Another newbie post!

[supra0001]

Right now I'm in "sponge" mode, that is, trying to absorb all this new info and help since makeing the purchase of the MES 40" Sam's Club model about a week ago..  My concern is several references to the MES's digital temperature readout not being accurate.   So I wanted to do some sort of a check on mine (not having the maverick setup as of now) and I took an analog cooking gauge with about an 8" probe on it and inserted it in at an angle through the top vent, (cracked open just enough to slip the temp prob in) approx. 5".  My results were the analog and digital differed by only 3-5 degrees, I was very pleased.  My logic here is that if the temps aren't accurate then both reading methods are in error together and to me that doesn't seem likely.  Or am I wrong?  The only concern was that the meat probe always read about 20 degrees cooler which I thought was odd as it seems to me the probe, while not inserted into anything, should match the oven temp..I should say here that the prob remained in it's built in holder on the side wall and may have effected the reading. Also, this test was at the 250 degree mark. for about 20 minutes after it preheated to the set temp.  Any thoughts?  I think the MES digital temp seems fairly accurate, what do you think?  Thanks, Tim

 

[sound1]

Calibrate the meat probe with boiling water..Dallas at about 500 feet, should boil at about 211*, then you have a good reference point.

The chart below is a nice starting point of what you should be seeing on your thermometer in a full rolling boil of pure water,

Be carefull with some of the probes on electronic set such as the Maverick. They shouldn't be fully submerged in water or other liquids...Read the manual on the equipment you have...

[size=-1]TABLE[/size]  [size=-1]  1[/size]​	[size=-2]Changes in Standard Temperature and Pressure (in Hg) as a Function of Altitude[/size]​	​ [size=-1]  (Ref. 1)[/size]​		[size=-1]TABLE[/size]  [size=-1]  2[/size]​	​ [size=-2]Boiling Point as a Function of [/size]​ [size=-2]Barometric Pressure[/size]​	​ [size=-1]  (Ref. 2)[/size]​
[size=-1]Altitude (ft.)[/size]​	[size=-1]Pressure[/size]​ [size=-1](in. Hg)[/size]​	[size=-1]Boiling pt.[/size]​ [size=-1](°  F)[/size]​	[size=-1]  [/size]​	[size=-1]Pressure[/size]​ [size=-1](in. Hg)[/size]​	[size=-1]Boiling pt. [/size]​ [size=-1](°  F)[/size]​	[size=-1]Boiling pt.[/size]​ [size=-1][added or reduced][/size]​ [size=-1](°  F)[/size]​
[size=-1]-500[/size]​	[size=-1]30.466[/size]​	[size=-1]212.9[/size]​	​	[size=-1]27.6[/size]​	[size=-1]208.04[/size]​	[size=-1]-3.96[/size]​
[size=-1]0[/size]​	[size=-1]29.921[/size]​	[size=-1]212.0[/size]​	​	[size=-1]27.8[/size]​	[size=-1]208.39[/size]​	[size=-1]-3.61[/size]​
[size=-1]500[/size]​	[size=-1]29.384[/size]​	[size=-1]211.1[/size]​	​	[size=-1]28.0[/size]​	[size=-1]208.75[/size]​	[size=-1]-3.25[/size]​
[size=-1]1000[/size]​	[size=-1]28.855[/size]​	[size=-1]210.2[/size]​	​	[size=-1]28.2[/size]​	[size=-1]209.10[/size]​	[size=-1]-2.90[/size]​
[size=-1]2000[/size]​	[size=-1]27.821[/size]​	[size=-1]208.4[/size]​	​	[size=-1]28.4[/size]​	[size=-1]209.44[/size]​	[size=-1]-2.56[/size]​
[size=-1]2500[/size]​	[size=-1]27.315[/size]​	[size=-1]207.5[/size]​	​	[size=-1]28.6[/size]​	[size=-1]209.79[/size]​	[size=-1]-2.21[/size]​
[size=-1]3000[/size]​	[size=-1]26.817[/size]​	[size=-1]206.6[/size]​	​	[size=-1]28.8[/size]​	[size=-1]210.13[/size]​	[size=-1]-1.87[/size]​
[size=-1]3500[/size]​	[size=-1]26.326[/size]​	[size=-1]205.7[/size]​	​	[size=-1]29.0[/size]​	[size=-1]210.47[/size]​	[size=-1]-1.53[/size]​
[size=-1]4000[/size]​	[size=-1]25.842[/size]​	[size=-1]204.8[/size]​	​	[size=-1]29.2[/size]​	[size=-1]210.81[/size]​	[size=-1]-1.19[/size]​
[size=-1]4500[/size]​	[size=-1]25.365[/size]​	[size=-1]203.9[/size]​	​	[size=-1]29.4[/size]​	[size=-1]211.15[/size]​	[size=-1]-0.85[/size]​
[size=-1]5000[/size]​	[size=-1]24.896[/size]​	[size=-1]203.0[/size]​	​	[size=-1]29.6[/size]​	[size=-1]211.48[/size]​	[size=-1]-0.52[/size]​
[size=-1]5500[/size]​	[size=-1]24.434[/size]​	[size=-1]202.0[/size]​	​	[size=-1]29.8[/size]​	[size=-1]211.81[/size]​	[size=-1]-0.19[/size]​
[size=-1]6000[/size]​	[size=-1]23.978[/size]​	[size=-1]201.1[/size]​	​	[size=-1]29.921[/size]​	[size=-1]212.00[/size]​	[size=-1]0.00[/size]​
[size=-1]6500[/size]​	[size=-1]23.530[/size]​	[size=-1]200.2[/size]​	​	[size=-1]30.0[/size]​	[size=-1]212.14[/size]​	[size=-1]0.14[/size]​
[size=-1]7000[/size]​	[size=-1]23.088[/size]​	[size=-1]199.3[/size]​	​	[size=-1]30.2[/size]​	[size=-1]212.46[/size]​	[size=-1]0.46[/size]​
[size=-1]7500[/size]​	[size=-1]22.653[/size]​	[size=-1]198.3[/size]​	​	[size=-1]30.4[/size]​	[size=-1]212.79[/size]​	[size=-1]0.79[/size]​
[size=-1]8000[/size]​	[size=-1]22.225[/size]​	[size=-1]197.4[/size]​	​	[size=-1]30.6[/size]​	[size=-1]213.11[/size]​	[size=-1]1.11[/size]​
[size=-1]8500[/size]​	[size=-1]21.803[/size]​	[size=-1]196.4[/size]​	​	[size=-1]30.8[/size]​	[size=-1]213.43[/size]​	[size=-1]1.43[/size]​
[size=-1]9000[/size]​	[size=-1]21.388[/size]​	[size=-1]195.5[/size]​	​	[size=-1]31.0[/size]​	[size=-1]213.75[/size]​	[size=-1]1.75[/size]​
[size=-1]9500[/size]​	[size=-1]20.979[/size]​	[size=-1]194.6[/size]​	​	[size=-1]31.2[/size]​	[size=-1]214.07[/size]​	[size=-1]2.07[/size]​
[size=-1]10000[/size]​	[size=-1]20.577[/size]​	[size=-1]193.6[/size]​	​	[size=-1]31.4[/size]​	[size=-1]214.38[/size]​	[size=-1]2.38[/size]​

