brain cells zapped, so I need help

Unknown

Yesterday after checking the calibration of my two dome thermometers just for fun I plugged in my never used before Pyrex brand (knock off Polder, or who knocked off whom?) and stuck it in the boiling water and it would only read 206 degrees. I then used my other knock off and it also only would read 206. My approximate altitude is 770 feet. is that enough to account for the missing six degrees? My high school science days brain cells have long since been zapped by a toddy or two and I just don't recall if the 212 boiling point is a variable with altitude or if 770 feet even means sqwat-doodle anyway! ^oo^~

Mike Oelrich

one feral kat,[p] Looks to me like you'd have to be at about 3000 ft. or so to get water to boil at 206F. See link below.[p]MikeO
[ul][li]Boiling Point of Water[/ul]

Cat

one feral kat,[p]My brain cells are long dead too...good thing we have search engines. ;-}[p]Cathy
***********[p]CALIBRATING THERMOMETERS IN BOILING WATER:
Boiling Point / Atmospheric Pressure / Altitude Tables
O. Peter Snyder, Jr., Ph.D.
Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management
670 Transfer Road, Suite 21A
St. Paul, Minnesota 55114 USA

[snip][p]There are two factors that must be considered for accurate calibration at the boiling point. First is altitude at which the thermometer is to be calibrated. For
example, at sea level, water boils at 212F. However, for every 500 feet above sea level, water boils about at 0.9F less. At 1,000 feet, then, water boils at
about 210.2; at 2,000 feet, about 208.4; at 3,000 feet, about 206.6, etc. [p]In addition to this correction factor, one must correct for barometric pressure. At a 0-feet altitude, if the barometric pressure is 29.921 inches of mercury,
water boils at 212F. If the barometer is at 29.0, the water boils at 1.53F less than the 212F boiling point, with the altitude factor already considered. If the
pressure is at 30.8 inches of mercury, one must allow for an increase in boiling of 1.43F.

Unknown

Cat,
then am I to surmise I have managed to have enough bad luck to acquire two faulty thermometers, but enough good luck that they both are off 6 degrees so that I'll need to compensate for that error factor? I wonder if anybody else has this problem... ^oo^~

Gfw

one feral kat, I know that you already have the information that you are looking for, but for futurre reference there is a calculator in my FAQ section along with a link to the weather for current barometric pressure.[p]The link to Dunlap is http://www.weather.com/weather/cities/us_il_dunlap.html[p]BP = 29.91 - adjusted Boiling Point of Water is 211.98

[ul][li]Calculator[/ul]

Tim M

one feral kat,[p]A dome probe error of 5-6 deg is only 3% and wouldn't be too much to worry about. I also think the boiling water is very subjective - IE: is it when the first bubble starts or when all the water is boiling. I have always been under the inpression is is when the water is all rolling in bubbles so make sure of that first. The dome thermometers are adjustable, there is a large nut behind the dial but it's tricky to set since it falls like a rock as soon as you remove it so it's hard to see how much you move the dial. Tiny bit will change it 5 deg. Good luck - My Polders all read off a few degs (2-5 deg).[p]Tim

Car Wash Mike

one feral kat, I'm only half as lucky as you. The only one I bought registered 208 in rolling boiling water. Called the store I bought it at and was told "there not perfect".[p]CWM

Gfw

<p />Car Wash Mike, if it is anything like the BGE model, it can be adjusted - one of the advantages of the BGE Dome Thermometer. Check out the link.

[ul][li]Calibrating...[/ul]

Car Wash Mike

Gfw, I'm sorry I didn't explain myself very well. I was talking about my polder. The dome temp thermometer was calibrated at the dealer and he did a very good job. He didn't happen to have a polder and I wanted one right away.
Iv'e been eggsperimenting with your beef jerky. I'm trying to get it a little sweeter but still with a good kick of red pepper. I play a lot of golf and all of a sudden I'm supposed to bring jerky for the round of golf. It's going over very big in my little neck of the woods.[p]Thanks again,[p]CWM

Gfw

Car Wash Mike, the molasses and maple syrup act to overcome some of the hot effects of the pepper - next batch I'm going to double the mayple syrup and the Tobasco. [p]Life is GOOD! :-}

Unknown

one feral kat,[p]Here's another slant on thermometer calibration.

Unknown

one feral kat,[p]Here I am again . . . this time with something other than a blank page. [p]Haven't figured out yet how to put the link in . . . anyway here it is, but guess you'll have to type it in. Hope you think it's worth the trouble.[p]http://www.dannysbbq.com/thermometer.asp

[ul][li]Calibration[/ul]

Gfw

one feral kat, since bb seems to be having a problem with the link - can't necessarily say that I agree (I read the page)but you might. [p]Gfw

[ul][li]bb's link[/ul]

Unknown

one feral kat (and gfw too),[p]Boy, is my face red! One more time and I'm outta here. I made a typo in the link. Should have been an s on the end of thermometer. Now it will work. [p]Now that I've been properly self chastised, I won't make this error again. Seems the hurrier I go the behinder I get.[p]bb

[ul][li]Calibration[/ul]

Tim M

Gfw,[p]Why do I get so upset with people and there opinions when they tell you that you're doing it all wrong and they are the only person who is smart enough to be doing it right? I wonder if Danny has an ego thermometer? It would read really high.[p]
Tim

Tim M

bb,[p]I don't think it liked the ASP extention you used. A link will end in .htm, .html, .shtml[p]Tim

Car Wash Mike

Gfw, Have you tried that yet? I've got two little pieces left after my two tournaments this week. I'm getting ready to cut into some eye of round for jerky. I'm going to double up on maple syrup, Iv'e already doubled up on red pepper. Do you always use the same cut of meat? I used to own the store where I buy my meat for jerky. Sometimes I get rump roast and sometimes I get eye of round. I always pay the same about a buck a pound.[p]CWM

Gfw

Car Wash Mike, not yet. I have tried sirloin and round - I finally settled on brisket - I get it relative cheap from Sam's Club - this was my first attempt with Tobasco and the results were great - love Jerky - more Tobasco and Maple syrup should lead to a spicy-sweet jerky - the fun is in the quest! :-}