Retro-fitting a Thermometer to a Kettle BBQ


 
T

Toby George

New member
Hi Folks, I'm a new TVWBB member and I live in New Zealand. I've got a 22.5" Weber kettle bbq, it doesn't have a thermometer on the lid and I'm wanting to find out if what the best solution is to either retro-fit a thermometer to the lid - or use a separate accessory thermometer somehow. It's starting to drive me a bit crazy not knowing what temperature by bbq is at during cooks. Any suggestions would be welcome! Thanks.
 
The only concern regarding placement IMO is look where the little hook to hang the lid (if yours has that) is - you don't want the thermometer probe too close to that (ask me how I know :) ). I've added tel-tru thermometers to both my pre-2009 18.5 wsm & my platinum, and will be adding one to my mini (tamale steamer smokey joe gold).

Whether or not you go with wireless, I think having a thermometer in the lid is a good idea.
 
From my perspective, I just don't trust the lid thermometers. While I also have a controller for my WSM, I also have a Maverick for my kettle. I know that I get an accurate pit temp at the grate where the meat is but it also gives me the meat internal temp. The Maverick is not that expensive and it does make my life easier when I am cooking and I also use it in the oven in the kitchen. To quote Alton Brown, it is a multi tasker. Just my 20 cents (taking inflation into account).
 
Bob Ivey said:
From my perspective, I just don't trust the lid thermometers. While I also have a controller for my WSM, I also have a Maverick for my kettle. I know that I get an accurate pit temp at the grate where the meat is but it also gives me the meat internal temp. The Maverick is not that expensive and it does make my life easier when I am cooking and I also use it in the oven in the kitchen. To quote Alton Brown, it is a multi tasker. Just my 20 cents (taking inflation into account).
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I agree with that post *.
1. Most Bi-Metal Dial thermometers are not accurate. Quality thermometers cost a bit more.
2. Dome temperature where the lid thermometer is located and Grate temperature where the food is located are often not same.
3. Most people feel that if you cook indirect your vent should be located away from the fire and above the food to draw heat and smoke across the food and out of the vent. If your vent is over the food then your thermometer will not be over the food, it will likely be closer to the fire and not give you a reading of the temp where the food is.

A dial therm will tell you if heat is going up or going down so you can track changes (useful while grill is warming up, or checking heat level over long cooks when charcoal may die out and need to be refilled) but for accuracy at the grate, digital is the way to go. Drilling a small port for your thermometer probes will protect your prob wires as well.

* i put the asterisk on my post because after reading a ton of posts and doing a decent amount of cooks i have realized that micromanaging temperature during cooks is a good way to unnecessarily stress your way to some good Q.

Many true veterans will tell you " its BBQ not rocket science". If you are a competition cooker then perfect temperature might matter more but for backyard cooks, an acceptable range will be fine. don't stress it too much. I just have to keep telling myself this...
 
Charlie, overall I agree with you about not sweating to much, but I also love my electronics. I don't really obsess and over manage my cooks, but I do like to know when I need to tend to the fire, and I like to keep track of the meat temps so I don't overcook and ruin the meal. I think that this hobby/obsession gives me the best of both worlds, cooking and low voltage electronics. Truth be told, I am a low voltage contractor by trade. You are very right, we should just try and make it fun and enjoyable. What do they say, "if its not broke, don't fix it". My problem as my wife has been known to say is that I am prone to trying to fix things. Oh well.
 
Bob Ivey said:
Charlie, overall I agree with you about not sweating to much, but I also love my electronics. I don't really obsess and over manage my cooks, but I do like to know when I need to tend to the fire, and I like to keep track of the meat temps so I don't overcook and ruin the meal. I think that this hobby/obsession gives me the best of both worlds, cooking and low voltage electronics. Truth be told, I am a low voltage contractor by trade. You are very right, we should just try and make it fun and enjoyable. What do they say, "if its not broke, don't fix it". My problem as my wife has been known to say is that I am prone to trying to fix things. Oh well.
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I don't practice what I preach as much as I should either. I'm constantly looking for mods hacks and upgrades, probably more than I should with that too.
 
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