Help with Temperature Readings

[Joaquin Canteros]

Hello everyone, i'm very new to forums and kindof new to smoking meat.

I recently acquired a Oklahoma Joe's offset smoker "the highland", i seem to have issues regarding temperature readings...

I set up the smoker with another thermometer nearest to the fire box and set up defuser plates in the bottom next to the firebox as well to even the temperature, those defuser plates are working ok because originally i had temperature differences up to 60º from one end to the other and now its 20-25º average.

Now i'm comparing temperatures using a digital probes, the iWeber, both probes are set on the grill grates right under each thermometer but the difference is as follows:

LEFT SIDE (NEXT TO THE CHIMNEY):
OKLAHOMA JOE'S THERMOMETER 280º
DIGITAL TEMP READER 191º

RIGHT SIDE (NEXT TO THE FIRE BOX)
OKLAHOMA JOE'S THERMOMETER 260º
DIGITAL TEMP READER 192º

I have no idea what i'm doing wrong... its a little hard for a newbie to cook anything if i can't even control the temperature right first.

Thank you for reading.

BTW, defuser plates are actually grill grates covered in foil:

 

[kruizer]

The analog Thermometers on your OKJ are notoriously inaccurate. The other thing is that they are located in the upper part of the cook chamber which will be warmer than next to the cooking grate. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Rusty Long]

The analog Thermometers on your OKJ are notoriously inaccurate. The other thing is that they are located in the upper part of the cook chamber which will be warmer than next to the cooking grate. Your mileage may vary.

Yep, they totally are.
If your using an offset that is not a reverse flow you will need to have a probe at grate level.
In mine the grate level can be 25-30F different than the probes inbuilt.
In mine i have two on the grate, one nearer to the firebox and one nearer to the flute. trust me it helps.

Never trust the inbuilt probes and always, always clean your probes before you start cooking.

 

[Brewnsmoke]

Yep, they totally are.
If your using an offset that is not a reverse flow you will need to have a probe at grate level.
In mine the grate level can be 25-30F different than the probes inbuilt.
In mine i have two on the grate, one nearer to the firebox and one nearer to the flute. trust me it helps.

Never trust the inbuilt probes and always, always clean your probes before you start cooking.

I have a dynaglo 1382 vcs and ever since buying it, the first batch of charcoal gets the smoker up to about 250 degrees and then the grill settles to 200 degrees. No matter how much charcoal or smoldering wood I put in the offset firebox the smoking chamber does not get above 210 degrees after that first go. I keep the intake baffle wide open and the chimney slightly cracked just so there is good air flow. Today I was experimenting and I got a rise to about 220 degrees after a few minutes of holding a fan up to the intake. Is this a problem with the design or am I not doing something correctly? I’m new to the verticals offset smoker btw. Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Rusty Long]

You need to keep the Chimney fully open. Use the intake baffles to adjust temperatures.
Pretty sure this is the same with a vertical or a standard offset smoker.

 

[Joaquin Canteros]

Yep, they totally are.
If your using an offset that is not a reverse flow you will need to have a probe at grate level.
In mine the grate level can be 25-30F different than the probes inbuilt.
In mine i have two on the grate, one nearer to the firebox and one nearer to the flute. trust me it helps.

Never trust the inbuilt probes and always, always clean your probes before you start cooking.

I have 2 probes at grate level, they read : 191º nearest to the chimney and 192º nearest to the firebox... what im not sure is, should i use those readings to cook ?, digital probes are the most accurate?, i'm using the igrill digital temp reader

 

[Rusty Long]

Yes you should use these readings for your cook. not the ones inbuilt.
I use the i grill as well and this is what i use for my cooks..

Just make sure that you clean your probes before you cook so they get better readings.
I use alcohol wipes just before i start cooking.

 

[JazzyJay]

I have the same smoker, bought a 2nd analog to put in the other bung. I had major differences between the two. I reversed the position between the stock (left side) and secondary (fire box side), the OK Joe's was cooler by 75 degrees at the firebox side? I knew it was going to be a battle... I think they both read high though as it took darn near 8 hours to get slabs of back ribs ready to sauce (dinner at 9p Sunday sucks). I just ordered a Veken digital probe set and I am hoping to shed some light on this situation. I don't know how to adjust/calibrate the stock or second thermo. Anyone know if the stocker is adjustable? I tried to spin the dial via the rear nut, but thought it may break at the force I was using.

 

[GaryHibbert]

If I were you guys, I would definitely trust the digital therm over the stock one in most smokers. I completely ignore both the stock therms in my MES.
Just be sure to boil test your digitals to be sure they're accurate.
Gary

 

[JazzyJay]

If I were you guys, I would definitely trust the digital therm over the stock one in most smokers. I completely ignore both the stock therms in my MES.
Just be sure to boil test your digitals to be sure they're accurate.
Gary

Just checked the Veken digital in the boiking water.. all four reading real good.

 

[GaryHibbert]

Just checked the Veken digital in the boiking water.. all four reading real good.

...

That's great. Trust them and not the stock therm
Gary