Very nice mods Ski-Freak!!! Are those 2" thermometers? 2 1/2 or 4 inch stems?
Manik, the two thermometers I added were the less expensive 1.75" dial Tel-Tru 30523.0006. The probes are around 2" long. They mount through a 0.25" hole with only slight reaming, and are secured by a supplied wingnut on the inside. $24.95 each from
www.firecraft.com
I located them 7.5" in from the left and right edge of the door so that the left one is directly under the OEM one, and I went 3" up from the bottom edge of the door so as not to hit most food onthe grill. I have the electric Maverick one but hardly use it since the dial units are just easier and accurate enough for me.
You did a really nice job making your diffuser plate, you will be happy! It's like the Horizon version I ordered but seems like it will never come. Good idea to keep it drop-in, so you can have the whole food chamber surface for when you're smoking with it in place, and removing it returns the searing ability at that last 6 or so inches right up against the firebox for corn on the cob, asparagus, romaine lettuce, and thin steaks.
One thing to start thinking about is how you're going to regularly clean the food chamber since it's fairly low itemperature ndirect heat and it collects a lot of thick drippings and food debris. Much of the thinner liquid dripping goes into my regular catch can, but the heavier debris often doesn't - even after improving the pitch. I have a tiny Karcher pressure washer I already had for getting salt off the cars in the winter, and that's what I use. I swap a joint compound bucket under the drain stub for my little normal can, and blast it out for maybe 5 minutes, or until the bucket is full of smooze, whichever comes first. Then I leave the doors open to dry in the sun, and once it's dry I spray the whole inside with PAM.