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Thermometer Question

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chocdoc
chocdoc Posts: 461
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Took the dome thermometer out of my new egg to calibrate today - realize the clip (that stays outside on my mini) is on the stem on the inside.

When I put it back in place is it necessary or even desirable to put the clip on it inside?

By the way - the calibration was off by about 120 degrees F - so probably wise I did it. Although it now says it's 120 degrees in the room. There isn't 2 point calibration on these babies is there?
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    I've never seen a clip on the outside. Lot's of folks don't even use a clip, just stick it in the hole. Calibrate in boiling water, there is no secondary adjustment.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • jeffinsgf
    jeffinsgf Posts: 1,259
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    I moved my clips to the outside. I like them better there. No clip moves around too much for me.
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,889
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    I have thrown away my clips and recommend you do too. Gravity will keep the thermometer in place. That way if you bump your thermometer by accident it will turn freely whereas with the clip it can be knocked out of calibration again. Also if there is a chance you might impale your meat - such as a beer butt chicken you can easily pull out the thermometer, close the lid and return the thermometer!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • Little Chef
    Little Chef Posts: 4,725
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    chocdoc: What temp did you adjust the thermometer to? While stem is in boiling water, adjusted to 212*? Seems peculiar that it now reads 120*...
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  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
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    Yep -- me too. Have had the clips on the outside for years. Keep the stem further away from whatever I'm cooking and raises the dial a little, keeping it oriented as well.
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  • WingRider
    WingRider Posts: 326
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    I put the clip on the outside and adjust so that 3/4" to 1" is sticking through inside, less likely to spear your dinner.

    120 room temp does not sound right, if cal'd at 212 then room temp should also be right otherwise thermo is not linear and will only be accurate at 212???

    could be that the thermo is DOA
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  • Mike in Abita
    Mike in Abita Posts: 3,302
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    Not really a 2 point calibration but you can carefully check it with a pot of hot oil. Requires another thermometer, and some time. Bring some cooking oil up to 400 Deg F and check your BGE thermo with it.

    Before you do that you might want to cut up some potatoes and do some fries with all the hot oil, or even a few catfish filets.
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  • chocdoc
    chocdoc Posts: 461
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    Mike in Abita wrote:
    Not really a 2 point calibration but you can carefully check it with a pot of hot oil. Requires another thermometer, and some time. Bring some cooking oil up to 400 Deg F and check your BGE thermo with it.

    Before you do that you might want to cut up some potatoes and do some fries with all the hot oil, or even a few catfish filets.

    Sounds like a plan. I've got several reliable thermometers to read 400.

    But if it's calibrated at 212 and doesn't read 400 accurately - then I suppose I should just take it back?
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  • chocdoc
    chocdoc Posts: 461
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    WingRider wrote:
    I put the clip on the outside and adjust so that 3/4" to 1" is sticking through inside, less likely to spear your dinner.

    120 room temp does not sound right, if cal'd at 212 then room temp should also be right otherwise thermo is not linear and will only be accurate at 212???

    could be that the thermo is DOA

    That's the way my mini is set up - much less likely to spear food especially in the mini.
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  • chocdoc
    chocdoc Posts: 461
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    Little Chef wrote:
    chocdoc: What temp did you adjust the thermometer to? While stem is in boiling water, adjusted to 212*? Seems peculiar that it now reads 120*...

    Adjusted to 212 (actually to 100 C) while in boiling water.
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  • Capt Frank
    Capt Frank Posts: 2,578
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    My thermometers [both BGE brand] are calibrated dead on at 212. Both read around 120 in ambient air. I don't think they are sophistcated enough instruments to read accurately on the bottom end of the scale. B)
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  • Hustling Hare
    Hustling Hare Posts: 105
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    Like they said, toss the clip, you don't need it. Mine is inaccurate at room temp,also. Not as much as yours but definitely gives me a double take when I see it. I just ignore it and cook.
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  • Mike in Abita
    Mike in Abita Posts: 3,302
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    If it doesn't follow the two temps then I would do one of two things.

    First thing I would do would be to replace it with a Tel-Tru.

    If I absolutely had to use it, I would set it to a known temp using the oil as a medium to set it. If it's 250 or 350, set it for either one and just know that it will be off at other temps.
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  • chocdoc
    chocdoc Posts: 461
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    Going to give Tel-tru a call tomorrow and see if they'll ship to my friends place in NY. I know in the future I'll want a thermometer I can trust.
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  • chrisnjenn
    chrisnjenn Posts: 534
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    I replaced my stock BGE with a Tel Tru (more reliable IMO). The stem length on both always bothered me. My dealer suggested (which he does with his Eggs) that I drink a bottle of wine and use the cork to shorten the stem of the thermometer. I took the cork, cut it about 3/4 of the way, put the needle of the thermometer through the middle of it to the top of it, put it back on the egg and placed the clip back on the inside. It has worked perfectly.
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