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Check those thermometers!

Griffin
Griffin Posts: 8,200

I knew after a few cooks the last coupla week that something was up. Cooks weren't quite lining up properly. I've usually got a fair idea of how long certain items should take to cook. Finally, got off my lazy butt and checked my thermometers.

image

Water wasn't even boiling and we were already above 300F! That could explain why some of my cooks were taking less time than I was used to. Got it all fixed now and I can rest easy knowing that things will be back on track. Just a friendly reminder to check your thermometers occassionally.  

Rowlett, Texas

Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

 

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Comments

  • Aviator
    Aviator Posts: 1,757

    Yep, I checked mine the other day and its dead again. Have to take it to the dealer for replacement. I wish there was an alternative like a digital or thermocouple based unit aftermarket.

    How do the other komodo cookers' thermometers fare?

    ______________________________________________ 

    Large and Small BGE, Blackstone 36 and a baby black Kub.

    Chattanooga, TN.

     

  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    No clue. That's my old one, the one that came with my large. I've also got the newer one that came with my MINI. Both were off quite a bit.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • Charlie tuna
    Charlie tuna Posts: 2,191
    Yesterday, and this has happened to me a few times in the past, the thermastat end got buried into the spatchcock chicken.  Was using the three tiered grid, and couldn't get my dome temperature to increase???  But then it dawned on me that i had quite a load inside the egg with two spatchcocks on the upper grid..  Repositioned the bird to clear the probe end..
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Yep @Charlie_tuna been there and done that before, too.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321
    I've taken to unclipping the thermometers so I can pull them and insert the thermapen to check temp.  They're rated to 572 degrees, so they are well within the range of my cooking.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,674
    ive never had that problem with my tel tru therms, every one of thos bge therms needed to be checked regularly though. arent new eggs supplied with teltrus now
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    I am pretty sure my dome thermos are about 50 degrees low but I have just given up on them.  I tossed them out during the Cen-tex no dome thermo weekend and haven't used them since!  :).  


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Both of mine are tel-tru. You can see it says it on the bottom of that one.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • frankc623
    frankc623 Posts: 168
    I checked mine last weekend when I replaced my gasket...it was off about 10-15degrees. This past weekend when I did my brisket, I hooked the BBQ guru pit probe to the thermometer And they were about 20 deg different. I'm not sure if the pit probe is off or the dome thermometer is off again. It's frustrating!
    L-BGE | Westminster, MD
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    @Griffin - if your dome thermometer was reading high, I'd think your cooks would take longer, since your egg would be at a lower temperature than indicated....
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    @Griffin - if your dome thermometer was reading high, I'd think your cooks would take longer, since your egg would be at a lower temperature than indicated....
    DOH!! That's what I meant. Forget to set the coffee machine last night so I didn't get my coffee this morning and not quite fully with it.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • thetrim
    thetrim Posts: 11,352
    How do you recalibrate your stock thermo?
    =======================================
    XL 6/06, Mini 6/12, L 10/12, Mini #2 12/14 MiniMax 3/16 Large #2 11/20 Legacy from my FIL - RIP
    Tampa Bay, FL
    EIB 6 Oct 95
  • bigphil
    bigphil Posts: 1,390
    I check mine twice a month and it seems my large is always off by 10 plus degees and the XL never had to adjust it yet both are tel-tru units
    Large Big Green Egg , XL Big Green Egg . BBQ Guru, Weber Kettle, Weber Q grill for road trips.
  • fljoemon
    fljoemon Posts: 757
    thetrim said:
    How do you recalibrate your stock thermo?
    Good instructions with pictures http://www.fredsmusicandbbq.com/category_s/885.htm
    LBGE & Mini
    Orlando, FL
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    thetrim said:
    How do you recalibrate your stock thermo?
    Put the end of the probe in boiling water and turn the nut on the stem so it reads the actual temp, which will be 212F at sea level.  Compensate for altitude - so if you're in Denver, water boils at 203F.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
    edited June 2013
    Remember when checking your thermometer that water boils at 212 degrees at sea level. You have to subtract 1 degree for every 500 feet in elevation for the boiling point. Example is at 5,000 foot elevation water will boil at 202 degrees.
    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
  • thetrim
    thetrim Posts: 11,352
    Thanks, Nola. Like you, I think I'm good setting at 212
    =======================================
    XL 6/06, Mini 6/12, L 10/12, Mini #2 12/14 MiniMax 3/16 Large #2 11/20 Legacy from my FIL - RIP
    Tampa Bay, FL
    EIB 6 Oct 95
  • qprhooligan
    qprhooligan Posts: 126
    Thermometers only have a one year warrantee. I have one that went bad so I bought a tel tru to replace it.
  • Aviator
    Aviator Posts: 1,757
    All my broken ones were teltru.

