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Temperature Question (Maverick 732 grid vs. dome temp)

gte1
gte1 Posts: 379
edited February 2012 in EggHead Forum


I received a Maverick 732 for a Christmas gift this
year.  I have only used it twice so far
and have noticed a strange phenomenon on both cooks.



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I have calibrated the BGE thermometer in boiling water so I know
it is at least fairly accurate.  I have
read over and over on this forum that the dome temp is usually higher, as much
as 25 degrees over the grill temp.



 



After lighting the egg and getting close to temp I added the
Maverick probe clipped onto the grate.  I
was using an adjustable rig with a 13x17 oval stone so the probe was nowhere
near in direct line of the fire.  As the
temp stabilized the readings between the Maverick and the BGE thermometer were
very close, not higher at the dome.  Things
continued this way for a few hours then there was a definite difference in
temps with the grate temp being probably 15-25 degrees HIGER than the dome
temp.  This continued this way until the
end of the cook, even as I raised the temp.



 



Any ideas what is going on here?  The only theory that I have is that the drip
pan which was about 3” below the probe now having grease in it may be radiating
heat upwards.  Most of the drippings were
in the part of the pan under the probe as I am not on a completely level
surface. The pan however was not directly sitting on the stone so I’m not so
sure that its contents would be much hotter than the grid.  I did not move the probe around on the grid
to check if the temp was different in different areas.  This was much too good of an idea for me to
think of at the time.  



 



Any ideas out there??



 



George



George

Comments

  • All I know is that my maverick thermometer also posts about a 20F+ higher temp than the dome thermometer....
  • Mine reads some 20F higher than the dome unless I am doing a longer cook and they finally stabilize at the same temp.
    Large BGE Dyersburg TN
  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273

    I have seen some interesting things with maverick.    I am of the opinion - heat control is the single most important ingredient between a mediocre cook and a good cook.    The rubs, the other steps will take a good cook to a great cook,   I say that cause I had two other smokers before the Egg ( tons of gassers, but thats different), the problem with them was the amount of effort required for heat management.     I bought the BGE for low and slow - and it delivers beyond my expectations.

    Noticed that the placement of the grill probe has huge impact on temp readings.  An inch or so can make a big difference.  Also, with a long cook, where there is significant change in the amount of liquid in the drip pan, that has impact on the differential.   I have seen 50 degrees delta off of the dome - I have seen almost equal.

    With all the technology - it still comes down to the person manning the helm.  For example, we can have target temps for brisket - but the real test is how the meat feels when you probe it.   Anyway - just my two cents late at night...  for what its worth.

    Cookin in Texas
  • herbby
    herbby Posts: 3
    edited February 2012
    Make sure your grill probe is not too close to the edge of the grill and exposed to direct heat - that may account for higher readings.
  • gte1
    gte1 Posts: 379
    The wired part to me is that they are the same for hours, then become different.
    George
  • I had the same problem this weekend. I have calibrated the dome thermometer, and used a remote Dig. Thermometer for the grate temp. Put on  briskett and for the first 2/3 of the cook the grate temp was 25 to 30 higher than dome then for the last 1/3 it was pretty much equal to the dome temp. I used the plate setter legs up, even moved the grate probe a few times and still the same temp readings. I do not use a mavrick I manually adjust the damper and daisy wheel.

  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273
    I try to have the grill probe in the same conditions as the meat - if the meat is over a drip pan, then the grill probe is.   I want to get the reading closest to what the meat is experiencing.
    Cookin in Texas
  • ttime4four
    ttime4four Posts: 15
    I have experienced the same differential (Maverick @ 250 on grid vs. Dome @ 225) consistently on a 5 hr cook for baby back ribs.  I placed the probe inboard of the platesetter and wire protected by a foot section.  The dome thermometer is calibrated and the Maverick and it's working correctly.  

    In reading the forum, folks say the dome is usually higher so this has me puzzled.

    What I still need help on is this -- when the forum and recipes call for a certain temp, what are they typically referring to?  Grid temp or dome temp?

    During my rib cook this weekend, I set the LBGE at 250 grid and set forth to do a 3-2-1 cook:

    Indirect at 250 for 3 hours (misting with apple juice/apple cider vinegar every hour)
    Indirect foiled at 250 for 2 hours (with a little juice and brown sugar)
    Direct at 275 for 1 hour (basting with BBQ)

    Well - that was my plan, but when I pulled the ribs from the foil -- they were DONE.  Meat pulled back, bones fell off the meat, moist - the whole nine yards.  I didn't end up doing any of step 3.

