Can I Change SmokeFire Thermometer?

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BXMurphy

Meat Mopper
Original poster
★ Lifetime Premier ★
Jan 12, 2022
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Methuen, Massachusetts
Hey, guys and gals!

My SmokeFire thermometer is off by 30-50° F. But we already know the built-in thermometers are crap, right? The problem is that it's almost impossible to run this smoker low enough for a low and slow cook.

Will cleaning it help or should I just swap it out? If the latter, is it possible and where do I begin?

Thanks!
Murph
 
Easy enough to find out, use a steel wool pad and see if it performs better. How low are you setting the controller where the actual grate temp is 30-50º higher? Is this a constant difference or is it more of a rolling change from lower to higher and back again? Temp swings in pellet smokers above then below a set point are not uncommon. Home ovens are the same by the way. You might consider opening up a conversation with Weber about what you are experiencing.
 
Just to make sure , you're talking about the Thermocouple that reads pit temp . Not the Thermometer that plugs into the controller and reads meat temp ?

Just did an Eye round on my EX4 yesterday . Set to 200 it ran right at 226 , then shot up to 235 after I opened the lid , but came back down .

I always start mine at 200 , with the lid closed . Then adjust from there .
Don't make a habit of opening the lid , and if I want higher temps I walk it up 25 degrees at a time .

The only reason I knew the pit temp of mine yesterday is because I've been using a tappecue air probe 2 , and it reads both . Otherwise I don't even care what the temp is , I go by what I set it at . I've cooked enough on it , that I know what " 200 " means .
At around 200 a 3 pound eye round took right at 3 1/2 hours . That's about right for that setting .

There was an issue with some of the thermocouples . In general , not just the Gen 1 problems . I called Weber and had them send me one to have on hand . I also asked them to send me a couple of the glow plugs , which they did . So I have the stuff on hand .

Next , and most important in my opinion . Look at the steps it takes to replace the thermocouple . I think you'll learn to live with the swings .
 
Easy enough to find out, use a steel wool pad and see if it performs better. How low are you setting the controller where the actual grate temp is 30-50º higher? Is this a constant difference or is it more of a rolling change from lower to higher and back again? Temp swings in pellet smokers above then below a set point are not uncommon. Home ovens are the same by the way. You might consider opening up a conversation with Weber about what you are experiencing.

Yeah, that's what I thought... just give 'em a call....

I wanted to cook a top round at 225° F but at grate level, the temp bounced between 225-250° when the smoker was set at it's lowest, 200°. I had to drop to SmokeBoost to get the temp I wanted.

Oh, and steel wool for cleaning, huh? I was going to go with oven cleaner but either way was afraid of doing more damage. Over-thinking again?

Murph
 
My Yoder does the same thing but opposite, it runs lower grate temps. No problem since I know this and just cook accordingly. 15-25* low but that’s easy to allow for and just cook. Kinda the meaning of “pit master” is a cook knowing his pit. They are all different.
 
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. Look at what chopsaw wrote. I think I'm going to look like a dummy here
Not sure what you mean by that . Just giving some insight to how I use mine . It's very possible that you have an issue with the thermocouple . I would call them and have them send you a new one . Thing is you'll have to disassemble almost the whole grill to route the wire to the controller , and maybe end up the same as you are .

They have a tutorial on holding steady temps on the Weber SmokeFire page .
 
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Just to make sure , you're talking about the Thermocouple that reads pit temp . Not the Thermometer that plugs into the controller and reads meat temp ?

Yep! The built-in factory thermometer that is nailed to the smoker cover controls the smoker. I read the grill temperature by running the blunt probe through vent in the back and dangling it just above the grate. I then plug the wire from the blunt probe into the control panel next to the other pointy meat probes. I'm feeling like a dummy here.

I have three meat temps and one grate temp.

The grate temp is high but I can't bring that down because the smoker only goes as low as 200° and the built-in says the smoker is already at 200°.

(Now that I think of it, my opening statement about the built-in running high should be "running low." I think. Now I'm all kinds of confused. )

Anyway, what I want for temps is proving elusive. JckDanls 07 and you have me thinking I should just buy a real thermometer and use what came with the smoker as rear view mirror ornaments.

There's always something to buy with this stuff, isn't there... never ends... I even had to spring for a dishwasher to quell a domestic revolution.

And you're right... I am not inclined to take this pig apart to swap things out and I can live with what I have, I suppose.

Murph
 
If it's extreme , it will probably fail all together at some point , or needs to be fixed .
You shouldn't have to run in smoke boost to keep temps down .
Next time you use it , try starting at 200 and let it settle in . Then either activate smoke boost or if you want to cook at 300 step the temps up a little at a time .
I use the meat probes just as an idea . I found with mine , the more I used it the better it got .
 
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My Yoder does the same thing but opposite, it runs lower grate temps. No problem since I know this and just cook accordingly. 15-25* low but that’s easy to allow for and just cook. Kinda the meaning of “pit master” is a cook knowing his pit. They are all different.

Yeah... I guess you're right... it's not as if I've been grilling for years, you know? Just one season under my belt for maybe a dozen or so cooks for me and my wife.

Murph
 
If it's extreme , it will probably fail all together at some point , or needs to be fixed .
You shouldn't have to run in smoke boost to keep temps down .
Next time you use it , try starting at 200 and let it settle in . Then either activate smoke boost or if you want to cook at 300 step the temps up a little at a time .
I use the meat probes just as an idea . I found with mine , the more I used it the better it got .

Hmph. I didn't think I'd need smoke boost either but I *did* know where to post a question! :emoji_wink:

I did let it settle in before starting the cook for a good half-hour that ought to do it.

I'm going to buy a real thermometer and see what's going on here. I'm starting to think that maybe it's not the best idea to rely on the thermometer that came with the smoker.

Also like you and others have said... get some experience with it and become a backyard pitmaster.

Thanks, chopsaw!

Murph
 
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Not sure what you mean by that . Just giving some insight to how I use mine . It's very possible that you have an issue with the thermocouple . I would call them and have them send you a new one . Thing is you'll have to disassemble almost the whole grill to route the wire to the controller , and maybe end up the same as you are .

They have a tutorial on holding steady temps on the Weber SmokeFire page .

Sorry about that quote. It was meant for JckDnls 07.

I'm going to run over to that web page to read the article and I am NOT taking this thing apart!! :emoji_stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

Murph
 
I'm going to buy a real thermometer and see what's going on here. I'm starting to think that maybe it's not the best idea to rely on the thermometer that came with the smoker.
OK , I think I'm starting to see what you're saying . Yeah , if your using one of the SmokeFire meat therms to check the chamber temp You need a better tested therm .
It still won't match , but should give you a better idea .
Next time I fire mine up I'll see what the difference is between a weber therm and my ink birds .
 
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You can verify grate temps, front left & right, back left and right and middle left and right using a known calibrated thermometer. Personally, I use the Signals from ThermoWorks. Once you know how the smoker delivers heat to the grates it becomes easy to adjust as Rich has indicated.
 
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After using the Thermapen I was sold. Picked up the Signal and have used it many times. Fantastic tool. These days I rarely bring it out since I'm very familiar with how my smoker does its thing. One exception is brisket. Each one of these hunks seem to have a mind of its own so the Signals helps to keep them in line. :emoji_wink:
 
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OK , I think I'm starting to see what you're saying . Yeah , if your using one of the SmokeFire meat therms to check the chamber temp You need a better tested therm .
It still won't match , but should give you a better idea .
Next time I fire mine up I'll see what the difference is between a weber therm and my ink birds .

That would be nice. If you think of it.

Thanks!
 
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