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calibrating Thermometer. How often

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stevesails
stevesails Posts: 990
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
probably a good poll question, but after seeing someones post that his was off by 100 degrees, I wonder how often should or do you check the calibration of the dome thermometer.

I always check the temp when i walk up to it before I start my cook and expect it to be about ambient air temp. so far so good.

Thank you.
XL   Walled Lake, MI

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Comments

  • PhilsGrill
    PhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
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    I'd say once a year. I did mine 5 years ago and it's been fine ever since.
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  • civil eggineer
    civil eggineer Posts: 1,547
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    Actually it can be way off at the bottom of the scale and right on at 212 and above. Mine reads 70 degrees all winter and I live in South Dakota!!! Calibrate it in boiling water. I usually check mine a couple of times a year and it has held firm ever since its first calibration. The thermometer is dependable in the mid range temperatures but not at the bottom in my experience.
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  • Mike in Abita
    Mike in Abita Posts: 3,302
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    I usually check mine right after a particular cook goes a little quicker than i expected it to go.
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
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    I try to watch how the therm responds after a high temp burn off.

    On one of mine yesterday, I noticed it was reading 110 despite the ambient being 65, and the sky completely overcast. It had gone thru a burn off two cooks earlier. A dunk in boiling water showed it to be about 15 degrees too low. After adjustment, it then correctly indicated the outside ambient temp. Which had me knockin' my forehead and thinking, "So that's why the last cook of chicken parts took half again to long."
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  • skihorn
    skihorn Posts: 600
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    I did not calibrate for my first two years (second Egg was only 1.5 years). One was off by 30 degrees and the other 40. I now do it about every 3-4 months or anytime I am nervous about a low and slow.

    It is so easy. I recommend using a sheet of foil with the needle poked through. That makes it easy to hold over the boiling water without putting your hands over it. No need to even look for the right sized wrench. A pair of plyers worked fine for adjustments.

    Freddie
    League City, TX
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  • BBQMaven
    BBQMaven Posts: 1,041
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    I don't clip mine to the inside... I put the clip on the stem and insert in the hole in dome.... when i want to see if it is reading correctly, just remove and substitute my thermopen in the hole... compare the readings...
    Kent Madison MS
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  • Jersey Doug
    Jersey Doug Posts: 460
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    BBQMaven wrote:
    I don't clip mine to the inside... I put the clip on the stem and insert in the hole in dome.... when i want to see if it is reading correctly, just remove and substitute my thermopen in the hole... compare the readings...

    Using the Thermapen is a great idea. Thank you!

    I have the clips off my thermometers. I like to store the thermometers in the Weber "tool box" when I'm not cooking. I also like to rotate the thermometers in the hole so the needle is straight up and down at the target temperature. That way I can accurately monitor the temperature from halfway across the yard.
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