Huge temperature discrepancy between analog and digital thermometers

[zBernie]

Update: I confirmed with Pit Boss support that you should not use a meat thermometer to measure ambient air temperature. I placed an oven thermometer inside the smoker and it was within 15 degrees of the Pit Boss thermometer.

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I just completed assembling a Pit Boss Blue Blazing 2 series analog smoker. So I thought while curing it, I would test the thermometer. It's 90 degrees outside... With the control knob all the way to the left (high) and vents closed, I placed a ThermPro digital thermometer probe about 5 inches from the stock analog thermometer. After about an hour the analog thermometer was reading 270 degrees F, and the ThermPro was reading 170! That is a huge difference. Subsequently I have questions:

1. Why is there a 100 degree difference between ThermPro and analog thermometers?

2. I thought this smoker could reach 300 degrees F. How long should it take to reach 300?

3. Is there a better replacement thermometer than can be had?

-Thanks

 

[defenestrate]

Could you add another thermometer or two? There tends to be some fluctuation but it sounds like the probe or controller may be off. i got this map about in-grill temperature differences. It seems reasomablr, but 170 does not.

I'm guessing it wasn't really cold when you did this, and the sun didn't affect heat that much. So there's a good chance you have a hardware problem.

The chat support is okay, they use scripts and have parameters they must follow. I think theu would help you with those temp differences, or at least help you troubleshoot them.

 

[Redoctapus]

Update: I confirmed with Pit Boss support that you should not use a meat thermometer to measure ambient air temperature. I placed an oven thermometer inside the smoker and it was within 15 degrees of the Pit Boss thermometer.

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I just completed assembling a Pit Boss Blue Blazing 2 series analog smoker. So I thought while curing it, I would test the thermometer. It's 90 degrees outside... With the control knob all the way to the left (high) and vents closed, I placed a ThermPro digital thermometer probe about 5 inches from the stock analog thermometer. After about an hour the analog thermometer was reading 270 degrees F, and the ThermPro was reading 170! That is a huge difference. Subsequently I have questions:

1. Why is there a 100 degree difference between ThermPro and analog thermometers?

2. I thought this smoker could reach 300 degrees F. How long should it take to reach 300?

3. Is there a better replacement thermometer than can be had?

-Thanks

Try putting both in boiling water and/or vessel full of slushy crushed ice. (May have to unscrew analog thermometer.) Analogs usually have a method to calibrate. Some you loosen a jam nut on the probe, some have a screw that loosens allowing the bezel to spin to match the certified comparison thermometer. (In this case the thermopro).

 

[turbofish]

Last night, I started a 14 hour cook on a brisket. I had two thermometers in the same brisket and had a 50 degree difference.

 

[Redoctapus]

Last night, I started a 14 hour cook on a brisket. I had two thermometers in the same brisket and had a 50 degree difference.

When you are having problems like this put a soup can of veg oil on the grates so you can compare each probe and figure out which one is true to an instant read.

 

[mixed up]

I guess im not to picky on my temp most of my smoking is done a 225 but I use a hand held to verify meat temp I know my smoker well enough to know its so many degrees off I can pretty much know what the temp really is I have tried 4 different probes and none of them are close to the hand held unit so I just gave up and deal with it with very good results

 

[turbofish]

When you are having problems like this put a soup can of veg oil on the grates so you can compare each probe and figure out which one is true to an instant read.

I solved the issue by purchasing two new temp probes and verifying those two with a better stand alone thermometer. Now all three probes only are different by a couple of degrees