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Thermometer calibration

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Unknown
Unknown
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Mine is correct at 210, boiling water. But, I swear it's way off at higher temps. How can I check? I have a knock-off egg, and it never has read above 450, although i know it's hotter than that. Even this knockoff should get above 500 with a full firebox of lump going. Also, I've seen people refer to the "other" forums such as the BBQ forum. Where are they?
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  • BlueSmoke
    BlueSmoke Posts: 1,678
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    QDay,[p]The idea of calibration is to have a "yardstick" to measure against; boiling water, a second meter, etc. Do you have another meter you can compare the dome meter to? IMHO the problem you're going to encounter is that there aren't a lot of easily available meters that go to say 700 degrees. (I have 4 bimetal thermometers, none of which goes above 550 degrees.)[p]Check your e-mail.[p]Ken
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  • StubbyQ
    StubbyQ Posts: 156
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    Confucius say:[p]Man with one thermometer always knows what the the temperature is.[p]Man with thermometers never quite sure.
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  • clausenk
    clausenk Posts: 93
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    BlueSmoke,[p]Teltru has several models that go to 750 or 1000F for under $20.
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  • BlueSmoke
    BlueSmoke Posts: 1,678
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    clausenk,[p]Granted. And I'm a TelTru believer. There are some considerations that have to be taken into account, and that severely limits the choices. [p]1) what's the stem diameter? [p]2) what is the "face" made of - glass can take high temps, plastic can't?[p]
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  • Charbon
    Charbon Posts: 222
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    QDay,At least to 400 degrees you could check it against digital thermometer (Wal Mart 10 bucks) by turning on and sticking into hole. Won't do nuke temps but I just look at swirl of flames and feel ceramic shell to know what "hot" is.
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  • Hammer
    Hammer Posts: 1,001
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    QDay,
    What kind of thermometer do you currently have? First of all, water boils at 212; not 210. Knockoff Egg or not, that doesn't change. Why do you believe that it is in accurate at higher temps? What do you base this assumption on?
    I would suggest that you buy a good temp guage; that is easily calibrated; re; read that Tel-Tru.
    Hope this helps
    Hammer [p]
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  • Tim M
    Tim M Posts: 2,410
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    QDay,[p]"Even this knockoff should get above 500 with a full firebox of lump going."[p]My small won't - well it won't go over 550° without a fan blowing in the vent.[p]Tim
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  • ChefDBA
    ChefDBA Posts: 20
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    Hammer,
    Water boils at 212 degrees at sea level, as you move up in height the temperature lowers. Atlanta is about 1200 feet or so above sea level and it boils at 210 degrees here.[p]Honest, just ask any mountain climbers.
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  • UnConundrum
    UnConundrum Posts: 536
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    QDay,[p]You're only checking one point with the boiling water method... it's best to use two or more reference points. Another easy one is to pack a glass with ice and add water, let sit a couple minutes and test for 32 degrees if your thermometer goes that low.... If you can't adjust your thermometer to hit both points when you alternate tests, throw it out.... Unfortunately, most dial thermometers don't give you the lower range for the test. Some have a tic on the dial for the lower point.[p]Short of the freezing/boiling water tests, there aren't any set points in every day life that you can compare it to, other than a known good thermometer.
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  • db
    db Posts: 103
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    QDay,
    What kind of thermometer is it?
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    db,
    I don't know, there is nothing name-wise on it. It may be right, I'm gonna find out. I'll pull 2 backwoods out and swap and see today, see if they agree at 350 or so. I also ordered a tel-tru bbq250-4" today, I'll have it in 7 bus. days. I'm thinking and hoping it's low but maybe not. My digital doesn't go up very high, but it reads higher than the guage when I stick it in the daisy wheel opening. I was just wondering if anydody knew a quick fool proof check for higher temps (like boiling for 212). I keep thinking about a pressure cooker, if you know pressure you can figure temp, but not very feasible. Even better maybe a solution with a known boiling point, antifreeze, or something like that. Now that I've thought about it, I'm gonna come up with something reliable and dead accurate for around 400F. That way you have 2 ref. points, 212 and 400, so you are without doubt. I'm on it!!!!! Thanks for the inspiration guys, I'll report back with data!
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  • db
    db Posts: 103
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    QDay,
    Tin melts at 450 deg f. Don't hurt yourself.
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