I did a search about bad probes but got a couple of different tips. One said to boil the probes in oil but not to let the tip into the oil and the other said to immerse it all. Does it matter if the tip is immersed when boiling? Any ill effects on the probe if so? Thanks for the help.

Rick in CO

If it is from my post of the way Shingleman taught us to save probes,submerge the whole probe,including the part where it joins the cable.

The basic idea is to boil it hot enough and long enough for any water than has gotten down into the probes to "boil out". Oil getting inside will be fine and likely help keep water out.

on my taylor's{17.00 at target}they will replace 1 remote for free,$5.00 adl.. they say [never let the remote touch any metal]???? would'nt add any other other info????

quote:

Originally posted by SmokinOkie:
The basic idea is to boil it hot enough and long enough for any water than has gotten down into the probes to "boil out".

Ball park, how long is long enough? I submersed mine in 375 deg F oil for about 5 minutes but still not working. I will probably just order a couple new probes from Taylor. One as a replacement as one as a spare.

I have done this and had it work quite well. I submerse the entire probe up above the connection. I leave the connections angled up untill they all stop bubbling. Sometimes that is 30 minutes or more. I usually wait until I have a few to do since it doesn't take any more oil and I don't feel like I am wasting quite as much of my time. As for the temp I have never worried about it. Just keep it below the flashpoint of the oil. For me I just keep it low enough that it is not smoking.

Zedd

quote:

I submersed mine in 375 deg F oil for about 5 minutes but still not working.

The boiling oil trick doesn't always work. You may have a defective or just plain "it ain't gonna work" probe.

Spares are always a good idea!

30 min to an hour.

And this isn't guaranteed to work, it's just a method to see what might help to save, even just $5.00

The water has to "boil" out and it doesn't always happen that fast. Longer is okay. I wouldn't do oil hotter than 325 or so, too hot and you'll kill some of the cheaper probes, not made for going too high.

Thanks for all the great discussion and replies! I'll be giving them a try.

Rick in CO

Since I bought a Taylor with the silicon sheathing, I have not hand any problems with probes at all. They are worth the price, if from hassle savings alone. I got mine in the kitchen area of Sears. Like smokin jimi said, for $5 per probe if need be why boil in oil, unless you like to remember those old stick burnin' smoker daze.

I've yet to have a probe go out on any of my thermometers. I do have an extra Oregon Scientific probe after I left the transmitter inside the smoker.

quote:

I've yet to have a probe go out on any of my thermometers. I do have an extra Oregon Scientific probe after I left the transmitter inside the smoker.

Good show! Did it read correctly until the end?

In case you don't want to throw something away and would like to see if it can be repaired, there is the boiling option.

Contrary to some options, we've given two options to try to help those that have continual problems with thermometers.

The oil method works and since people who haven't tried it don't believe it, I'll explain.

SOME times the probe won't work because liquid has gotten down inside the probe (via the crimp) and that water reduces the ability of the unit to work.

Boiling allows the water to evaporate and is in fact replaced by the oil and reduces future occurrances.

So for those of you who like to try to fix things, instead of buying new all the time, this method might save you money.

One other thing to save money. If you've tested your probes and they've a few degrees off, instead of THROWING them out, keep them. Just take note of how many degrees it's off.

If you want to buy a new one go ahead. But if I'd got one off by 2 or 3 degrees seems pretty stupid to throw it out.

quote:

Originally posted by Qnorth:

quote:

I've yet to have a probe go out on any of my thermometers. I do have an extra Oregon Scientific probe after I left the transmitter inside the smoker.

Good show! Did it read correctly until the end?

Right up until it quit transmitting. I went out to the smoker to find out why I wasn't getting a signal and couldn't find the transmitter. Then I noticed I didn't have a probe cable running through the door. Opened it up and sure enough.

Luckily it didn't ruin the meat or stick to the rack.