Has anyone ever installed a permanent thermometer in a smokette, I would just like to know what the temp is doing when cooking. I love this smoker and have had great success with turning out great Q.
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I stick a Maverick dual probe thru the vent hole on mine & monitor the pitt temp & meat.
If you put a butt or briskett on the top rack, you can stick a probe thru the vent hole to read the top rack meat temp too.
If you put a butt or briskett on the top rack, you can stick a probe thru the vent hole to read the top rack meat temp too.
Yea, I do pretty much the same method. Those wires don't take up much room, so you can put several probes in if you wish.
If you are going to install a permanent thermometer it would involve drilling a whole through the wall, door or top of the smokette. I think this would void your warranty. However, my 008 model is about 10 years old, out of warranty and I've been thinking of doing that. Has anybody already done it?
I measure the oven temperature through the smoke hole like anyone else and I don't plan on changing that.
However, if I were planning on installing an electronic thermometer I would access from the back. With the back off you can take out the insulation and drill directly through the oven wall. I would also mount the probe off the oven wall, with a straighten pipe clamp or other such device (see my thermometer test post).
Another short coming about mounting it permanently is if something happens to the probe, then you would have to go through the whole process again. It looks like the newer Taylor's are wrapped in silicon rubber keep out the liquid and keep it working. Fixing the stainless wrapped probes with oil has also be describe elsewhere.
You still have the issue of heat distribution within even the oven and the natural temperature swings of the thermostat, probably plus or minus 20 degrees from the set point at at the best. The CS thermostat is a quality unit which I doubt you will find on the knock off smokers. If you really want to control the temperature of the oven then replace the analog temperature control of the smokette with a digital unit. But that will cost you a real money.
I suppose it is really a control issue. Q is supposed to be long and slow and with CS you don't have to play with the unit. If you want to play with the cooking why not get a back up stick burner or a Kamado. (Just kidding)
However, if I were planning on installing an electronic thermometer I would access from the back. With the back off you can take out the insulation and drill directly through the oven wall. I would also mount the probe off the oven wall, with a straighten pipe clamp or other such device (see my thermometer test post).
Another short coming about mounting it permanently is if something happens to the probe, then you would have to go through the whole process again. It looks like the newer Taylor's are wrapped in silicon rubber keep out the liquid and keep it working. Fixing the stainless wrapped probes with oil has also be describe elsewhere.
You still have the issue of heat distribution within even the oven and the natural temperature swings of the thermostat, probably plus or minus 20 degrees from the set point at at the best. The CS thermostat is a quality unit which I doubt you will find on the knock off smokers. If you really want to control the temperature of the oven then replace the analog temperature control of the smokette with a digital unit. But that will cost you a real money.
I suppose it is really a control issue. Q is supposed to be long and slow and with CS you don't have to play with the unit. If you want to play with the cooking why not get a back up stick burner or a Kamado. (Just kidding)
I spent years cooking on various inefficient contraptions that burned wood and or charcoal. I wasted hours monitoring pit temperature and tweaking dampers. When I got my Cookshack I did so because I was tired or all that nonsense. The first time I cooked on it I put the second Maverick probe down the smoke hole just to check the cooker temp and found that it was cycling right around the setpoint. From that time forward I have taken that attitude that as long as it's turning out great Q, why try to reinvent the wheel. As ReneezvouQ said, the next logical step is to install a digital temperature control but in the end the Q won't be a bit better than it was with the original thermostat.
I like Takt EZ approach.
I found if you ask a neighbor to come over every couple hrs and look at the closed up cooker,it gives you someone to drink a cold one with.
The next day,ask him to tell you in 30 secs what he thought.
Thank him and go eat.
Been working great with Cookshacks for years,and I don't have to worry about it.
I found if you ask a neighbor to come over every couple hrs and look at the closed up cooker,it gives you someone to drink a cold one with.
The next day,ask him to tell you in 30 secs what he thought.
Thank him and go eat.
Been working great with Cookshacks for years,and I don't have to worry about it.
If you're looking for something with a built in therm, do the new AmeriQue. 
check out this site,http://www.teltru.com/barbecue.asp they have all kinds of neat thermometers for smokers.
Richard
Richard