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Maverick Thermometer Question

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MINIDUKI
MINIDUKI Posts: 5
in EggHead Forum

Just got my BGE. Have tried the Maverick ET732 thermometer but find that the temp is 40 degrees different than my dome. The Maverick people said I should wrap my barbque probe in foil to avoid it getting "wet" which can short it out. They also said not to put the wire between the gaskets on the Egg but to drill a hole in it and put a silicone plug around it. NO WAY! So does anybody have any tips on using this thermometer set?

Thanks!

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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
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    The temp difference doesn't seem out of line; depending on where your grid probe was located although, you should calibrate your dome thermo if you have not done so already.

    As far as drilling a hole in your egg... that just sounds silly to me but maybe others have done it.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
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  • SWVABeanCounter
    SWVABeanCounter Posts: 859
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    Grid temp will be different than the dome temp initially.  The longer the cook, the closer they will get to each other.  Alot of people wrap the probes in foil.  Enough that any part of it exposed to the heat inside is protected. I personally don't.  One thing to make sure is that the probe is not exposed to direct heat.  Make sure the probe wires go over the legs of the placesetter.  I've put mine in between the gaskets and have had no issues.  I've read of people using alcohol wipes to clean the food probe so that it doesn't get wet.  I am just very careful when cleaning the probe.  It never gets immersed in water and gets dryed immediately.

    Damascus, VA.  Friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail.

    LBGE Aug 2012, SBGE Feb 2014

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  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167
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    I haven't done anything like that and certainly wouldn't.

    Per @Texan, check calibration of your dome thermometer, and check calibration of the Maverick, also.  If it is way off, call them back.  They may be willing to "check it out" for you.

    Good luck.

    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
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  • shtgunal3
    shtgunal3 Posts: 5,647
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    SWVAbeancounter is exactly right. Only a complete idiot would drill a hole in their egg in my opinion.

    ___________________________________

     

     LBGE,SBGE, and a Mini makes three......Sweet home Alabama........ Stay thirsty my friends .

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  • RV10Flyer
    RV10Flyer Posts: 140
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    After my last probe died on its first cook, I started to foil the probes.  I just run the wire between the two gaskets.

    North Texas

    XL and Small BGE

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  • SLOandSteady
    SLOandSteady Posts: 210
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    I'm a "foiler" as well. I use the heavy-duty aluminum foil as that's what I have around. So far so good.
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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
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    SWVABeanCounter said:
    Grid temp will be different than the dome temp initially.  The longer the cook, the closer they will get to each other.  Alot of people wrap the probes in foil.  Enough that any part of it exposed to the heat inside is protected. I personally don't.  One thing to make sure is that the probe is not exposed to direct heat.  Make sure the probe wires go over the legs of the placesetter.  I've put mine in between the gaskets and have had no issues.  I've read of people using alcohol wipes to clean the food probe so that it doesn't get wet.  I am just very careful when cleaning the probe.  It never gets immersed in water and gets dryed immediately.
    +1 - Although I use foil and alcohol swabs to clean the probes. The key is run over a setter leg - that means do not use for direct cooks. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • SaltySam
    SaltySam Posts: 887
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    I did an overnight pork shoulder last night and copied down dome and grid temps for the first two hours, and a couple times throughout the night

    10:00-  Dome- 275,  Grid- 243

    11:00-  Dome 285,  Grid- 270

    1:30-  Dome 315, Grid- 301  (Maverick beeped, and woke me up.  The wind kicked up and it was enough to stoke the coals a bit, even though the draft door was open about 1/4".  So, I got up, and closed it to about 1/8")

    5:30- Dome 250,  Grid 252  (Meat temp was 185, so I hit snooze on the alarm, and let the Maverick wake me up at 6:30).  

    The advice I've picked up is that on low and slows, a temperature difference of 20 degrees or so between grid and dome is not a huge deal. IT of the meat is what you're really concerned with.   If anything, calibrate your dome thermometer with boiling water.  It should hit 100 degrees Celsius on the nose. 

    LBGE since June 2012

    Omaha, NE

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  • MINIDUKI
    MINIDUKI Posts: 5
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    Thank you all! Maverick sent me a free replacement set of probes so that I could start anew. I do appreciate all of your great ideas! Quack from the Duck
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  • MINIDUKI
    MINIDUKI Posts: 5
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    Oh, I forgot to ask. How do I calibrate the dome therm? Tried looking it up on this site by searching but couldn't find it.
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  • SaltySam
    SaltySam Posts: 887
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    Pull the thermometer directly out of the dome lid.  It should come straight out.  If you've been cooking for a while, it's likely that there is some creosote buildup on it.  Wipe as much of that off as you can.  I don't know if that affects temp readings, but I would think that a clean thermometer couldn't hurt it.

