Lids Therms


 
Mac LA

Mac LA

TVWBB Super Fan
Any of you all run a proper lid thermometer, such as a Tel Tru? I'm thinking about ordering one up and having it as a back up in the event my maverick dies on me mid cook.

I'd really like to replace the crappy one that's on the lid now but not sure about measurements and such, not sure it will sit there like OEM.

Another option would be to run it on the exhaust vent or in the side grommet; the side grommet would probably be closer to my 733 temps (grate temps).

Thoughts?

Thanks

Johnny
 
Nope. Just test it now. Put the probe into ice water--32o. Put it in boiling water-212o. If the boiling is off (say it reads 200o for example), just add/subtract the difference to get the true reading.

If when you're smoking it reads 200o, you'll know the REAL temp is 212o. Zero cost fix.

If it reads 213o, you'll know the smoker is sitting on 225o. Easy peasy. Save your cash for a nice brisket ;)
 
Len Dennis said:
Nope. Just test it now. Put the probe into ice water--32o. Put it in boiling water-212o. If the boiling is off (say it reads 200o for example), just add/subtract the difference to get the true reading.

If when you're smoking it reads 200o, you'll know the REAL temp is 212o. Zero cost fix.

If it reads 213o, you'll know the smoker is sitting on 225o. Easy peasy. Save your cash for a nice brisket ;)
Click to expand...

During cooks, there seems to be no rhyme or reason with regards to how much the weber is off. My 733 could be at 260* and the lid would read 300-310+, I would come back at the 733 is at 265*, and the weber is around 290. The thing just fluctuates and I can't pin point how much it's off, and I simply do not trust it...
 
Johnny...

It's not the Weber dome thermometer's issue, but rather it's placement that IS the issue.

You noticed MickNLR's dome thermometer running at his grate temperature... Yours will do the same IF you ran the WSM under exactly the same conditions... He was running his water pan EMPTY and there was NO meat on the grills. When either of those conditions change, so will the difference in reading.
 
Bob Bass said:
Johnny...

It's not the Weber dome thermometer's issue, but rather it's placement that IS the issue.

You noticed MickNLR's dome thermometer running at his grate temperature... Yours will do the same IF you ran the WSM under exactly the same conditions... He was running his water pan EMPTY and there was NO meat on the grills. When either of those conditions change, so will the difference in reading.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the reply Bob.

So do you think it's a good idea to have a backup and simply place it at grate level (via silicone grommet), rather than dome, or nix the idea entirely?
 
Taking temp reading AT grate level is a much better situation as you know what is actually happening. That should be what your ATC will be doing. By chance, when you were in Harry's class, did you notice where he had his Stoker pit probe located ?

ADDED: You should not need a backup. Learn why the dome thermometer shows what it does.
 
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Bob Bass said:
Taking temp reading AT grate level is a much better situation as you know what is actually happening. That should be what your ATC will be doing. By chance, when you were in Harry's class, did you notice where he had his Stoker pit probe located ?

ADDED: You should not need a backup. Learn why the dome thermometer shows what it does.
Click to expand...

Understood, which was my plan, to install at the gasket (if I did go that route). I don't own a ATC yet and yes I did notice where those probes where places, side/grate level. I really like his setup because the probe didn't need to go center grate, but just in the cb grommet location. Other ATC do not want their probes in that location as I understand it.

Can you direct me to MickNLR's post? I actually wasn't sure what you what/who you were referring to.

I actually don't pay much attention to the dome therm, just thought of having some sort of redundancy was a good idea.
 
Here's Mick's thread... http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?64167-First-Start-Up-on-New-WSM-22-5-Was-So-Easy!!

That location Harry uses is the correct location, from the process control standpoint when running an ATC (any atc). You are trying to control the charcoal burn rate. One should pick a pit probe location which is unaffected by uncontrollable variables, such as the meat on the grates. If one looks at what the heated air distribution within the "cooking zone", you will find the greatest percentage is that heated air that rises from around the WSM's perimeter, not something in the middle of the grate(s).
 
Bob Bass said:
Here's Mick's thread... http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?64167-First-Start-Up-on-New-WSM-22-5-Was-So-Easy!!

That location Harry uses is the correct location, from the process control standpoint when running an ATC (any atc). You are trying to control the charcoal burn rate. One should pick a pit probe location which is unaffected by uncontrollable variables, such as the meat on the grates. If one looks at what the heated air distribution within the "cooking zone", you will find the greatest percentage is that heated air that rises from around the WSM's perimeter, not something in the middle of the grate(s).
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Thanks, I did read that post, just didn't put 2n2 together.

