What If . . .

[DDave]

Okay, what if you took one of the probes from a Maverick or a Taylor and carefully bent it straight then slid it through a drilled out bolt mounted in the side of a UDS?



What are the odds of bending it straight without kinking it and messing up the probe wires?

Would the heat from where the bolt contacts the sheath adversely affect the air temp reading at the tip?

Any thoughts or theories?

Dave

[MichChef]

I bet if you put it in a vise and gradually, evenly cranked it closed it would straighten out OK.

And as far as the heat from the bolt goes, do you think that far above your charc basket the heat of the side of the drum is going to be greater than the heat rising up the middle of it? Are the probes of thermos that you mount through the side of a drum insulated somehow from the probe? If not, what would keep the body of the thermo from heating up and affecting the probe.

Come to think of it, I bet that it won't affect the probe. Otherwise, why wouldn't the part of the probe that sticks out of meat when you're smoking read the temp inside the drum and throw the tempo of the meat off?

[MichChef]

But then on the other hand Dave, I just ran across this on another site. Don't know how true it is, but unless you have a probe to waste, you might want to heed it.

http://wyntk.us/using-a-thermometer-when-smoking-meat

TIP: Do not let the metal probe touch any other metal or it will fry the probe and you will have to get a new one. Replacement probes run around 5 dollars but there is shipping cost from the company and the hassle of having to wait for a new one to arrive. As with any tools, just be careful and you should be fine.

[DDave]

Come to think of it, I bet that it won't affect the probe. Otherwise, why wouldn't the part of the probe that sticks out of meat when you're smoking read the temp inside the drum and throw the tempo of the meat off?

Well, it's my understanding that the junction inside the tip of the probe is where the temperature is measured. It is also my understanding that the epoxy that holds the junction together melts at a little over 400° and once that happens the probe is shot. I believe Josh (aka Geek With Fire) posted something to this effect as the result of some discussions he had with someone at Thermoworks.

I guess the questons would be is the bolt actually hotter than the air temp at the tip, and if so, at smoking temps is it hot enough to:
a) damage the probe wires, or
b) influence the temp reading at the tip to where it wasn't an accurate indication of the smoker temp.

I would not think the edge of the drum is hot enough to damage the wires because I thread the Taylor probe wires through a hole in the side of the drum all the time and I haven't melted the plastic insulation. But I'm not sure about it affecting the accuracy of the tip reading. Again I would not think so since the center of the drum is always hotter than the edge,

I do have a probe to . . . um . . . subject to a test so that is not a real issue. I just wish it was longer. I think straightened it would only be about 8 or 9 inches and wouldn't reach the center of the drum but it would be close enough I think.

Dave

[MichChef]

Dave, if in doubt, why not install one of the watertight conduit fittings that Phil posted about using in his Chargriller? It won't hurt the wires and the rubber grommet may stay cooler than the bolt. I put 2 in my UDS, each about 1" above each cooking grate and so far, it doesn't look like the temps are affecting them either..

Here's a pic before I installed the second one.



You can kinda see it through the smoke on the inside



And here's the pics from Phil's PDF doc.

[DDave]

Dave, if in doubt, why not install one of the watertight conduit fittings that Phil posted about using in his Chargriller?

Do you just slide the probe in as far as it will go through the fitting, or do you pass the probe and wire through and stick the probe in a block of wood or potato on the grate?

Dave

[MichChef]

So far, I've only passed the probe and wire through the grommet to stick it into meats. I won't be using a remote thermo to gauge the smoker temp until after Christmas when I'm expecting to get the Maverick ET-73 which is made to check the smoker temps. The new Mavericks that I just bought will only register up to 212º then they just read "High". I'll have to see what my ET-72 will go up to.

[Richtee]

But then on the other hand Dave, I just ran across this on another site. Don't know how true it is, but unless you have a probe to waste, you might want to heed it.

http://wyntk.us/using-a-thermometer-when-smoking-meat

That's a bunch of crap. You won't fry the probe. well unless you are smoking at like 450° or something. But I bet there's no way yer gonna bend that thin stainless and not crack it either. if you HAVE to get the probe thru that- cut and splice the wire. Use a rubber self-bonding splice tape to repair it OUTSIDE the drum of course.

[Richtee]

^ Even better solution here ^

[MichChef]

Or just use Phil's conduit fitting. I'm betting that I'll be able to get the wires from at least 3 probes through that fitting. They fit through easily. He'd just have to stick it into a block of wood or a 'tater once it's inside. At least he can eat the 'tater after the smoke.

[DDave]

Or just use Phil's conduit fitting. I'm betting that I'll be able to get the wires from at least 3 probes through that fitting. They fit through easily. He'd just have to stick it into a block of wood or a 'tater once it's inside. At least he can eat the 'tater after the smoke.

I can get several through the hole I have drilled in the side now and I usually put one through a block of wood to measure smoker temp. But that's kind of a pain when there's something big like a brisket that takes up most of the grate or when I want to lift the grate out with meat on it. I have to fumble with the thermos or set the lid on the cables which I don't like to do. The reason I wanted to be able to just slide it into the bolt is that I wanted the bolt to be able to hold it in place like the 12" deep fryer thermo but I wanted to be able to monitor the temp remotely as well.

But I bet there's no way yer gonna bend that thin stainless and not crack it either.

That doesn't sound good. Sounds like this may be another one of my ideas that sounded good in theory but doesn't translate to real use very well.

Dave

[Bbq Bubba]

Really?

Still overcomplicating that damn drum?

[Kyote]

lets see, I would also believe you can not bend the probe straight with out a break or kink from hell.

I would try this (if you like and I think it would work fine.) on the steel grommet use a hacksaw and cut from the side down to the hole set the cable in and screw her back into the drum. if need be for a complete sealing of the hole, a thin washer will and should go over the 90 degree probe and fit against the uds for a seal. hand tight and you can remove and replace as needed. hope this helps a bit. oh yea a small jewelers file to remove any sharp burrs is in order also.

[MichChef]

What the hell Bubba? Didn't you ever play with your toys when you were a kid?

[DDave]

Still overcomplicating that damn drum?

Who . . . me???

Dave