opposite end of the vessel. There were no significant temperature gradients (at least when checked with an instant read thermometer.
Does the circulator simply move water straight across or is there up/down circulation? This would be easy to simulate with FLUENT or a similar thermodynamics simulation package.
If the impeller on the version 2 is similar to their version 1 it will really whip the water around. You’ll be hard- pressed to find a temp gradient.
I don’t believe this question was sufficiently answered. Let me expand on the question as I have the same question. So more specifically - What is the maximum distance between the bottom of the unit and the bottom of the cooking vessel for it to still be effective? Certainly any where between 0 and 10 cm is fine…but what if I had a deeper pot that for which it didn’t go down all the way. For example, I have the 12 quart rubbermaid square which is common (and has depth of 19.7 centimetres)…but for some cooking sometimes i’d like to have something deeper if my vacuum bags have been packed in a way that makes them not submerge under the water all the way…so I was thinking of getting the 18 quart square container that is listed with a depth of 28.9 cm … that is an extra 9 cm depth on top of the already existing depth I currently have which is probably about 7-9 cm (ball park)…so i can get the water filled up to be between the min/max markings of the cooker…but what about the extra 15-20 cm that exists below the bottom of the unit… i’m guessing that would cause problems? which is why i haven’t purchased this one yet
This is an ooold conversation, but I want to know now too! I have a big ol’ brisket flat that I’ve got dry brining, and a 40cm (16 inch) deep cooler for the task.
I have an Anova Nano, and i just don’t see how it can get the water at the bottom - where the meat will be sitting - to the same temperature as the top. There’d be at least some temperature stratification wouldn’t there?
Being a ‘precision’ cooking method, I’d have thought there’d be some info on this somewhere - could someone point me in the right direction?
I have no experience with the Nano, but i thought it was marketed as a light-duty circulator. Your Nano manual might have the answer to your question. The Anova circulators’ technical specifications formerly contained both the recommended maximum water volume for your circulator and it’s circulation rate. If its not there ask SUPPORT.
The current APC has a flow rate of 8 litres per minute which minimizes stratification for most domestic cooking adventures in up to about 8 U.S. gallons.
In past posts to this forum i’ve suggested filling your container and with the circulator running adding a few drops of food colour and watch the speed at which the water colour becomes uniform. It’s remarkably fast.
Water conducts heat so well i wouldn’t consider it a problem, particularly in an insulated vessel and for long cook times.
Happy cooking.
Thanks for the reply @chatnoir
To be honest the Nano didn’t come with much of a manual, and in any case I’ve already managed to misplace it.
Thanks for the idea re food colouring - I might try it after I’m finished this cook. Also I may get a meat thermometer and see if it picks up any difference.
You’ve assuaged my fears for now - thanks again!