 

[supra0001]

Thanks for that input.  So the next question is, is the meat probe on the MES able to be calibrated?  Or are you referring to the probe of the Maverick, or the test I was comparing with?

 

[sound1]

The probes on the MES are tough to get at with the boiling water and without some fancy modifications are not able to be calibrated. Wish they were..

First I calibrated an analog probe like the one you described. 

Most of those have a nut behind the dial for calibration. Holding the nut while gently turning the dial until it reads the known temp,,your done. 

Then I check my Maverick probes by partially dipping in the boiling water and noted the stabilized readings and the offset of temp vs the known value.

Now the fun part. A bundled all the probe ends together and placed them in the MES,  turned it on and noted the differences they have.

Now, from the calibrated probe, I now know what the other probes will read at a specific temp.  I wrote all this stuff down but after a while, never looked at the notes again, all second nature,

I know, not the most scientific method and this assumes that the analog probe, calibrated at 212, is calibrated throughout the range (probably not) but it gives me an idea of what I am actually cooking at or to.

Getting to know your equipment's little quirks is all part of the fun..Enjoy the Journey

 

[supra0001]

I'm with you, just learn the quirks and move on.  I'm actually content in knowing my analog and digital (MES) are within 5 degrees at 250 degrees even though I never calibrated the analog.  Like I said, they can't both be wrongly the same can they?  Maybe, but on the other hand I've smoke form a pit style for over 20 years and never gave my analog readings a second thought, I guess that's learning the quirks and gettin 'er done! 

 

[deltadude]

supra0001 before I bought the Mav 732 I used a cheap Taylor with remote probe plus a Oven Analog type that sits in the oven.  I place the oven analog on the middle rack,  and set so I could crack the door and get a quick reading.  Since the analog is slow reacting I didn't have to worry about the temp dropping real fast when I slightly opened the door.  My MES 40 digital controller reads 15 deg hotter than actual temp, after things settle down.

Note if you do no preheat or a very short preheat, expect the temps to bounce around and differ, however once all the metal and racks are thoroughly heated, and depending on the load of meat, temps settle and your cross checking thermometers will read closer to the MES digital temps.