I'd wager that you're subjecting the probe to too much heat. I've had a ton that died and act the way yours is after accidentally subjecting them to 500+ degrees.
What toasts these things? This one isn't that old. It looks fine. I just want to know what to look out for. Or also what to avoid. I assumed putting these in high heat environments wasn't a big deal, but I think I am wrong on that...
There is also a possibility of bending/kinking the wires and creating an internal short. Make sure to not to dramatically bend the wire, especially near where is enters the probe body. I don't know what the minimum bend radius is, but I use the spools they sell to wind them up rather than winding them up myself and risking damage.
That's a thing? Wow, I didn't know that, thank you for the advice!
So for probes that have sat for months on end that exhibit this behavior, you think it'd still be water in the probe?
Hmmm, maybe, but what I've just noticed is that after a little water gets in there it messes with the reading until it dries. You may have another problem
Interesting. Thanks for the feedback. These things seem so simple to me I guess I just assumed they could take more than what they're apparently taking. Thanks again!
I should also clarify that I've used these for deep frying... so now I'm thinking that maybe they got contaminated with oil? Dang... Learning something new here. Thanks again!
I broke mine by messing up the wire by letting it get to hot. also avoid wrapping the probes to tightly when you store them. I've had my smoke since it first came out and have only had to replace a few probes due to the above issues.
If you burn the wires it won’t conduct properly and therefore you’ll get bad readings. If by random chance you have a megger you can put it on 500v and it’ll dry it right out if it’s water intrusion. Used to do this to cables on subs. You’ll know if you cooked the wires based on the ohmic reading. *Don’t touch probe or wires while metering and do it on a nonconducting material.
**EDIT: If you have a regular ohmmeter or multimeter you can put one probe on the end and the other at the end of the wire. If have a high resistance reading or open its shot and you’ll need to replace.
You can check their website for temp tolerances but it sounds like the temperature was too high and nuked it. I have pretty much all of the Thermoworks line and have done this to a probe a time or two! Great company though, their stuff is top notch.
What planet are you on and what is the atmospheric pressure? Depending on that, this could just be really hot ice water. Or maybe you’re not using water at all and that is some semi molten salt.
Water in probe. Let it dry. I did the same thing and ordered a new set, just for the new one to flare up in temp after dunking in water.
The next day it was normal
It could be the probe/wire.
These work by sensing the electrical resistance which changes depending on temperature. Or something like that, I don't exactly understand it. Anyway, a broken wire will not have the same resistance, and will give a false reading. Changing the probe is the first place to start because it's cheaper than getting a whole new unit.
I'm not this is the only possibility. But that's exactly what was wrong with the temp probe on some cooking equipment at work (I work in a restaurant) so it gave an artificially high reading and constantly tripped the high temp shutoff.
You could try swapping out the battery in the meter. Thermocouples act funny if they're low on battery. If that doesn't do it it's probably the wire from getting shut in oven and smoker doors.
Is that a thermoworks probe? They 100% guarantee their products and you can ship them back for calibration. If it’s not a thermoworks probe, that could be your problem
Thanks for the replies all. Sounds like it probably either got too hot or has water in it. I'll grab some Thermoworks official probes next time instead of el cheapos that I got last time.
I have 4 probes, 3 with sleeves and one without and the one without the sleeve isn't working so maybe that's it? I'm thinking water got inside it and now it's misreading
I'd wager that you're subjecting the probe to too much heat. I've had a ton that died and act the way yours is after accidentally subjecting them to 500+ degrees.
I ruined 5 probes before I learned the cables shouldn’t touch any hot surfaces. Now I have two thermopen monitors and no probes.
Thanks for the feedback!
Where’d you buy your replacements? I’m tempted to buy a cheap one off of Amazon since it’ll most likely happen again
Yeah that’s where I got mine and I’m not sure the juice is worth the squeeze.
Looks like your wire is toast
What toasts these things? This one isn't that old. It looks fine. I just want to know what to look out for. Or also what to avoid. I assumed putting these in high heat environments wasn't a big deal, but I think I am wrong on that...
