WSM Thermometer Accuracy?

[zachg18]

I am sure it's not totally accurate (especially being positioned near very top of the smoker, but how much are we talking?

I had a 225F read the other night when making brisket.

I put in my ThermoPro TP-16 through the thermometer slot on the side of WSM and it read 280F!

Can it be that far off? Or is maybe one about 20 degrees too low and the other about 20 degrees too high and my temp was closer to 250F?

Thanks!

 

[johnnylightnin]

Mine runs low too. I've started temping the lower grate and the lower grate and the dome often run about the same...seems off to me.

 

[Whumpa]

The thermometer on my WSM shows between 35-50 degrees hotter than what my BBQ Guru shows at the grate. I would expect that the inside top of dome to be a bit hotter, but by how much I don’t know. And the difference between the two remains pretty constant no matter what temp I run the cooker or outside ambient temp.

 

[TC Smoke & Que]

I get about a 22* difference between the upper grate and the top thermometer. Grate temp is the higher. When your temping the unit, are you putting the probe on the grate with the mount, or just sticking it in the slot? Mine is as close to the meat / center of the grate as possible, using the mount.
I have heard that the Thermometer that comes with the Webers are not that good, but really havent noticed any problems yet.

 

[Smokin Dawg77]

Depends on how hot cooking if your 225 ish , then dial is only 10ish degrees off .... as you climb temp futher off it gets ... at 275 mine would show 235 , 238 ....at 300+ it show 245,250

 

[zachg18]

Depends on how hot cooking if your 225 ish , then dial is only 10ish degrees off .... as you climb temp futher off it gets ... at 275 mine would show 235 , 238 ....at 300+ it show 245,250

Sounds like maybe I should just aim for 250F area then (on WSM thermo)

 

[Smokin Dawg77]

Sounds like maybe I should just aim for 250F area then (on WSM thermo)

yeap !

 

[Monkey Uncle]

The dome thermo on my WSM 22.5 always reads lower than the actual top grate temp, but it varies seemingly at random. Sometimes its 10-15 degrees lower, sometimes its 50 degrees lower. And that's when I'm maintaining a pretty steady 240-260 grate temp. I'm sure my grate thermo is accurate, as I've tested it in boiling water. I just ignore the dome thermo.

 

[Michigan BBQ Fan]

Yes, it could be off that much. I've found it best to learn your smoker. I used to monitor the difference and know I just know it's different and I don't look at the built-in one. I use a Thermoworks Smoke on the same rack as my meat. I have know people that will recalibrate the built-in one to match that the TW normally.

 

[Happy Hapgood]

That therm just lets me know if temp is increasing or decreasing. I use a probe at gill level.

 

[HouseDoc]

I have to run my 18WSM at around 200 to get a grate temp of 250. Try top vent wide open and bottom vents open by sticking a #2 pencil in hole and close vent so pencil drags when pulled out.

 

[SweetHeatBBQnSC]

Mine is about 50* off at 275-300. Definitely use the probe at grill level. My top grate runs approximately 15* warmer than the bottom grate too.

 

[zachg18]

I have to run my 18WSM at around 200 to get a grate temp of 250. Try top vent wide open and bottom vents open by sticking a #2 pencil in hole and close vent so pencil drags when pulled out.

All bottom vents or just one?

Last cook I had top wide open and 2 bottom close with one open about 1/4 of way and that was getting me 250F read (on WSM thermo)

Thanks!

 

[Whumpa]

Hey Zach, have you looked into a BBQ Guru? I have one on my WSM 22.5. One of the best cooking aids I have bought. Holds temps like a champ, both grate and food probes are accurate. Have mine running as we speak. Got a pork butt in getting some love.

 

[biggiefries19]

Yeah the thermometer can be way off especially on windy days. What I did on mine was drill a small hole near the top of the center section and I'll just run a ambient probe temp from my igrill 2, to the main cooking grate, so that way I know the exact temp at grate level. And if you don't want to you can always just run the probe under the dome of your weber.

 

[zachg18]

Hey Zach, have you looked into a BBQ Guru? I have one on my WSM 22.5. One of the best cooking aids I have bought. Holds temps like a champ, both grate and food probes are accurate. Have mine running as we speak. Got a pork butt in getting some love.

Nope but definitely going to look into it!

Thanks!

Everyone on here is so nice and helpful, I really appreciate it. Much different than other forums I've been on in the past haha

 

[mbt]

also in my 14" indicated temp is lower than real

 

[HouseDoc]

All bottom vents or just one?

Last cook I had top wide open and 2 bottom close with one open about 1/4 of way and that was getting me 250F read (on WSM thermo)

Thanks!

2 of the 3 vents, when temp starts dropping, open third vent same amount.