Help, Thermocouple Just Died

[John-Peterson]

Can I use any other probe inputs as the Pit Temp?

 

[Steve_M]

Yep. Disable the pit probe and food 1 will become the new pit probe.

 

[John-Peterson]

Awesome, I’ll do that now.

 

[MartinB]

Sure it died?

Wires twisting in cheap plug makes them touch , then thermocouple reads erratic or ambient. One problem I've seen...

 

[John-Peterson]

Sure it died?

Wires twisting in cheap plug makes them touch , then thermocouple reads erratic or ambient. One problem I've seen...

Not sure. I’ve had troubles the last few cooks. Today same thing. Was reading really low then all of a sudden it started working. Read fine all day til I checked the coals than basically read about 35F. I don’t really know how to check the probe to see if it’s functional.

 

[MartinB]

Not sure. I’ve had troubles the last few cooks. Today same thing. Was reading really low then all of a sudden it started working. Read fine all day til I checked the coals than basically read about 35F. I don’t really know how to check the probe to see if it’s functional.

If plug look like this with screw s, open up and make sure wires don't touch. Thermocouple measure temp where the wires join...the temperature of the junction of the two metals creates a voltage.
..normally at tip....if shorts somewhere else you get stray or ambient reading. When they twist, uninsulated wire in plug gets wrapped around each other....they start reading wonky. Sometimes right, sometimes ambient, everything in between.

 

[John-Peterson]

If plug look like this with screw s, open up and make sure wires don't touch. Thermocouple measure temp where the wires join...the temperature of the junction of the two metals creates a voltage.
..normally at tip....if shorts somewhere else you get stray or ambient reading. When they twist, uninsulated wire in plug gets wrapped around each other....they start reading wonky. Sometimes right, sometimes ambient, everything in between.

View attachment 22064

Good info thanks. I can see where the wires twist on the alligator clip. I’ll check the connector. It’s is from thermo works so it should be a decent temp probe.