Melting Food Probe?

[sleezly]

Hi all,

Just received a new #2DW and seasoned yesterday. Looks great!

Four hours in to the inaugural smoke session today with temp set to 235, the white wire on the food probe appears to be melting. Any idea why this is happening? Maybe the food probe wire should not be making contact with a metal cooking grate which was on the top rack while the meat was on middle rack?

Regardless the wire casing should be rated for a high temperature though, yes?

Thanks in advance!

https://i.imgur.com/iesGRBM.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/3Et97kp.jpg

 

[sleezly]

Whoa, false alarm!

The black stuff looks to be 100% sticky droplets of smoke; after washing the probe wire all of the black droplets are now gone.

It looks like I've got a lot to learn with respect to smoking but happy to be here.

Thanks all!

 

[ReliableRick]

Glad to hear it wasn't anything serious. How do you like the wifi? I was going to get it but opted for the straight 2D instead. Didn't know if I would use it.

 

[sleezly]

I was torn between #2, #2D, #2DW and #3 given price vs. value and the iOS app store ratings are not great so I had some concerns about the WiFi model as well but pleased with the purchase so far.

Connectivity seems fine, all WiFi functions are available on the smoker unit itself so you don't have to use a WiFi device if you don't want to, the plot charts over time are pretty interesting to look at, etc..

I'm a smart home enthusiast so I'm naturally skeptical of cloud-connected devices but there's no "cloud" that we're connecting to so the smoker will work when your internet is offline; an absolute must for any smart home.

Happy to answer specific questions if you have any.

Today was babyback ribs. Tomorrow is a whole chicken.

 

[ReliableRick]

Thats good info. I think that I will probably get a meat thermo that does wifi when the tech is a little better. I work in IT and most of what I have seen is really old technology and some pretty ugly UI's.

I did a chicken yesterday with the basic brine. The taste was excellent but the skin, even after grilling, was meh.

The next project is wings and then jerky.

 

[Ted Scardefield]

Hello Folks,  Debating if I should get the WIFI PID.  Is it worth the extra money? Looking at a 3D or 3D WIFI. Is it easier to program thru your iPhone?
Thanks
Theo

 

[LarryD]

Debating if I should get the WIFI PID.  Is it worth the extra money? Looking at a 3D or 3D WIFI. Is it easier to program thru your iPhone?

The technically correct answer is that if and when you get the smoker on your WiFi it is definitely easier.  There are two very big caveats:

1) It can be difficult to get the smoker on your WiFi... its tech is a little antiquated and doesn't play nice with some newer equipment and/or more complex network configurations.

2) Easier is a relative statement.  Auber, who manufactures these controls for Smokin-It, apparently can't make a good user interface to save their life.  The phone app is poorly designed, but still better than having to do everything at the smoker on a 2 line LCD.  It's also nice to be able to see the current probe temperature and/or change the programming without having to visit the smoker.

 

[LarryD]

Hello Folks,  Debating if I should get the WIFI PID.  Is it worth the extra money? Looking at a 3D or 3D WIFI. Is it easier to program thru your iPhone?

Ted...  I left out my actual suggestion.  If I were starting over, I would absolutely get the analog #3 and skip the digital stuff entirely.  I'd use the money I saved to get a very nice 4-probe meter. 

 

[barelfly]

I have experience with both analog (my dad’s #2) and my 3D. I like the programming capability that the digital provides over the analog, but that’s me. I am fine without the WiFi because I have seen the app/interface and I don’t think its worth the money, just my opinion. I could be wrong but I like the setup I have.

The digital programming can offer some cool ways to cook, but if you just want simple, the analog is excellent. My dad’s #2 was great when I put it through the ringer for my daughter’s grad party last year. It did great cooking the pork butts I served up and my #3d did wonders with multiple briskets going at the same time.

But, like Larry said, the extra money could be spent on a great thermometer- I like the functionality of the FireBoard thermos, and will get one at some point because I also use a Weber kettle for cooks as well. Add a fan to it and you can get some pretty solid cooks lazy q style (not Smokin-it lazy q, but close!)

Enjoy!