Maverick Temp Probes Questions- do you have to get them nice and silver before using them/ after a l

[carlo olivares]

Hi All, I'm a newbie who just got a 18.5 WSM. I'm only on my second smoke (Ribs first, then Pork Butt the next day). I use a Maverick ET 733 to monitor temps. My probes get very dark after smoking 6 to 10 hours. ive tried using baby wipes to wipe them clean but the probe that monitors the smoker's ambient temp remains pretty dark - i assume because its exposed to the most smoke.

My questions are:

1) Do you guys get them nice and silver again before using them?

2) Is it normal for the probes to register at different temps when starting up? During my  first smoke I noticed a 1 F diff between the 2 probes. I didnt think much of it since it was 1 degree. But on my second smoke there was a 10 F difference - when both were at room temp. Eventually it seemed to stablize but there was about a 10F difference initially even if they were both stored the same way. Just wondering if others have experienced the same thing.

Thanks

Carlo

 

[adam d]

I'm new as well, and I've only used them twice. The first time they got pretty dirty so I cleaned them with a sponge and some warm water. Got them shiny (figured it was the sanitary thing to do). 2nd time I made jerky so they did not get smokey colored, so I did not clean them.

I'm told that the probes might be 1 or 2 degrees off from each other, but that's not enough to bother me honestly. 10 degree difference seems a bit odd... I have not checked mine honestly to see if they register two different temps or not.

 

[carlo olivares]

Adam, thanks, I will try some warm water and a sponge. I'm just afraid of breaking the probes as they dont sell replacements here. I'd need to have new ones shipped

 

[wade]

 
Adam, thanks, I will try some warm water and a sponge. I'm just afraid of breaking the probes as they dont sell replacements here. I'd need to have new ones shipped

Carlo - just use a soapy scouring sponge to clean the probes. They do not need to be steel shiny afterwords. It is important though not to allow water into the joint where the probe a cable meet so do not immerse your probes completely in water. This is the main cause of probe failure. Some protect this joint using heat shrink electrical sleeving.

 

[carlo olivares]

 
Carlo - just use a soapy scouring sponge to clean the probes. They do not need to be steel shiny afterwords. It is important though not to allow water into the joint where the probe a cable meet so do not immerse your probes completely in water. This is the main cause of probe failure. Some protect this joint using heat shrink electrical sleeving.

Thanks Wade!

 

[red farr]

After the probe 's warm fingernail polish remover on a paper towel,wipe it down,rinse with wet paper towel.

Red

 

[themule69]

I use vinegar to clean my probe and the glass in my MES. 1° is not a problem. I have noticed when I first turn on my Maverick it takes a couple on min for the temp to settle down. As said above don't get the probe very wet.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[carlo olivares]

Thanks Red, David!

 

[daricksta]

I clean off the metal probes with soap and water after each use and they remain silver. As for the wire covering on the probes, if there's food particles on them I carefully wipe them off. Otherwise the discoloration doesn't bother me. The Barbecue probe wire has gotten darker than the Food probe wire so that's how I tell which probe goes into which port, even though they're interchangeable.

 

[carlo olivares]

 
I clean off the metal probes with soap and water after each use and they remain silver. As for the wire covering on the probes, if there's food particles on them I carefully wipe them off. Otherwise the discoloration doesn't bother me. The Barbecue probe wire has gotten darker than the Food probe wire so that's how I tell which probe goes into which port, even though they're interchangeable.

Thanks daRicksta!

 

[daricksta]

 
Thanks daRicksta!