Help! Calibrating the internal temp probe

[Hogan]

I’ve been unable to find any info on how to calibrate the internal temperature probe on my Pro 22. Last week I conducted a test using both the Traeger temp probes, both of my ThermoPro probes as well as my Thermoworks Chef Alarm probe. One of the ThermoPro probes was set to monitor the firebox temp, while all the others were in the protein to compare readings during the cook. The Traeger probes both consistently read 10° F lower than the other probes (all of which have been calibrated). So I’d like to calibrate the Traeger probes (all three). Anyone got some experience/suggestions? Thanks.

 

[magoo40]

The Traeger temp probes are notorious for needing constant calibration, some say every cook. Basically its a waste of time just use a good third party temp monitor.

If you want to try here is the procedure, https://support.traeger.com/hc/en-us/articles/4477084589595-Wired-Meat-Probes

 

[Hogan]

Agreed. I've heard too many negatives about Traeger temp probes. 90% of my cooking is 250 F or below, so I'll set the temp to 250 and expect 240. On crucial cooks, I'll monitor firebox temps via OEM probes that I trust.

 

[RayClem]

Although there is a calibration procedure for the internal meat probe, it only involves setting a intercept point at 0 C/32 F using ice and water. When is the last time you tried cooking anything in ice water?
To get a proper calibration, you need a minimum of two points, hopefully close to the temperature of interest which would be 125F - 212F for the internal meat probe.

Unfortunately, the RTD temperature probe used to measure cook temperature cannot be calibrated. Thus, you are better off using 3rd party temperature probes and adjusting the controller so you get the cook temp you want. It looks like you have 3rd party probes covered.

I drilled a hole in the lid of my Ironwood (this might invalidate your warranty) and installed an analog thermometer such as are used on gas grills and offset smokers. The one I got is large enough to see if inside the house. I usually operate right at 225F which is the dividing line between the blue and orange range on the thermometer, so it is easy to tell if I am where I want to be.

https://www.amazon.com/GALAFIRE-Thermometer-Charcoal-Temperature-Replacement/dp/B07VG6M228/

 

[Hogan]

Out of curiosity, I adjusted the height of the cap on the chimney down to about 1/2" above the chimney top. Now the actual chamber temp was higher than the Traeger temp probe indicated. So next step is to raise the cap another 1/2" inch and see what happens.
An engineering question: why would the temp readout from the Traeger chamber probe not work in tandem with the temp set on the control board? I worked in the automation world for a number of years, and this was an absolute must.

 

[RayClem]

The RTD thermocouple is measuring the temperature at a single spot within the cooking chamber. Because heat is emitted at the burn pot at the bottom of the chamber and exhaust comes out the smoke stack, there will be temperature gradients throughout the cooking chamber. The air below the drip tray will be the hottest. The air that exhausts from the stack will be the coolest. The air that comes up from below the drip pan and flows up the sides of the chamber is going to be hotter than the temperature of the air in the middle of the grill where the cooking occurs. Furthermore, moisture will be evaporated from the cook, lowering the temperature nearby. That is why the temperature measured by the thermocouple will be different than the temperature near the cook.

The same thing happens in an offset cooker where the heated air comes in from one end and exhausts at the other. There will be temperature differences from right to left and from top to bottom.

 

[Like Smoke]

RayClem is right on. I always smoke with a rack for the protein sitting in an aluminum drip pan, which I have a liquid of some sort to provide a little humidity to the cooking chamber. I place a thermocouple in the protein and one right beside it, that way I know what temp the airflow is at the point of cook. I also have a round thermometer in the lid, (Traeger put a plug in the hole) about 4 inches from the exhaust stack, this provides the exhaust temp. Don't worry about closing down your exhaust cap any extra airflow will exhaust through the square tube that is your drip pipe to the catch can. I set my controller based on the temp I read beside the protein, due to the fact the Traeger thermocouple on mine is mounted on the left against the tank. A number of us stopped relying on Traeger readouts and went with aftermarket temp readers to get what we wanted in a good smoke. Hope this was helpful, I am sure you will have some good eats coming up.

 

[Don C]

I drilled a hole in the lid of my Ironwood (this might invalidate your warranty) and installed an analog thermometer such as are used on gas grills and offset smokers. The one I got is large enough to see if inside the house. I usually operate right at 225F which is the dividing line between the blue and orange range on the thermometer, so it is easy to tell if I am where I want to be.

https://www.amazon.com/GALAFIRE-Thermometer-Charcoal-Temperature-Replacement/dp/B07VG6M228/

Have you verified how accurate that analog thermometer is?

 

[Shedd]

I have a 780 Pro and I turned my smoke stack cap down a little less than 1/2” probably 3/8 because I found I can hold a lot of smoke in from my smoke tubes. I put a gasket on my lid/door and I set a concrete block on the handle to help hold the smoke in longer. Over a year now and still working great. I gave up completely on dialing in an exact temperature in the grill. I find that it fluctuates 20 degrees on the average. I don’t use the Traeger meat probes but I use my Meater probes, all I worry with is my meat temperature. I mainly always cook low and slow so I set it at 230 and don’t think anything else about my pit temperature. My Meter ambient temp is never right but the meat side is spot on.