How do you run your thermometer wires?

I am getting in a maverick et 73 tomorrow and want to know the best way to run it in my kettle. OS it ok under the lid?
How does everyone run their thermometer wires?

I have always run it under the lid and have had no problems with probe failure. I guess you should always be careful not to set the lid down too hard on it, but again never been a problem for me.

Meat probe under the lid also, Pit probe hanging into the top vent.
Depending on how you're setting up your coals don't let your wires get too close to the hot side. I almost fried one once.

Tim

Funny enough, I was doing a cook last night and was looking specifically at this. I had the Stoker pit wire, Stoker food wire and Maverick temp wire all coming out of the left hand side of the lid within 4" together. The lid was sealed as best I could but the wires did leave a gap that let out some smoke. It didn't seem to affect the cook at all though. I'm not sure where else you would run them outside of the top vent which would eat up a few extra feet of wire.

If I temp the cooker it's at the lid, probe just inside the vent hole, probe wire outside. Too many changeable variables at the grate. If I temp meat it's under the lid.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by A.D.Letson:
I have always run it under the lid and have had no problems with probe failure. I guess you should always be careful not to set the lid down too hard on it, but again never been a problem for me. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I second that

Kevin - What are these grate variables accepting that probes placed too close to the outside perimeter will read higher due to the airflow coming from around the bowl and probes too close to cold meat will show low until equilibrium? Depending on the answer, why not run all wires under the lid?

I have previously ran my wires under the lid and think I will continue to do that. The cord is not long enough to run through the top vent down to close to the grate.
Thanks everyone.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by James Harvey:
Kevin - What are these grate variables accepting that probes placed too close to the outside perimeter will read higher due to the airflow coming from around the bowl and probes too close to cold meat will show low until equilibrium? Depending on the answer, why not run all wires under the lid? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Kevin clearly is the right person to ask, but some time this past year, another member posted some heat pics of a WSM showing the thermals inside. While you're right about the outside heat chimney, the currents really create major zones throughout the cooker. And then there's Kevin's experience with all the other influences on the temp.

Rich

Thanks Rich. You brought up a great idea regarding IRC's (infra-red cameras) and the WSM. My brother uses one as a contractor/inspector. I'll try and borrow it and post some pics of a cook from front to back. I'm eager to see the results.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by James Harvey:
Kevin - What are these grate variables accepting that probes placed too close to the outside perimeter will read higher due to the airflow coming from around the bowl and probes too close to cold meat will show low until equilibrium? Depending on the answer, why not run all wires under the lid? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Those are the key variables - each totally screwing up whatever reading you're getting - not to mention that how you fire your cooker, how much meat you have loaded in, among other issues, cooker will have their affects.

So why run any under the lid unless you absolutely have to monitor meat temp? (I see no point in monitoring brisket or butt temps. I will monitor something like bacon, that needs to just hit a particular temp before it's pulled.) The vent offers a consistent reading as that is where the draft exits. That's all one needs. All this fussing about trying to get some handle on an accurate grate temp, or the differences between one grate and the other or the grate and the lid is useless. More cooks spend inordinate amounta of time - and money - trying to get some sort of handle on control of these temps and temp differences.

None of this matters nor is worth the time it takes to even think about it. Cooktemps - real or perceived - are not all that important. Having some sense of temps can be - and for this, imco, the vent is a far better place to temp.