More therm teting on the 14.5"

[CaseT]

Second cook, chicken wings. I really wanted to know how accurate the stock therm is. Well it isn't accurate. In my first test the stock therm was 20° over at temps lower than 200°, and 30° lower than the upper grate at temps above 200°.

This test it the stock therm was anywhere from 20°-30° under.

For this cook I ran the pit without the water pan. I was doing chicken wings I prefer a direct fire - indirect heat approach. I did not have the lower grate in so no temp comparison grate to grate without the water pan in. I placed one ambient probe of the iGrill2 at grate level. The other I put tip to tip (not touching) with the stock therm. Both iGrill probes read within 5°-10° of each other the entire time, and for a period were even Steven during the warm up. Final pit temp for the wings locked in at 350°. Phone battery died or I'd have had more photos.

Conclusion, if you are relying on your stock therm, don't. You need to get a unit that you can test regularly and preferably a remote therm that you can place where your food is cooking.

 

[Randall S]

Yes, I totally ignore my stock thermometer even though mine is actually quite accurate. If it didn't "look" nice, I would just remove it and plug the hole, lol.

 

[Bob Bass]

Case, What does your stock thermometer read when doing the Boiling Water test ?

 

[Robert-R]

Is this a surprise?

The stock thermometer may or may not be accurate. It really doesn't matter because it is reading temps at the top of the dome.
What is important is the temp at the cooking grate level, imho.

 

[CaseT]

Case, What does your stock thermometer read when doing the Boiling Water test ?

I didn't test it as it doesn't have accurate enough markings to do it. Each mark is 2.5 degrees so you could be off 5 degrees just by the thickness of the indicator. I know that my iGrill probes are accurate, so that's why i used them to test it.

 

[CaseT]

Is this a surprise?

The stock thermometer may or may not be accurate. It really doesn't matter because it is reading temps at the top of the dome.
What is important is the temp at the cooking grate level, imho.

Nope not at all. The only reason I posted this is because to many people rely on the stock therm and then complain about food not turning out. As you can see from above from grate to dome the 14.4" only varies about 5 degrees. So if the stock therm was accurate that's wouldn't be that big of a deal. The fact that the stock therm is reading 20-30 degrees different makes a it a big deal.

Moral of the story, get a good accurate multi probe therm that you can test regularly.

 

[CaseT]

Yes, I totally ignore my stock thermometer even though mine is actually quite accurate. If it didn't "look" nice, I would just remove it and plug the hole, lol.

I would too. Also why I have never put one on any of my home builds. I want to know the temp of the pit where the meat is cooking.