Thermometer Placement?

[MichChef]

OK....I'm almost to the point where I'm going to have to drill my hole to mount a thermometer in the UDS I'm building. The smoker will have two racks, but I'd like to get away with only mounting one thermometer to give me the smoker's temperature. I'm putting in a port to run temp probes through for the meat, but where's the best place to put the thermometer for the smoker temp? Below one or the other racks, or halfway between them?

[wutang]

I have one mounted just below each of the 2 racks in my uds. After the drum has been running for a while the temps are usually pretty close to each other (within 5-10 degrees). If I were going to use just one I would put it just below the upper rack since there are plenty of times when I use just the upper rack.

[Crewdawg52]

I have a 2 rack BDS (7" between) and cook on the top rack. The thermo is at the bottom rack. Biggest temp difference I've ever seen from the thermo and a probe I used to put on the top rack (when I first got the BDS) was only about 4-7 *. Most of the time it was within 2*. I dont worry about it anymore. Still cook on the top rack and go with the temp the thermo is telling me.

[Zeeker]

John, where's the step by step pics of this bad boy Bud?...

[RowdyRay]

DDave has a thread on here about his. Maybe he could point you in the right direction. If not I'll try and look for it.

Here you go:

http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/sho...DS+Thermometer

[Gunslinger]

DDave has a thread on here about his. Maybe he could point you in the right direction. If not I'll try and look for it.

Here you go:

http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/sho...DS+Thermometer

Yep, that's where I was gonna point him. Good post and DDave is just about damn near an expert at the drum thing. Well except for Bubba. Sorry Dave, but Bubba can be mean sometimes.

[DDave]

Well thanks for your vote of confidence, Gunny and I would defer to Bubba's judgement. After all, I learned most of what I know from him.

I like Crewdawg's answer. Go with one below the bottom rack. I would suggest about an inch below. That way you don't have to worry about it being in your way when you are putting the racks in.

If you use one with the short probe like the Teltru BQ 300 realize that the temp on the side mounted thermo will be about 40° to 50° below what the center grate temp is after the drum warms up. The difference is greater during warmup since it takes awhile for the entire drum to warm up. Once everything is warmed up and stable, I try to keep my side therm at about 180° to 200°.

I actually took the 12" fryer thermo out and put the Teltru back on because I liked the looks of it better. I know, I know, it's vain. I may put it back on but lately I've been using a digi during warm up and then just go by the side thermo after I put the meat on.

Dave

[Bbq Bubba]

Yep, that's where I was gonna point him. Good post and DDave is just about damn near an expert at the drum thing. Well except for Bubba. Sorry Dave, but Bubba can be mean sometimes.

Bite me Gunny.

Just below the bottom rack would be your best bet. Glad to hear you found some drums.