Don,
Another update on the wild ride thermometer. After cleaning the AmeriQue this morning - an easy job compared to the CS55, a check of the electronic thermometer receptacle, probe and wire was completed. It still had the wild temperature fluctuation.
Here is what I found and may have cured the problem of the thermometer running up and down the scale. It required cleaning the phone connection with electronic cleaner (contact cleaner) and while it was still wet running it in and out of the AmeriQue electronic panel phone receptacle with the cooker unpluged. I think the receptacle was dirty and causing lost electrical contact. After the cleaning I am able to moved the wire and plug around and it does not loose contact.
Hope this helps. The contact cleaner was purchased at Radio Shack for a few bucks.
Dave - Yes! if you are working a 14 hour cook, then I would place that on the "time" setting and then plug in the thermometer and set it. However, if you check your cooker every three hours, I would just set the time for that period. If the thermometer plug is shorted or removed it will default back to "time."
Smokemullet