Pit thermo and Maverick pit probe not within 40 degrees of each other

[Tricky]

Did some ribs last week on the pellet cooker, and set it at 260. When it was holding right around there, I put on the ribs - and just because I was curious, I connected my Maverick Et-732 to see what it was reading in the pit. It settled in around 230!

I let it go for a while, wondering which was off. The end of the cooker's internal probe sits about 6" in the air, and I had stuck my Maverick pit probe through a small potato and it was sitting just about 1" above the grill. But I didn't think that distance could account for 30 deg difference.

So I got out my Maverick's FOOD probe and stuck it through another potato, with the tip pointed up into the air so it sat about even height with the cooker probe. The food probe started reading right around 260 (just like the cooker's internal probe).

Here are my assumptions and conclusions - please let me know if you think I'm off on any of them:

1. I assume that the Maverick food probe will still read the internal temperature of the pit if its not inserted into food but instead sticking up into the air.

2. I assume that the few inches of vertical difference between the Mav's pit probe (which was nearly at grill height) and the other two probes (about 6-7" above grill) is insufficient to account for 30 degrees of temp difference. But could it?

3. I conclude that its most likely that my Maverick pit probe (which I just got a couple of months ago) is the one that is off, since the other two thermos were nearly identical.

How do I check my probe for sure? I can do an ice bath test, but I'm wondering how the probe works at an actual cooking temperature.

(And I guess the two temperatures ARE within 40 degrees of one another, despite my thread title...)

 

[Ron_L]

Ice bath and boiling water are good references that you can easily use to verify.

 

[Tricky]

I can't believe that I forgot that water boils at a constant temperature (save some altitude fluctuations). I could only think about the freezing temperature. That really is a brain fart.

I'm blaming this one on the fact that my 2 year old kept me awake nearly all night long.

 

[Bludawg]

So you don't think 6" makes a difference:twitch:??? A UDS runs 45 deg hotter in the center than it does 3" from the drum wall. Heat rises so the higher the thermo above the cook surface the bigger the differential will be.

 

[Tricky]

So you don't think 6" makes a difference:twitch:??? A UDS runs 45 deg hotter in the center than it does 3" from the drum wall. Heat rises so the higher the thermo above the cook surface the bigger the differential will be.

Sure. I just didn't think the difference would be that extreme for just a few inches.

 

[johninop]

Assuming your Maverick is working okay, you may just need to do the math in your head and set your cooker 30-40 degrees higher than you want your grate. That being said, I was under the impression that the controllers on the pellet cookers accounted for the placement of the probe (whether higher, off to the side, etc.) and were calibrated for the center of the grate. If yours is that far off, you may want to call your manufacturer.

 

[Tricky]

Assuming your Maverick is working okay, you may just need to do the math in your head and set your cooker 30-40 degrees higher than you want your grate. That being said, I was under the impression that the controllers on the pellet cookers accounted for the placement of the probe (whether higher, off to the side, etc.) and were calibrated for the center of the grate. If yours is that far off, you may want to call your manufacturer.

My thoughts exactly on both accounts. I can do some "Kentucky windage" and make that kind of mental adjustment when setting my temp (after all, this is BBQ, not nuclear physics), but I'm going to check my probes - if they really are that far off, I can ask the manufacturer.

 

[toymaster]

Swap the position of the 2 Mavericks. If you get the same temps at the same places, the Mavericks are fine and it's your grill temps that are off.

 

[jeffreywp1]

Ice bath and boiling water are good references that you can easily use to verify.

What is the temp of an ice bath?

 

[7over]

Ice itself can be any temperature below 32 deg F. An ice/water bath, however, will nearly perfectly maintain a constant temperature of 32 deg. F.. Until all the ice melts.

 

[jeffreywp1]

Ice itself can be any temperature below 32 deg F. An ice/water bath, however, will nearly perfectly maintain a constant temperature of 32 deg. F.. Until all the ice melts.

Sounds easier ,faster and safer than boiling water. But if you have calibration issues, would boiling water be a better marker?

 

[Fallen Kell]

Sounds easier ,faster and safer than boiling water. But if you have calibration issues, would boiling water be a better marker?

You should use both as there might be some kind of curve to how far off it is (i.e. it might be 10 degrees off at 0C, but 20 at 100C). This is also why I just picked up a Maverick DT-09 that can be calibrated, and then use it to check any other probes so I can get the right offsets on them.

 

[SmittyJonz]

The important question is - How did them Ribs Taste?

 

[peeps]

Swap the position of the 2 Mavericks. If you get the same temps at the same places, the Mavericks are fine and it's your grill temps that are off.

This should have been done before assuming your Mav pit probe was off to see if the 6" really does make a difference....

 

[SmittyJonz]

If y'all don't think a few inches makes a difference you've never glanced at "Cosmopolitan " magazine while waiting in line at WallyMart . :shock:

 

[QDoc]

I'm not sure the maverick food probe is designed for measurement of pit temp. under normal conditions the food probe would never be exposed to temps greater than 212. Or i would think so. you may call Maverick.

 

[peeps]

I'm not sure the maverick food probe is designed for measurement of pit temp. under normal conditions the food probe would never be exposed to temps greater than 212. Or i would think so. you may call Maverick.

They are the same. They are only labeled as such to help the end user know which is which when reading temps from the display without having to remember if the pit temp was probe 1 or probe 2?