Thermocouple / Probes with Significant Variances

[Phillip P]

Hi All,

Just did two test burn-ins with my new "fauxmodo" (credit to Ralph for that) Akorn using one of my HM 4.2.4 with TC support. The TC amp and components were suppplied on-board from Bryan.

I used a Auber K-Type TC and 3 x ThermoWorks TX-1001X ChefAlarm Pro Probes.

I experienced *significant* variances in the temperatures between all of the probes despite them being grouped together within centimeters. The three ThermoWorks were tightly packed sitting in the same mount with all three of their ends lined up with the TC about 2 centimeters away.

They were all in the center of the grill, over a water pan sitting on a diffuser / pizza stone.

Graphs here:

Burn Test 1

Burn Test 2

CSV for both sessions here:
http://http://www.alteredchord/BBQ/TCProblems.csv

Does anyone have any thoughts on why the variances would be so significant?

The inability for the HM to control the Akorn is a whole other ball of wax that Ralph is helping me sort through. Looks like a lot of silicone is in order.

Thanks!
Phillip

 

[RalphTrimble]

If one probe is thinner than the other it may react to temp changes quicker than others, that could account for some differences. The dark green probe looks like it might be flaky, the rocky graph during that first dip looks like a flaky probe to me. Either probe got wet, or too hot, or you have a poor connection in the jack, or maybe soldering issues with that probe jack? Try using that probe on another port and see if the same probe looks flaky or another probe on the same port looks flaky to figure out whether it's the probe or the jack.
Your setup sounds like it should be a good test, on a stone above a water pan, but air can move around in the grill in odd ways and make the temps different even a small distance apart. You could try putting a glass of water in the grill with all the probes submerged in the water (NOT the ends of coarse) or at least bundle them together and wrap them in tin foil in attempt to make them all see the same temp.
And yah, the Fauxmado is not up to par with the real ceramic kamado's from the factory, that's why I call it the fauxmado! BUT, with a little tweaking you can get it dialed in real nice, and there are some things I really like about the fauxmado compared to the ceramic models, and not only the price... LOL Though I've been tossing around the idea to design my own grill these days....