Temperature probe problems

Check your batteries in thermometer. Mine have done that and the batteries were too weak.......

Also check in boiling water to be pretty close to 212 and in a glass with crushed ice and water to be close to 32.
Richard

quote:

Originally posted by Rick201m:
[qb]
I have shrinked wrapped the joints to keep the moisture out and that's worked well.
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Hi Rick.. I wanted to comment on this part of your note. There are a number of posts that mention shrink wrapping the joints. I want to say that (in my opinion and experiences with this tubing in the industrial arena) this process will NOT keep moisture out of the thermocouple area. Sounds good in theory but it will not work effectively unless the heat shrink is about 4 or so inches long. In fact, it might hinder the evaporation of moisture that WICKS into the thermocouple area.

If you think about it.. shrink wrap was develpped to shrink over solid materials.. mainly over plastic insulation to plastic insulation joints.


What have we here with the thermo probes on Taylor and other probes that I have seen.. Wire mesh to plastic or metal. Moisture and grease/oils WILL wick into the metal mesh area.

Thoughts on the care and feeding of these probes.

1. Insert in meat either horizontally or with the joint area facing down.. mainly to prevent moisture, and mainly grease, from accumulating at that intersection.

2. When removing from meat, take a paper towel and blot the joint to remove any moisture before removing. Why? If there is moisture at that intersection.. the cooling probem might pull moisture into the probe.

I remember doing an experiment when I was a kid.. back when they actually had milk bottles.. you would hard boil an egg and peal it.. put a piece of lighted paper into the bottle and then put the egg on the milk bottle opening.. the heat from burning would expand the gas/air in the bottle and push much of it out of the bottle. When you put the egg on top.. it would extinguish the flame.. and the cooling air in the bottle would literally suck the egg into the bottle. On a smaller scale.. consider a droplet of water/oil/grease at the end of the hot probe that is now cooling.

YMMV, Bill

I agree with Smokenque, plus the question of whether or not the shrink-wrap is food grade.

Try using the probes while deep frying something. The oil will drive any moisture out of the probes and create a pantene which helps to create a seal (like seasoning cast-iron cookware).

One thing I do to double-check internal food temps is I use the thermometer from my turkey fryer. It has a long probe that I can stick through the CS vent hole, enabling me to check the meat temp without opening the door. But I don't leave it there--I just take the internal temp of the meat then remove it.

Yep, Dennis.. that's exactly what I do.. I have the flex and the fry probes going thru the smoke hole..

Also, despite the warranty issue.. I will soon be drilling a hole thru the wall and permanently mounting a bulkhead thermometer in the door. It would only stick into the box a couple of inches and shouldn't be in the way of anything. I guess I get a bit concerned about having too much of a percentage of the smoke hole plugged with cables and probes.. grin.

Also, as has been mentioned in the past.. check the thermometers.. both analog and digi once in a while at the boiling point. Those that live at high altitudes might have to make some compensation.. but a few degrees here or there are relatively unimportant in a smoker.. as long as it's notway off.

Bill