Fixed my wet Maverick ET-732

Smoked a pork butt yesterday on my 14" WSM.
My old ET-732 was handy, so I used it instead of my waterproof ThermoWorks SMOKE.
A thunderstorm popped up and the rain shut down my sending unit.
I took it apart (there's still a tiny screw somewhere in the kitchen) to let it dry out. Still wasn't working, so I put it back together.
I then put it in a sandwich bag with some dry instant rice overnight, and today it's working again.
I had read that instant rice works better than regular for drying electronics.

The missing screw is probably somewhere under the kitchen island.
Why is it that anything dropped bounces or rolls underneath something?

I work on copiers and I never fail to be astounded by how far a dropped screw can travel.

That happens to me all the time. I converted a closet in our extra bedroom into a work bench for Barb and myself. Fluorescent lighting, power, shop stools all the things I need for my modeling projects and especially for the winter months. I'm not going out into the garage to work on something when its 20 degrees out there.

Well was working on a model when I heard the "tink" of something falling off the bench onto the floor which is hardwood. I realized it was a small brass screw, now this is inside a closet and hardwood floors, can't get to far away. 45 minuets later I gave up the search.

Later that night I took of my shoes and the d*^n thing was stuck in the bottom of my shoe.
Just like if you can't find one of your tools, just buy another one and your old one will almost immediately appear.

If it looks like rain I put my ET 732 in zip lock bag. I've had them out in the rain during the monsoons and no problems. Got five of the suckers and six or seven new probes that's why I never bought a SMOKE.

I got a magnetic pickup tool to help find screws.......... I know your pain!

I got a stack of fast-food or cafeteria type trays for projects, got some other colored ones for cutting boards, they can help keep projects with their parts.

One of our techs will soak some types of circuit boards in a citrus/water solution, only certain boards/components are safe to submerge, but it's surprising how clean & new these boards get. Most of the boards I work with aren't able to be soaked like that, so I have to use a 99.9% isopropyl alcohol to clean up water/liquid contamination.

Clint said:

I got a magnetic pickup tool to help find screws.......... I know your pain!

I got a stack of fast-food or cafeteria type trays for projects, got some other colored ones for cutting boards, they can help keep projects with their parts.

One of our techs will soak some types of circuit boards in a citrus/water solution, only certain boards/components are safe to submerge, but it's surprising how clean & new these boards get. Most of the boards I work with aren't able to be soaked like that, so I have to use a 99.9% isopropyl alcohol to clean up water/liquid contamination.

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I've got one of those also, really helps because my back won't take a lot of bending over before protesting. But in this case it wouldn't have helped as it was a brass screw.

I used to work on circuit boards 10 years ago or so. I think everything went through some kind of ultrasonic cleaner before we got it which was nice. I'm not sure what liquid was in it.

Rich Dahl said:

Just like if you can't find one of your tools, just buy another one and your old one will almost immediately appear.

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LOL, so true!