Thermometer Upgrade


 
E

Eugene A

TVWBB Fan
OK, so I bought an upgraded thermometer from Tel-Tru for my WSM, and I find out that the hardware is sold separately...$7 and change, but with a shipping charge of $9.50. So, I go to HD -- they don't have the nut or washer to fit the Tel-Tru. I go to Ace. I get this humongous brass nut and a washer that fits. I'm installing it next week, when I get the drill bit and high temp paint. What could possibly go wrong, go wrong, go wrong, go wrong...



 
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Good luck with your project. Evidently, I was lucky because my stock Weber thermometer is within 1-2 degrees of measured. However, I don't use it. :o
 
Randall S: You're lucky. On the upside, the temp on the lid thermometer is from 10-20 degrees below the reading on the Maverick. On the downside, the temp on the lid thermometer is 10-20 degrees above the reading on the Maverick. In direct sunlight, there's no relationship between the reading on the lid thermometer and the reading on the Maverick.
 
Eugene... Let us know if your new Tel-Tru thermometer reads any different than the factory issued thermometer...
 
Eugene, it looks like they sold you a Gripco type nut.
This class of nut is "deformed" (note the indentations) to create a "locking effect".
Those indents may just be a "grade marking". If the nut turns freely all the on you will be OK.

If I'm right and it is a locking type of nut, you will have to fight it all the way on and possibly put undue stress at the therm head connection.
I would not use a Gripco nut for this application unless there is a way to use two wrenches, one for back-up.
You don't want that kind of unnecessary stress on your therm head to stem connection.

I have a therm install tutorial in the archives here at TVWBB.
For that size hole, you definitely want to use a Unibit (step bit).
 
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Joe F: I bought the nut and washer separately. The nut fits the threads of the thermometer without any resistance. I did note the possibility that when I attach the new thermometer to the lid, along with the thickness (or thinness) of the washer and the lid, there may not be enough thread to hold the nut. Also, how will the metal be affected by the heat? Will the nut and washer do what they're designed to do...at 400 degrees? I guess I'll find out soon enough. And yes, I did order the step bit, as recommended in the pages here dealing with WSM modifications. If this works out well, I may also switch out the lid thermometer on my kettle. I'm getting brave in my old age -- the kettle and the WSM are our of warranty; so, I have some leeway to make minor modifications without the I-told-you-so from Weber.
 
Bob Bass: I'm a bit nerdy in that regard, i.e. comparing readings and such. But I never thought about comparing readings between the factory-issued thermometer and the Tel-Tru -- now I have a mission to accomplish. What I WILL do is to compare the readings from the Tel-Tru to the readings on the Maverick, and see whether or not they vary from the comparison I did between the factory-issued thermometer and the Maverick.

As an aside, I swapped out the factory-issued thermometer from my Camp Chef propane smoker with a Tel-Tru, and I swapped the Camp Chief factory-issued thermometer with the factory-issued thermometer on my Weber Genesis 1000. When I was grilling yesterday, I noted that the reading on the "new" thermometer wasn't varying much, up or down. Also, when I did a burn-off of the cooking grates, the grill was SMOKING, and I only had a reading of 300 degrees on the "new" thermometer -- it should have been upwards of 450 degrees. So, I'm swapping out the "new" thermometer with another Tel-Tru of approximately the same size.
 
Eugene A said:
Joe F: I bought the nut and washer separately. The nut fits the threads of the thermometer without any resistance. I did note the possibility that when I attach the new thermometer to the lid, along with the thickness (or thinness) of the washer and the lid, there may not be enough thread to hold the nut. Also, how will the metal be affected by the heat? Will the nut and washer do what they're designed to do...at 400 degrees? I guess I'll find out soon enough. And yes, I did order the step bit, as recommended in the pages here dealing with WSM modifications. If this works out well, I may also switch out the lid thermometer on my kettle. I'm getting brave in my old age -- the kettle and the WSM are our of warranty; so, I have some leeway to make minor modifications without the I-told-you-so from Weber.
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You could go with a thinner washer.

The nut and washer will be fine in the kettle environment.
They will smoke over and look OEM before you know it.

Here's my WSM therm mod thread...
http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?50608-Lid-Therm-Mod-for-Older-WSM
 
I agree with Randall, my stock thermometer is almost dead nuts also. I use mine for reference only. When it gets close l take out my trusty meat thermometer.
 
Eugene.
You could replace that washer with a thin heat resistant fibre washer.
You could also cut that nut in half, to make it thinner. Nice and easy with a junior hacksaw. (You will require a bench vice).

There is another option. You could just poke the therm through the silicone grommet for the cook. It would closer to the grate than the dome therm.
 
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