Lid Therm Mod for Kettle

[Joe F]

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Parts and Methods

The Weber bezel part number is 63027.
This will lead you to 18.5 WSM but it is currently being used on all units using a 1-3/4" diameter thermometer face.
It is the lower profile, smooth bezel which I prefer over the higher profile, "fluted" bezel used in previous years.
This bezel has a blind tab that keys into an auxiliary hole on production model grills.
The Weber thermometers in turn have a tab that keys into the bezel.
This is great for production, but I'm not going to need this feature so I carefully snapped it off of the bezel.

I wanted to upgrade the thermometer from the Weber offering because of their reputation for inaccuracy and fogging up.
The logical choice for me was the Tel-Tru BQ100 because it has 1-3/4" diameter face and is graduated for grill temps.
This therm has a "grill range" graduation of 150F - 700F, professional-looking face, 2.13" stem length, ±1% accuracy and requires just a 1/4" hole.
Best of all it's a Tel-Tru, arguably the best made bimetal temp gauges in the land.

I placed my new gauge in the OEM location (triangulate 5" +/- from each handle strap).
I used blue tape for layout clarity and drilled an 1/8" hole with a normal high speed drill bit.
Then I used a "step bit" (trade name Uni-Bit) to widen the hole to 1/4".
From there the rest of the install is intuitive.

There is a 1/16" + annular space between the bezel and the gauge.
To hold even spacing and simplify alignment, I used an 1/8" size Zip Tie cut into four pieces.
Spread around the dial at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock, these maintain perfect spacing and unify the two elements for easy alignment on the kettle lid.

Add a SS 1/4" cut (flat) washer to the underside and hand tighten the supplied wing nut.
Do not over-tighten....snug is all that's needed.

I purchased the Tel-Tru BQ100 from bbqeqipmentstore.com and the bezel came from ereplacementparts.com


OEM therm location is about 5" triangulated from each handle strap and it's on the left side as you face the vent

BQ100 requires just a 1/4" hole which was done with a new 1/8" pilot bit and then a Unibit (step bit) was used to finish the hole.
No need to use center punch...just carefully drill the pilot hole through the blue painter's tape.
I like to mark the Unibit with a Sharpie, just above the diameter that I want.
That way I don't over-bore.

Hole is finished and ready for touch-up paint if desired

New therm and bezel

Remove bezel tab

We will need shims

Shims ready

Shims in place
The Tel Tru BQ100 leaves about a 1/16" annular space which is controlled by the shims as you tighten the wingnut.
The Weber therm has a tab that keys into the bezel....this speeds assembly at the factory.

Job complete

 

[W Tyler]

Very nice. Looks factory done, and a better therm at that.

 

[Tony]

Great post. Question though, can this replace an OEM thermometer on the new Weber OTG's? If so, is it worth the upgrade compared to "factory"

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Joe F]

Great post. Question though, can this replace an OEM thermometer on the new Weber OTG's? If so, is it worth the upgrade compared to "factory"

Thanks in advance!!

If you already have a factory therm, just check its accuracy*, note the difference (if any) and adjust your cooking accordingly.

*check with boiling water or against a known-good therm.

 

[ChuckO]

It's crooked....

j/k

Nice job

 

[Tony]

If you already have a factory therm, just check its accuracy*, note the difference (if any) and adjust your cooking accordingly.

*check with boiling water or against a known-good therm.

Thanks Joe....I shoulda figured out that myself....guess I'm getting lazy.....lol

 

[Harold C]

From looking at the dimensions, this thermometer should fit the stock Weber bezel. The diameters are same. This one, however is a bit longer -- 2.125 inches compared to 1.5" for the Weber Part #60540

 

[Joe F]

From looking at the dimensions, this thermometer should fit the stock Weber bezel. The diameters are same. This one, however is a bit longer -- 2.125 inches compared to 1.5" for the Weber Part #60540

That IS a stock Weber bezel.
The stem length of the BQ100 works perfectly for me. (not much difference from OEM)

There is a noticeable quality difference when you see the BQ100 and 60540 side by side...I have both. The 63028 smoker gauge seems to be of better quality....at least that's how my small sampling appears.