    My guess is that I was doing a bit of "turbo" and should have had it at 225 grid.  Thoughts?

     

  • smoke_monster
    smoke_monster Posts: 42
    edited May 2012
    Have you tried calibrating both the Maverick and the Dome thermometers at the same time?  My Maverick reads 5 degrees high but still reads lower than the dome when placed on the grid.
  • GaryLange
    GaryLange Posts: 418
    I am new at this stuff so I don't really know but it would seem to me that the closer you get to the heat source in other-words the fire pit the hotter it is going to be. I would think that the dome temp would be lower since it is further away and that the grate temp would be higher since it is closer to the firebox. Just thinking out loud here.
  • Eggdam
    Eggdam Posts: 223
    I agree with herrby make sure the probe is well above the plate setter. My maverick is always 25-30 lower then dome and I have check both in boiling water for accuracy.
  • ChokeOnSmoke
    ChokeOnSmoke Posts: 1,942
    I'm extremely surprised by those that that have a dome temp LOWER than the grid temp on an indirect cook. 
    I do tons of indirect cooks and every single one of them had a HIGHER dome temp than grid temp.  Not sure how that's possible unless your probe is mounted too close to the edge or is not calibrated correctly.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

  • Gato
    Gato Posts: 766
    Same here Choke. When cooking indirect my dome temp is higher than the grid temp. After several hours they do get closer. I do make sure and place the grid thermometer over a platesetter leg to block any direct heat.
    Geaux Tigers!!!
  • crmilt
    crmilt Posts: 115

    I always attach my Maverick thermometer to the BGE thermometer holder inside the top of the dome.  I cook by dome temperature and want to know what the dome temperature is.  That way the Mav and the BGE read pretty much the same.

     

    When a recipe calls for cooking at 250 I assume that means BGE thermometer temperature.

    __________ Chris
  • GaryLange
    GaryLange Posts: 418
    There is a Thermometer Holder in the Dome? I must look tomorrow and see because I have failed to notice it thus far.
  • crmilt
    crmilt Posts: 115
    On mine it is a clip that the thermometer fits through.  I attach my Mav probe to the clip.
    __________ Chris
  • Jmorabito25
    Jmorabito25 Posts: 51
    I have a Maverick ET-733 that I just bought. I was cooking a 5lb chicken with the indirect setup and placed the 1st probe in the clip on the grates near the center of the egg. I noticed about a 50-75F temperature difference between the egg thermometer and the Maverick...egg dome thermometer being higher. 

    Any ideas why?
  • GK59
    GK59 Posts: 501
    I stuck my thermopen in the top vent yesterday and it read 90-100 less the the dome temp. 
    Has anyone else seen that much difference.

    Smitty's Kid's BBQ

    Bay City,MI

  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    Our lump comes in an assortment of shapes and sizes right out of the bag.  That contributes to the fire slowly moving around inside the firebox during low-and-slow cooks.  You might light it in the middle and imaging it staying there, but quite often the core of the fire will move off center ... do a morning after check of where the ashes are in the firebox.

    If the fire moves towards the front of the egg and you don't have a plate setter leg shadowing the temp probe, the hot gases will wash over the dome thermometer and cause it to read higher than the "average" temp in the egg.  Same goes for when the Maverick probe is near the edge of the plate setter leg and the fire moves towards the adjacent opening ... the hot gasses coming up through the opening will cause the Maverick probe to read higher than the "average" temp in the egg.

    I've had my DigiQ and Maverick probes right next to each other on the grill and read as much as 10 degrees different.  The airflow inside an egg is turbulent and varying ... even on a low-and-slow cook.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    GK59 said:
    I stuck my thermopen in the top vent yesterday and it read 90-100 less the the dome temp. 
    Has anyone else seen that much difference.
    Interesting, Thermapen through a DFMT open petal or with the DFMT removed and was the bottom vent wide open? 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • Jmorabito25
    Jmorabito25 Posts: 51
    So what should be used when cooking? Dome temperature or probe at the grate?
  • dougcrann
    dougcrann Posts: 1,129
    My dome temperature is normally at least 40* hotter than what the Thermoworks reads. On long cooks it creeps closer to 75* hotter. Smoked butt on my Drum Smoker. Probe 8" above charcoal basket read 190*. Probe attached to the grate which is 6" higher, and about 7" under the lid read 235*.
  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    @ttime4four   You asked "What I still need help on is this -- when the forum and recipes call for a certain temp, what are they typically referring to?  Grid temp or dome temp?".  Standard convention on this forum is dome temperature if it is not specified. If a recipe is not from this forum, who knows?
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.