    I boiled a small pot of water, and then fashioned two bamboo skewers side by side with rubber bands.  I laid those across the top of the pot, and then slid the thermometer between the skewers.  The rubber bands held them together, and allowed the thermometer to read the water temperature without being submerged. 

    Funny story... my kid saw what I was doing and said, "How can you be sure the water temperature is exactly 212?  What if it's hotter than that?"

    "It's boiling.  It's always 212 when it's boiling"  -Me

    "But what if you heat it up past 212?"  - my kid

    "Well then it's no longer water" -Me

    (blank stare)- my kid

    "At 32 degrees, ice turns to water.  Solid to liquid.  At 212, it's gas.  That's boiling point." -Me

    "I don't get it.  Are you making Atomic buffalo turds tonight?"

     

     

    LBGE since June 2012

    Omaha, NE

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  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273
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    when you start comparing the Maverick temp at the grill to the BGE gauge, you are measuring different zones inside the cooker.   Most of the time they don't match, sometimes towards the end of a long cook they get closer.

    Starting out I expect 25-40 degrees difference.

    Cookin in Texas
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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    edited June 2013
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    SaltySam said:

    Pull the thermometer directly out of the dome lid.  It should come straight out.  If you've been cooking for a while, it's likely that there is some creosote buildup on it.  Wipe as much of that off as you can.  I don't know if that affects temp readings, but I would think that a clean thermometer couldn't hurt it.

    I boiled a small pot of water, and then fashioned two bamboo skewers side by side with rubber bands.  I laid those across the top of the pot, and then slid the thermometer between the skewers.  The rubber bands held them together, and allowed the thermometer to read the water temperature without being submerged. 

    Funny story... my kid saw what I was doing and said, "How can you be sure the water temperature is exactly 212?  What if it's hotter than that?"

    "It's boiling.  It's always 212 when it's boiling"  -Me

    "But what if you heat it up past 212?"  - my kid

    "Well then it's no longer water" -Me

    (blank stare)- my kid

    "At 32 degrees, ice turns to water.  Solid to liquid.  At 212, it's gas.  That's boiling point." -Me

    "I don't get it.  Are you making Atomic buffalo turds tonight?"

     

     

    I guess @SaltySam sidetracked himself with his humorous anecdote so I will finish his explanation. Leave the thermometer in the boiling water until the temperature stops rising. Of course, you're looking for 212*F or 100*C. The 100*C mark might be a tad bit easier to check. If the temp does not settle there then there is a nut on the back of the thermometer that can be turned to adjust the dial. I can't remember what size the nut is but you'll need a wrench to turn. Finally, you may want to factor in your elevation for determining at what temp water boils at your place.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
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  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167
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    Another easy way to calibrate your dome thermo is to use a slotted spoon to hold the thermo while lowering the probe into boiling water.  If your reading isn't right , adjust it using the nut at the back.  Also, while you have the thermo out of the dome, toss the retaining clip.  You don.t need it.
    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
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  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273
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    I just use some kitchen tongs when calibrating.
    Cookin in Texas
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  • SaltySam
    SaltySam Posts: 887
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    That's just like me.  Easily distracted, and unnecessarily complicated.  Sorry, dude!

    Thanks for the assist @TexanoftheNorth!

     

    LBGE since June 2012

    Omaha, NE

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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
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    SaltySam said:

    That's just like me.  Easily distracted, and unnecessarily complicated.  Sorry, dude!

    Thanks for the assist @TexanoftheNorth!

     

    No problem... that's what I'm here for!
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
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  • fljoemon
    fljoemon Posts: 757
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    TexanOfTheNorth said:
    SaltySam said:

     I can't remember what size the nut is but you'll need a wrench to turn. 

    You need a 7/16 wrenchimage
    LBGE & Mini
    Orlando, FL
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  • MINIDUKI
    MINIDUKI Posts: 5
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    Thank you all for all of your help! I loved the story! ...and the picture of the wrench. Are my blonde roots showing ??? LOL! I think something is amiss as I smoked a couple of beer can chickens tonight. They were about 4.5 lbs each and even though the dome  temperature read about 240 it took 7 or so  hours to smoke to about 180 internal. Tomorrow my thermometer and I have a hot date over a pot of boiling water. Again, thanks for all the tips !!! Quack!!
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