 

[Harold C]

Yeah. In a charcoal kettle, the extra half inch or so of probe length isn't going to make much difference. Weber uses the same thermometer in the Performer and the Q-grills. In the Q grills, length could be an issue, but you sure wouldn't need the 700 degree capability!

 

[Joe F]

Yeah. In a charcoal kettle, the extra half inch or so of probe length isn't going to make much difference. Weber uses the same thermometer in the Performer and the Q-grills. In the Q grills, length could be an issue, but you sure wouldn't need the 700 degree capability!

It's not that you need the top end of the gauge, it's more about how the gauge is graduated....you want the most used section to be easy to read. Someone cooking pizza might run a hot grill, though.
My 63028 goes to 350...I'll never run the smoker that high, but the way it's scaled, the sweet spot is nicely positioned at the top of the gauge for easy reading.

 

[Harold C]

Here's the stock Weber Performer thermometer.

 

[Chuck Bench]

I like the look and layout of the weber thermo a whole lot better than the little tel Tru but the weber gauge I have in my wsm is about 30 degrees off. That's not good. I want the thermo to be accurate. I just wish tel Tru would make a thermo with the correct dial face configuration and dial face size

 

[Joe F]

I like the look and layout of the weber thermo a whole lot better than the little tel Tru but the weber gauge I have in my wsm is about 30 degrees off. That's not good. I want the thermo to be accurate. I just wish tel Tru would make a thermo with the correct dial face configuration and dial face size

Agree.
The Weber 63028 is graduated for the typical smoker heat range. I like the way it's scaled.
Mine happens to be fairly accurate when compared against my Maverick.

The BQ100 is graduated for a grill.
As far as I know, Tel Tru does not offer a smoker therm with a 1-3/4" dial face which would fit inside the Weber bezel.

They do however, have a 2" face BQ225 (specify plain dial face) that has an appealing professional look and is graduated for a smoker.

BQ225 (plain dial)

 

[CChuck]

i have an 18.5" OTS and would like to put a thermometer. which one should i go with? when i get the hang of using charcoal, i will be grilling as well as trying to do a little smoking with it.

 

[Harold C]

To be perfectly honest, lid thermometers in Weber Kettles are only marginally useful. Rather than spend a ton of money and effort buying an analog thermometer and bezel and drilling holes, I think you'd be better off spending the money on a good digital probe thermometer that you can put on the grate (through a ball of foil) or in meat.

This a fantastic single probe model for use indoors or grilling:

http://www.thermoworks.com/products/alarm/chefalarm.html

Or, the Maverick ET-733, which has two probes (one for the grill, one for the meat) plus wireless communication that lets you look at the temperatures on a handheld display indoors while you grill -- a must for my Christmas turkey on the Weber in the snow!

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00KM9QWEW/tvwb-20

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00KN73HUA/tvwb-20

I measured temps in the lid and at the grate the other day while doing a pork roast. The dome temps were reading 80 to 100 degrees higher than the grate and the difference wasn't consistent or linear. You could calibrate your cooking to either one, but if you are going to spend $30 or $40 plus the effort of drilling your Weber, might as well just get a digital probe thermometer and be done with it. The lid thermos look fantastic and I could see doing it just for aesthetic purposes, but from a functional standpoint, either the Chef Alarm or the Maverick remote will be a better option.

 

[Joe F]

i have an 18.5" OTS and would like to put a thermometer. which one should i go with? when i get the hang of using charcoal, i will be grilling as well as trying to do a little smoking with it.

If you want the "OEM look" then you have to go with a 1-3/4" dial face so it fits the OEM bezel.
For a grill that leaves you two choices...

1) Tel Tru BQ 100.....see my How-To at the start of this thread

2) Weber #60540