4 Butts/2 Briskets-What a mess-but oh so good! Long Post

Hammer

Over the Labor day weekend, I cooked 4 butts, and 2 briskets; however to get there was a day from hell.
Got old Humpty ready to go: built a raised grid using the directions on the forum; put on the butts, plugged in the probes; closed the dome, which was slightly harder to close than usual, but caused me no concern. Noticed that the butts on the top grid registered a higher temp, than the lower grid, but still no major concern. Noticed that the BGE temp guage was going erratic. Figured it would settle down and I could adjust accordingly. It didn't, it continued to be erratic, and the probe difference was over 15 degrees difference, between the top and bottom.
I knew that the meat on the top grid would probably be higher, due to the raised elevation of the grid higher in the dome, but 15 degrees? I knew that something was wrong. I did the proverbial sin, and raised the dome. The dome guage was bent, and the top butts were cooking too fast. I immediately shut down, disassembled the raised grid, and proceeded to cook. The Nu-Temp 701 that I have used for several years decided to go on the blink. I ended up cooking all the butts with a PYREX guage. All 4 butts coming off at different times. I pulled the pork, and it was great.
I marinated 2 briskets using Nature Boy's recipe overnight, and set up old Humpty the next day re; fresh lump; Elder Ward's lump method; changed batteries in the NU-Temp; new probes,new temp quage; and proceeded to cook. It was a repeat of the previous day, except the BGEm guage worked OK. The Nu Temp and probes went crazy again; I finished cooking again using the PYREX guage.
I should mention that due to the Dome temp guage acting erratic on the 4 butt cook; I used a whole load of lump up the middle of the fire ring. I never did that before.
Bottom Line: I have ordered a ThermaPin; ordered new dome guages from Tel-Tru; looked at ordering a BBQ Guru; and asked Wireless alarm who makes Nu-Temp if they have anything better. The reply: We have been having problems with out 1200 probes, but at this point they have suggested nothing better to replace the Nu Temp 701.
A day fro Hell- but the end result was oh so good!
Hammer

Mike in MN

Hammer,
Ya, but look at how you expanded your horizons! All that learning that you managed over the weekend. Beats sitting around and just drinking beer. Probably....[p]Mike in MN

Bordello

Mike in MN,
When you learn the hard way,,,,,,,,, You don't forget. LOL
Glad his outcome was good.[p]Regards,
New Bob

mad max beyond eggdome

Hammer,
also sounds like maybe your dome temp probe got stuck in one of those butts. . .that can really screw up your temps as you have a dome temp really high but the probe is sticking into a cold piece of meat. . .happend to me with a bunch of beer butt chickens one time. . .had the vents wide open, the chicken was sizzlin and i had dome temps readin like 100 degrees. ...DOH!! thankfully, most of our mistakes still taste better than the 'gasser's' best efforts. . .