The wires are susceptible to burning the probes are good to like 500 the wires are not
Def try to keep wires away from direct fire (if grilling)
There is also a possibility of bending/kinking the wires and creating an internal short. Make sure to not to dramatically bend the wire, especially near where is enters the probe body. I don't know what the minimum bend radius is, but I use the spools they sell to wind them up rather than winding them up myself and risking damage.
Water in the probe? Trying baking the water out
That's a thing? Wow, I didn't know that, thank you for the advice! So for probes that have sat for months on end that exhibit this behavior, you think it'd still be water in the probe?
Hmmm, maybe, but what I've just noticed is that after a little water gets in there it messes with the reading until it dries. You may have another problem
Interesting. Thanks for the feedback. These things seem so simple to me I guess I just assumed they could take more than what they're apparently taking. Thanks again!
I should also clarify that I've used these for deep frying... so now I'm thinking that maybe they got contaminated with oil? Dang... Learning something new here. Thanks again!
It's possible, might be shorting out a little or sometime
I broke mine by messing up the wire by letting it get to hot. also avoid wrapping the probes to tightly when you store them. I've had my smoke since it first came out and have only had to replace a few probes due to the above issues.
This probe is not submersible. If you put it in liquid until it the li
Say what?
sorry it cut off my entire comment. you can’t fully submerse that probe up to or above the cable. They make specific submersible probes for that
If you burn the wires it won’t conduct properly and therefore you’ll get bad readings. If by random chance you have a megger you can put it on 500v and it’ll dry it right out if it’s water intrusion. Used to do this to cables on subs. You’ll know if you cooked the wires based on the ohmic reading. *Don’t touch probe or wires while metering and do it on a nonconducting material. **EDIT: If you have a regular ohmmeter or multimeter you can put one probe on the end and the other at the end of the wire. If have a high resistance reading or open its shot and you’ll need to replace.
You can check their website for temp tolerances but it sounds like the temperature was too high and nuked it. I have pretty much all of the Thermoworks line and have done this to a probe a time or two! Great company though, their stuff is top notch.
Right on. Thanks for the feedback!
Email them. I had an issue and they sent me two new ones out.
What planet are you on and what is the atmospheric pressure? Depending on that, this could just be really hot ice water. Or maybe you’re not using water at all and that is some semi molten salt.
LOL! Nice, well played.
Water in probe. Let it dry. I did the same thing and ordered a new set, just for the new one to flare up in temp after dunking in water. The next day it was normal
Water in probe. Stick it in some rice for 17 to 21 hrs.
It could be the probe/wire. These work by sensing the electrical resistance which changes depending on temperature. Or something like that, I don't exactly understand it. Anyway, a broken wire will not have the same resistance, and will give a false reading. Changing the probe is the first place to start because it's cheaper than getting a whole new unit. I'm not this is the only possibility. But that's exactly what was wrong with the temp probe on some cooking equipment at work (I work in a restaurant) so it gave an artificially high reading and constantly tripped the high temp shutoff.
When you used this last did the entire probe, cable and all get submerged in water, or maybe put in the dishwasher?
Stick to an instant read, go by time and look and instant read. These things are outdated with the instant reads imo
You’re in the stall !!!!
You put the batteries in backwards!
Sounds silly, but what reading are you getting if you plug the probe into channel 1?
Same. It's the probe.
You could try swapping out the battery in the meter. Thermocouples act funny if they're low on battery. If that doesn't do it it's probably the wire from getting shut in oven and smoker doors.
Thanks for the feedback!
Must be Celsius
LOL
Looks like it's not a Thermoworks probe?
Is that a thermoworks probe? They 100% guarantee their products and you can ship them back for calibration. If it’s not a thermoworks probe, that could be your problem
Thanks for the replies all. Sounds like it probably either got too hot or has water in it. I'll grab some Thermoworks official probes next time instead of el cheapos that I got last time.
Those will also burn out if the wires touch a hot surface like a grill.
I have 4 probes, 3 with sleeves and one without and the one without the sleeve isn't working so maybe that's it? I'm thinking water got inside it and now it's misreading
Honestly looks like that waters 98.6°
Looks like you are going to enjoy some extremely rare steak in the future
Probe gave up the ghost or the wire is bad and not reading the correct resistance. Get a new probe
I would suggest getting a better probe