Help with Maverick ET #73

coacher72 · Mar 28, 2010

I was wondering if something went wrong. When I got my smoker ready for my smoke today I used my ET #73 probe for the first time. In the beginning the temp. was registering about 25 degrees hotter than the gauge in the lid of my smoker. The people who sold me this smoker said that was about what I would see. Here in the last hour or so it is registering about 10-15 degrees less than the lid gauge. Could it be possible that cable is damaged already from the lid closing down on it. It is kind of a tight fit. I have an offset smoker made out of 1/4 steel.

Thanks for you help

okjsmoker · Mar 28, 2010

I think you got a bad probe.

I got the same one for Christmas, used it for the first time yesterday, and apparently both probes are shot. reading 112 and 198 degrees just sitting on the counter. While it was working, it was great!

I think the probes are very fragile, Ive read where others have been having trouble with them. But Ive also read that the manufacturer stands behind them pretty good too.

Im probably going to try and warranty mine, need to do some searching to find out where to send it to, or who to call.

In the future... any ideas on how to protect the probes to keep this from happening? I know the best way would probably be to drill a hole and insert the probes into the smoker that way instead of letting the door close on them. thoughts??

nickelmore · Mar 28, 2010

The best way to test them is in boiling water.

I test mine one at a time. Test your lid temp as well, most of them are way way way off.

coacher72 · Mar 28, 2010

Now it is registering about the same as the lid gauge. When I'm finished, would running boiling water test be worth trying. I'm just using the smoker probe to day, I'm doing ribs. So, I don't know if the meat probe is working. However, I left the meat probe hooked up to the transmitter and it is within a couple of degrees of what the air temp.

I've seen on some posts where some wrap tin foil around the cable. Would that help protect it?

nickelmore · Mar 28, 2010

Here is Mavericks contact info

For warranty issues you send them the unit on your dime, they inspect it and either repair it or send you a new one.

In my case they sent me a new one but took about 3 weeks total time.

I have never had a problem with the probes but was hoping that they would send back a set when I sent the unit in, but they did not.

Have you tried switching the food/ rack probes with each other to see if the problem follows the probe?

I would buy another set and then send the set in for warranty, then you always have a backup set.

Maverick Industries, Inc.
94 Mayfield Avenue
Edison, New Jersey 08837.
Tel: (732) 417-9666
Fax: (732) 417-9673
[email protected]

coacher72 · Mar 28, 2010

Nickelmore thanks for the contact info. I may just do the boiling water test to see what happens. But I like your idea of getting a back up set of probes.
Thanks

hounds51 · Mar 28, 2010

I have two ET 73's, and I run both at the same time in my smokehouse, with no interferance between the two. When I first got them, I did the boiling water trick, and all probes came up between plus or minus 2 degrees of 212. When I use 2 ET 73, I usally use 3 meat probes, and one chamber probe. I keep my remote about 100 ft away in the house. Ocassionally my transmitter/ reciever units loose communication between them. At that time I usally take the reciever out to the transmitter, and they sync up to each other. I find it amazing that the 73's are not on the same frequency, so that you can possablly use more than 1 per smoke situation.
As far as having any problems with the probes, I can say that for me, I have not had any, and I don't wrap mine in aluminum foil, or do any special treatment to them, other than I disinfect them between uses.

hounds51 · Mar 28, 2010

One other reminder. Do not pinch the wire part of the probe, espically between hot surfaces. I would recommend that you drill a 1/4 to 3/8 " hole and route your probes thru the hole. you can always plug up the hole with some fiberglass insulation if your worried about heat loss, but I don't think that would be necessary.

coacher72 · Mar 29, 2010

Just ran the boiling water test, it maxed out 210, which due to elevation is probably the right boiling temp. So what do you think?

hounds51 · Mar 29, 2010

Trust the Maverick. Usally the temp probes that come with factory equiptment are inaccurate. Just my opinion.

nickelmore · Mar 29, 2010

I would trust the Mav, was the lid therm the one that came with the unit? If so I would just throw it away, then you end the second guessing.

I was in a store once looking at floor models and there was not one that was in 10 degrees of room temp

Bearcarver · Mar 29, 2010

Coacher,
My ET-73 is always a lot higher than my MES digital readout in the beginning, but get's a lot closer later in the smoke. I think a lot of that is because of where the probe is in regards to where the smoker probe is. The MES probe is nearly halfway down on the left side, protruding from the back wall. I usually hang the ET-73 in mid-air on the right side. The Redi-Check goes up a lot quicker because it isn't built into a wall.

Also, I drop my probes down the exhaust vent---not through the door seal.

Bearcarver

pineywoods · Mar 29, 2010

If you tested the Maverick I would go by what it reads. I have drilled a hole in my smoker to run the probes through so it doesn't get pinched

coacher72 · Mar 29, 2010

The temp. gauge that came with smoker is one like I've seen others use when they modify their smokers. So, I don't think it is a cheap one. I have a Yoder offset smoker that they make close by where I live. It is a quality smoker.

The pipe used is 1/4 in. thick. What could I use to drill through that, if I choose to make openings to insert the probe through?

Thanks for everyone's input so far.

drtrotter · Mar 29, 2010

+1 on that. I just replaced my weber lid probe on my gas grill a month ago, and it is already not very accurate again.......

I would trust the ET-73......and when you doubt it, try the boiling water test. I checked mine out this way, and they were both right about 210 degrees @ 1000 above sea level.

coffee_junkie · Mar 29, 2010

Use a 1/4" (or desired size) drill bit, that is sharp, a cheap one will work for a 1 time deal, use some motor oil or gear oil on the bit to keep it cool while drilling, make sure you go slooowwwww when drilling, otherwise you will get teh bit too hot and it will be useless, add oil as necessary, if the bit is pulling chips that is fast enough.

okjsmoker · Mar 31, 2010

I finally decided to go ahead and drill mine...

sure beats buying new probes for every smoke!

Help with Maverick ET #73

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