Thermometer damage in freezing temps?

[Chris Allingham]

Here's a question to all those who:<UL TYPE=SQUARE>

<LI>have a thermometer mounted permanently in their WSM or other cooker

<LI>leave their cooker outdoors year-round

<LI>have freezing temperatures during winter
[/list]
Will 20-30*F temperatures damage a 50-550*F range thermometer if left outside? Anyone have any experience with this?

Regards,
Chris

 

[Jim Minion]

Chris
I don't have them on the WSMs but I have 5 that I use on the Klose cookers and the only thing I find that has hurt them is if you bend the stem.
Jim

 

[Ken Nelson]

Hi Chris,

I’ve got a Brinkman replacement thermometer that’s been through 5 winters now on my NB smoker. Each spring I take it off and check it with boiling water. So far, it’s remained accurate despite being exposed to temps as low as –25 for several days at a time.

If you’ve got a quality thermometer, any slightly sub-freezing temps you experience in San Jose shouldn’t harm it at all.

Hope this helps.

Ken in Iowa,
Who has not yet put his shorts away for the winter!

 

[Guest]

Christ, The one you had built in my unit has worked perfect, I still use two Polder's for grate level and for meat temp. Always exact temp when I check.