HELP ! Problems with Maverick

Former Member

Good morning everyone,
I am getting ready to put three chickens in for a supper with friends this afternoon. My Maverick Redi-check remote thermometer is acting up in that the Smoker temp is hovering around the 150 degree mark. The internal food probe is correct in that the it is registering the temp in my house at 72. I have cleaned the probes. Testing them in icy water and boiling water is consistently showing that the smoker probe is registering about 75 degrees too warm (the food probe shows 212 in boiling water and 34 in icy water...the smoker probe is about 300 in boiling water and 115 in icy water)
While I guess I really don't need the smoker probe to be accurate as it is the temp of the birds that are important, I do want the darn thing to work and not completely break down while smoking.
ANY help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

8/23/098:23 AM

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Former Member

And that's why it's not a good think to only learn to use the temp probe for cooking.

Just sounds like the probe has gone bad.

They're cheaply made and if water EVER gets inside the crimp and down into the thermocouple, then they won't register correctly.

And if it's the smoker probe, who cares? The unit has it's own system / temp control just use that. It's nice to confirm it, but if you've used it before this and verified the smoker was working right, nothing to worry about.

Some people have had success boiling the probe in oil, so that the water turns to steam and evaporates. Oil will get inside the probe, but it won't affect the probe.

Of just get another probe or another thermometer

8/23/099:20 AM

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Former Member

Thanks Smokin. As always, I appreciate your guidance.

8/23/0910:35 AM

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Former Member

quote:
Originally posted by SmokinOkie:
..if water EVER gets inside the crimp and down into the thermocouple, then they won't register correctly.

This is true. Hang it crimp down for a day or so and it will probably work fine again - mine did.

Spare meat probe is mighty handy for confirmation, 2 at a time use, or for backup.

8/23/093:38 PM

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Former Member

Thanks. Will try hanging it upside down. Was hoping that putting it in the smoker would help...but no real luck. It is a little bit better in that it is now only about 45 degrees too high.
FWIW, I cooked the three chickens until they were 180 on the therm. That is higher than normal but they looked a little bit underdone until they had hit that temp which was about 4 hours and 15 minutes of smoking. The chicken was outstanding. I quartered the birds and there was juice running all over the place.
It was our guests first time eating from a Cookshack...he loved it..said it was the next thing he was buying.
Thanks everyone and thanks Cookshack.

8/23/096:32 PM

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Former Member

I actually use shrink wrap tubing on my probes at the crimp and I got 5 years of nearly daily use out of my last pair. Call Maverick and they'll mail you out new probes quickly. It was worth replacing mine just to get the longer leads they now offer; 6ft.

EDIT: This might help because it can be hard to find. Maverick contact info and parts list:

Maverick

8/23/0910:06 PM