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ET-73 Questions

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Carolina Q
Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Well, my latest toy just arrived. I've been playing with it as I want to try it out tonight or tomorrow for a roast I'm planning to cook. I have a couple of questions for you fine folks...

Is there a way to save the temp settings? Didn't see anything in the book about it so I'm guessing it can't be done.

Having to remove the battery cover to turn on the transmitter is going to get old. Anyone ever drill or cut out the recessed area of the cover to allow access to the on-off switch? Would eliminate the water resistance, but somehow, I don't think I will trust it in the rain anyway. Speaking of which, will it still transmit if it's in a Tupperware container or something?

Do these things work in cold weather? Batteries usually don't do well in sub-freezing temps and I'm wondering if I need to find a way to keep it warm. Especially for an all-nighter at 0-10*. If so, any suggestions?

Thanks!

I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Michael 
Central Connecticut 

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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    No way that I know of to save the temperature settings and once you pass a temperature you have to move all the way up then to the bottom and back to your target.

    People have drilled holes, one person adapted a magnetic type on off switch. Once converted a magnet is placed on the side of the unit and that magnet closes the on/off circuit. As I recall it was reported the magnetic switch was about $8 at Radio Shack.

    Yes it will transmit through tupperware or a zip lock bag.

    I keep my ET-73 outside winter or summer. As cold as -21° and as hot as 118°. Many overnight cooks started and ended up well below 0° I have hand no problems with regard to cold or heat.

    I use it on every cook where I use the DigiQII and some of the Stoker cooks also with any cook where I want to monitor the food and or pit temperature without having to go out to the egg. Otherwise, I use it a lot. I also left it on for three weeks to see when the batteries were going to run out. These batteries have been in for about a full year and seem to still be fine.

    GG
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    I figured if anyone would know, it would be you! Thanks!

    Too bad there is no way this thing will wake me up in the middle of the night. I can barely hear it when I'm awake! The old ears ain't what they used to be.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    I am lucky, it wakes my wife up and she slugs me and that wakes me up.

    Too much loud music when I was young and no ear protection when in the army. I can't hear a ref blowing their whistle.

    A long time ago Fred ran an in store contest with the ET-73 to end a debate about how long the batteries would last. The unit was left on all the time. As I recall it was something like 3 months maybe longer and he called an end to the contest and drew a name.

    GG
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    I blame Mom. She hasn't had good hearing for years. She's 93 now. I have a LONG way to go!

    As for batteries, maybe I'll just buy a pack and change 'em every couple of months. Yeah, like I'm gonna remember THAT! I'm surprised they don't mind the cold. What do you do, clip it to the handle of the DFMT? :laugh:

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    "I blame Mom" :)

    Every month I think will be way too often but have some available. I was concerned about the cold weather also but the batteries have held for a long time.

    GG
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  • Willie Lump Lump
    Willie Lump Lump Posts: 229
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    There was a thread here a while ago where there was a contest to see how long the batteries would last if the ET 73 was constantly left on. They gave up after a very long time. Mine has been on constantly since last fall and yes it gets cold here. I take it in after a cook but its been in a butt for 16 hours at around -5 and been just fine.
    My advice is to forget about the little switch under that cover and just change batteries when daylight savings returns. It is after all a smoke alarm! :laugh:
    TTFN WLL
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    "Mine has been on constantly since last fall" interesting, thanks for posting.

    I have noticed the rubber seal under the door is getting hard and when it falls out of the unit it is a bit of a pain to get it back in place.

    GG
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  • Kenny 13
    Kenny 13 Posts: 321
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    I really don't have a problem with the current setup of having to remove the battery cover to turn the unit on and off, as it's really not that difficult or time consuming. I still don't trust the unit to be very waterproof and I'll stick it inside of a ziploc bag if it starts to rain, like it did the last time I used mine.

    BTW, I wouldn't say I use my ET-73 all the time since I'm grilling more frequently than cooking low & slow, but I've had mine for somewhere around 4 years now and it's still on the original set of batteries.
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    Okay, so I won't worry about cold temps or battery life. Thanks guys.

    Kent, you don't need the gasket if you're going to keep it in a zip lock, right? I suppose you could just remove the old gasket and run a very small bead of silicone around the groove where the gasket's supposed to go.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    I also put mine in a zip lock when there is a chance of moisture.

    The on time is amazing.

    GG
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    AT some point in time I will probably have to do something about the gasket. You are correct being in a zip lock.

    "run a very small bead of silicone" that is a great idea except you have never seen me do any caulking or such work. Ever since I have been a little kid that kind of stuff just jumps on me and everything I work on. I don't think I could do a neat caulking job if my life depended on it. :) I will make my wife do it.

    GG
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  • EggTurner
    EggTurner Posts: 108
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    I was fortunate to receive an ET-73 for Christmas and am liking it. I had seen some modifications on DIY sites for modifying the ET-73 but do not see a reason (yet) to do so. I find that with my fingernail I can easily remove the cover and turn the transmitter on and off - but the posts about leaving them running are very interesting. If have put the receiver in a ziploc during rain and it works fine. Mainly it saves me from constantly running down to check on how the temps are doing.
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  • ASTegaCay
    ASTegaCay Posts: 97
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    Need a public service add, when the moving your clock forward and backward to change the batteries in your smoke detectors and ET-73s.
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  • egginator
    egginator Posts: 569
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    About a cook into my ET-73's life I lost the battery cover. About 2 years after that, I sprayed it with the hose or left it out in the rain or tried to clean it with that crazy purple cleaner or something. That was a year ago and it finally died from corrosion around the switch. Oh, by the way, I always left it outside and never treated it nice at all.

    So, the replacement is on order and I think I will try to treat it better. I like the tupperware idea.

    Ed
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