Permanently Mounting Temperature Probe on WSM


 
M

Mache

TVWBB Fan
With the development of a new HeaterMeter (HM) board with thermocouple support, I was wondering if I could just permanently mount a thermocouple probe on my 18.5" WSM.

1. While I cover my WSM when not in use and live in the San Francisco Bay Area (mild climate), I cannot guarantee that there will not be chronic condensation / dampness on the probe. Will that affect the thermocouples you are looking at?

2. How would I mount such a probe? There are some bolts that hold up the grate pegs that I guess I could remove and make some sort of hollow pathway. Any ideas on that?

3. I would want to put the probe right under the top grate. If it is long, meat drippings from meat on the grate would drip on to the probe and skew the readings. Should I be considering some sort of sheet-metal shield between the probe and the grate?
 
I think it is still too early to tell about the longevity of thermocouples left in place as nobody has tried it yet. I attached one of the Auber Washer Probe thermocouples to my BGE yesterday when I was changing the gasket. The washer I just slid over the dial thermometer and secured it with an alligator clip.


I selected that location rather than at or below grill level because I figured it would be less subjected to being over a hot/cold spot. I ran the cable over the seam in the gasket and out around the lid to the back to keep the cable out of the way when opening and closing the lid. The cable is held in place in the groove on the lid with a little silicone adhesive. Even at pizza temperatures, the exterior surface of the dome can't be much more than 200F so it shouldn't be an issue even during the brief blasts of heat opening and closing the lid.





The cable is rated to 900F and the junction to 1650F so I don't think I have to worry about it breaking down, but I can rip the whole thing out in seconds and peel off the silicone and be back to square one if I ever needed to. The mini connector can be stored inside once the grill cools down.

This "washer" thermocouple is really great because you can just screw it onto anything. I also considered making a small metal bracket like |-|__ and screwing the sensor onto the tip of that, and the bracket would straddle the egg's lip. This seemed a lot quicker and I wouldn't have to worry about making the bracket extend way out over the pit and become annoying to work around.
 
Phillip P said:
Why do you want the probe underneath the grate?
Click to expand...
So I can pull the top grate off easily and move meat around the top grate easily without worrying about bashing the temperature probe.

I want to keep it near the grate to get true grate level temperatures.
 
Interesting.

One of the things that I learned about the WSM is that if you don't have the probe within 3 or 4 inches inside of the water pan (past the gap between the side walls and the pan) the readings are absolutely useless because of the heat rolling off between the sidewall and the pan.

This is a pain with big hunks of meat on the grate.

I would love a permanently mounted solution, but wouldnt you still have to futz with it when you want to remove the bottom grate or the water pan?
 
Phillip P said:
wouldnt you still have to futz with it when you want to remove the bottom grate or the water pan?
Click to expand...

Good point.

1. I don't use the bottom grate that often.

2. When I use the bottom grate, I never reach in and try to lift the grate with the meat all the way up through the smoker middle section. I always take the meat off first and then remove the grate. I could remove the grate easily by tilting it to clear the probe.

3. I always foil over the water pan and could remove it easily by tilting it to clear the probe.

However, I agree, it would restrict the use of the bottom grate somewhat and would severely restrict my ability to fill the water pan with water.

-- Mache
 
I just ordered Thermoworks Model: 113-420/425 High Temp Industrial probe but haven't received it yet. They say it is completely sealed against moisture and steam and made for semi-permanent mount in ovens, grill lids etc. Bryan got one already and said it works but thought it was a bit long at 7". I was thinking with a WSM you might be able to drill a hole in the side, probably right below the cooking grate, and insert the probe through that hole. The 7" probe should extend reasonably into the pit to a decent spot for a reading. I plan on drilling a hole in my "FauxMado" lid and inserting it in a similar manner as the typical lid thermometer.

Perhaps this might be a good option for you... I will report back more on it once I have it in hand and after I finally have my HM equipped to use it....
 
I think the Thermoworks is more sealed against moisture on the back side (where the wire comes out of the screw bit). I also bought one of these $5 thermocouples and the thermowell to the screw bit seems just as well attached. It also has a nice springy strain relief, but the cord is somewhat short, just 1M. Again you'd have to drill into the WSM, but they make them in all sorts of lengths and at $5 each it's not a catastrophe if you break one.
 
The $5 unit seems like a nice option too, would order one to try but since the max temp is about 750F I'm not gonna bother with it for my kamado, 'cause I've burned up too many Maverick probes at that temp already. I will have to scour Amazon a bit more to see if there is a unit that can handle more heat... But it seems that unit would be pretty ideal for a WSM type of setup.....

EDIT:
A quick search found this higher temp unit, think I will give it a try.....
 
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