    ______________________________________________ 

    Large and Small BGE, Blackstone 36 and a baby black Kub.

    Chattanooga, TN.

     

  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    Funny you mention this. I am at beach with my mini this week. Temp gauge was coming to rest at -100 after last cook. I think the large start up flame killed the thermometer. When I calibrated it it would not budge then all if the sudden it jumps like 100 degrees instead of a steady rise. Pretty strange. I am going to have to put a cork on this thing to keep it from getting hit by the flame. @Griffin is the temp gauge stem in your mini really long with a little bend in it? I was shocked when I pulled mine out.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    @Chubbs neither of mine had a bend. Does it look like it came that way from factory? I did bend one when I threw my AR and pizza stones and grates and wood chips and gloves and everything else in the large.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    Yes it looks that way from factory. I h had my large for a few years and the temp gauge is not a tel Tru. My mini is a brand new model. Including the rubber on the intake vent. The temp gauge is way longer and has a bend in it. Pretty strange. I will try to snap a pic. Not sure the cork will work with the bend.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,674
    surprised about the teltrus doing that. maybe having the short stem one that i have  that the whiz warned about reading low is a good thing, i have to add a little over ten percent to the reading to get more accracy, maths involved
    :))
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Thatgrimguy
    Thatgrimguy Posts: 4,723
    Can you adjust the therm or do you just replace it?
    XL, Small, Mini & Mini Max Green Egg, Shirley Fab Trailer, 6 gal and 2.5 gal Cajun Fryers, BlueStar 60" Range, 48" Lonestar Grillz Santa Maria, Alto Shaam 1200s, Gozney Dome, Gateway 55g Drum
  • I am pretty sure my dome thermos are about 50 degrees low but I have just given up on them.  I tossed them out during the Cen-tex no dome thermo weekend and haven't used them since!  :).  
    Well, I don't see how you could cook anything without a thermo!


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Aviator
    Aviator Posts: 1,757
    edited June 2013

    Also, anecdotal, but I did a little test the other day when calibrating. Without the cork, I immersed more than half of the probe in water and adjusted to 212. Then I put it through a cork and then mimicked the probe being shorter into the dome, only about and inch and a half in water, there was a significant difference in the reading. Pulled the cork out and perfect. Anyone else notice this?

    ______________________________________________ 

    Large and Small BGE, Blackstone 36 and a baby black Kub.

    Chattanooga, TN.

     

  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Can you adjust the therm or do you just replace it?

    There is a nut on the back that you can turn to move the needle up or down. You don't have to be 100% accurate, but try and get it to where it reads 210 in boiling water. I don't know about you, but mine doesn't have a mark for 212 and I'm not sure exactly what my elevation is anyways. 210 is good enough for me.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
    I am pretty sure my dome thermos are about 50 degrees low but I have just given up on them.  I tossed them out during the Cen-tex no dome thermo weekend and haven't used them since!  :).  
    Well, I don't see how you could cook anything without a thermo!


    Well played sir
    =))
    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
  • Griffin said:
    Can you adjust the therm or do you just replace it?

    There is a nut on the back that you can turn to move the needle up or down. You don't have to be 100% accurate, but try and get it to where it reads 210 in boiling water. I don't know about you, but mine doesn't have a mark for 212 and I'm not sure exactly what my elevation is anyways. 210 is good enough for me.
    212F = 100C  There is a big 100 you can line it up with on the celsius side of the thermometer.
  • Thatgrimguy
    Thatgrimguy Posts: 4,723
    Griffin said:
    Can you adjust the therm or do you just replace it?

    There is a nut on the back that you can turn to move the needle up or down. You don't have to be 100% accurate, but try and get it to where it reads 210 in boiling water. I don't know about you, but mine doesn't have a mark for 212 and I'm not sure exactly what my elevation is anyways. 210 is good enough for me.

    Thank you! 
    XL, Small, Mini & Mini Max Green Egg, Shirley Fab Trailer, 6 gal and 2.5 gal Cajun Fryers, BlueStar 60" Range, 48" Lonestar Grillz Santa Maria, Alto Shaam 1200s, Gozney Dome, Gateway 55g Drum