Dammit Bob, I owe you a beer (if that's your thing)!!! This completely makes sense and confirms what I had suspected all long. While reviewing the IQ110, I couldn't for the life of me understand why the directions call for that center grate location, when, as you stated, are "trying to control the charcoal burn", which in my mind was the hottest edge location. This frustrated me to the point that I decided to forgo the ATC at the time, but I guess that's back on now...:wsm22::wsm:
 
Although retired now, I basically worked on large gas fired burners of the 90 million + BTU size. Actually worked on any and all process instrumentation and control equipment, from your basic temperature control to nuclear weight control. Hit all of the temperature, pressure, flow, weigh instruments for a 'small' company that is a member of the Dow 30. Started as an electrician.
 
Bob Bass said:
Although retired now, I basically worked on large gas fired burners of the 90 million + BTU size. Actually worked on any and all process instrumentation and control equipment, from your basic temperature control to nuclear weight control. Hit all of the temperature, pressure, flow, weigh instruments for a 'small' company that is a member of the Dow 30. Started as an electrician.
Click to expand...

That's pretty excellent.

I'd be dead in a week as an electrician, I shock myself plugging in a lamp or anything of the sort......sigh
 
Mac LA said:
Any of you all run a proper lid thermometer, such as a Tel Tru? I'm thinking about ordering one up and having it as a back up in the event my maverick dies on me mid cook.

I'd really like to replace the crappy one that's on the lid now but not sure about measurements and such, not sure it will sit there like OEM.

Another option would be to run it on the exhaust vent or in the side grommet; the side grommet would probably be closer to my 733 temps (grate temps).

Thoughts?

Thanks

Johnny
Click to expand...

Johnny,

Im in the same boat, i have different smokers and i always replace mine with Tel-Tru. also love the thermoworks products so i can compare how muh is the grate temp and the dome/middle on my smokers.

From what i see we need a 1 3/4 dial with 2.5" stem:

http://kck.com/tel-tru_grill_smoker_thermometer.html
 
Once you buy and install the replacement thermometer, let us know if the grate vs dome temperature difference changes....
 
Great information Bob, thanks for sharing. I did a little experiment a while back where I did a bacon smoke on my performer using the snake method. I placed three probes for my maverick at grate level.
One near the lit end of the snake, one half way around the snake about 4" from the bacon and the other directly under the top vent. After an 1 1/2 hours there was a 35* difference between the one at the lit end of the snake and the halfway one and only 20* between the lit end and the vent probe. So even the most accurate thermometer may not give a true reading of what's going on inside based on the location of the thermometer / probe .
 
Bob Bass said:
So very true !!!
Click to expand...

thats correct, but at least you know a bit of whats going on inside your smoker. there is too many factors: humidity, weather, etc, etc but the fact is getting something a little bit better than oem weber gauge to have an idea somethings.
 
There's a technically correct answer and then there's a practical answer. I know if my dome thermometer reads between 225° and 275°, my butt, ribs, whatever, will be done as expected. Of course, it takes a bit of practice before one becomes comfortable with temp range versus expected cooking time, but that's part of the fun (learning your machine). If I put a probe on the grate and found my dome thermometer to be off by 25°, it wouldn't make a bit if difference. My personal opinion is that it's more important for temps to be stable than for them to be at a particular temp.

I've used a Maverick and other pit thermometers but given them up for the simplicity of my dome thermometer. Do enough cooks, watch your gage (dome or grate or wherever) and you'll be fine. I'd only replace my Weber supplied thermometer if I tested it and found it to be significantly off.
 
Len Dennis said:
Nope. Just test it now. Put the probe into ice water--32o. Put it in boiling water-212o. If the boiling is off (say it reads 200o for example), just add/subtract the difference to get the true reading.

If when you're smoking it reads 200o, you'll know the REAL temp is 212o. Zero cost fix.

If it reads 213o, you'll know the smoker is sitting on 225o. Easy peasy. Save your cash for a nice brisket ;)
Click to expand...


Testing mine in iced water it reads 285F !! So I just use it for blocking an unwanted hole in the lid.

Kirton :(
 
I said this on the old forum and I'll say it again. It's not that Weber or a Tel-tru is giving you a false reading based on the location, it's more of the stem length on that particular therm reading in that location ( and the amount of cold mass). The longer the stem is on the probe, that will give you a more accurate reading on grate vs lid esp reading in static air.
I like to place my therm stem in the exhaust, it's tempered by the heat and the amount of cold meat has zero effect on it's reading.
I tried checking temps @ grate level a long time ago and found that to be a hassle IMO.

Tim
 
I don't care about lid thermo because it varies a lot depending internal AND external conditions.
Only grate thermo for me placed far enough from cold meat and far enough from rising hot air (WSM).
Next try, I want to compare the temp in 2 different spot:
1) first on meat grate (as said before)
2) clinged to the meat grate support (directly exposed to rising hot air)
I want to understand how much difference is between the two spots.
 
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