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Grate temp 55 degrees HOTTER than dome temp

wsbull99
wsbull99 Posts: 3
in EggHead Forum
Most forums look like they discuss the dome temp being hotter than grate temp. That has NEVER been the case for me. My grate temp has always been roughly 20 degrees + hotter than the dome. Today was brutal. Just moved and couldn't find the grate probe. The dome temp was dialed in perfectly at 250 degrees. Came back 2.5 hours later and the brisket was already 171 degrees. No stall. Apparently I was throwing enough things around the house that my wife went through some unopened boxes and found the grate probe. 305 degrees on the grate! How does this happen? I've got a drip pan 1/3 filled with water on top of the platesetter...not sure if that changes things/super heats the grate? 
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Comments

  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 19,220
    edited July 2017
    Where are you placing the probe? 

    Welcome to the forum by the way...
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  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,656
    Do you happen to have the grate thermometer near one of the openings of the plate setter where it's exposed to direct convection heat coming around the sides of the plate setter?  Try to make sure the grate thermometer is over the plate setter, ideally well into it from the edges.  Otherwise you might be getting a reading from the hot air rising directly from the fire rather than the true temperature of the grate over the plate setter.

    I never use a water pan, and it's my impression that hardly anybody finds them needed in BGEs because they are so good at retaining moisture, but I can't think of a reason why a water pan would make the grate much hotter than the dome thermometer that's above the grate.  I think either your grate thermometer is reading falsely high because of placement, or the dome thermometer is reading falsely low because it's miscalibrated.  Have you taken it out and read the temperature of boiling water to be sure it reads 212°?
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  • wsbull99
    wsbull99 Posts: 3
    Thanks. I haven't calibrated or replaced the dome thermometer ever  and it's a 7 year old egg. The grate probe gave me the same reading in a glass of water as my thermapen which I just tested with boiling water last month. The grate probe is close to the meat away from the edges of the plate setter. I'm leaning towards the dome thermometer being out of whack. 
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  • OhioEgger
    OhioEgger Posts: 994
    wsbull99 said:
     I'm leaning towards the dome thermometer being out of whack. 
    Personally, I would lean the other way. After all, the grate probe is closer to the heat source. Time to calibrate both.
    Cincinnati, Ohio. Large BGE since 2011. Still learning.
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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    Based on the temp differences observed and the cooking time experienced, I lean towards the grate thermometer probe was in a hot draft and the dome thermometer was reading a bit low.  Calibrate them both and make sure your grate probe is placed in a good spot (hard to do if you have most of the grate taken up by food). 

    You really should convert to using one or the other.  You will always have differences between grate and dome. Get a thermometer you trust and use it in the position you trust the most.  Remember, exact temp measurement is not as important as being able to detect changes in temp during the cook to know when to adjust airflow.  It is also good to be able to trust the thermometer from one cook to the next so you can reproduce the conditions you like from one cook to another.

    I generally trust my digital probes but like the dome position for repeatability.    
    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.
     
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,913
    Welcome aboard and continue to enjoy the journey.  As above, you have to have confidence in your indication(s).   
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • wsbull99
    wsbull99 Posts: 3
    Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm going to re-calibrate both. Thought you'd find this interesting... at the end of the cook I unclipped the grate probe from the grate and clipped it on the stem of the dome thermometer and closed the lid for about 20 minutes to let the temperature settle. There was a 97 degree difference. Dome read 200, Guru clipped to the dome thermometer read 297. One of the two is SEVERLY out of Whack!!! 

    I like that pic of the probe sticking out of the dome. What did you put around it to hold it in place?

    So, my first Bristket (flat only) was not a good experience. I did so much research ahead of time but I feel like I have so many more questions now that I've attempted it! Have you all managed to cook up some good brisket on the Egg? I look forward to spending more time on the forum and learning some more. Thanks for your help!
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