What to do with Maverick ET-732 Probe Wires?

[RangerOne]

For me, the Maverick is a great learning tool. I have only owned my Weber Kettle for 4 weeks, and this is my first real experience with smoking. Through using the Maverick, and keeping a log of the time and temperatures, I am learning what works for settings on the vents, amount of charcoal to use, etc.  As Johnpv has said, what works well on a day when the temperatures are hot and the sun is shining, does not work the same when it is cool, cloudy, and windy. I have gotten to the point already where I can set the up the kettle, set my Maverick alarms for 215F and 250F and go about other things. I also like knowing the internal temperature of the meat without having to open the kettle to probe it.

As MacEggs stated, outdoor cooking should be fun and easy. However, I chose a Weber kettle over a pellet BBQ because I did not want it to be too easy. For me the fun is in the mastery of the kettle, the art of BBQ. If all I had to do was pour in the pellets, set the temperature to 225 and press START, it would loose most of the satisfaction. I like to tinker and feel like I have real knowledge and control of the whole process. Of course, part of my enthusiasm is due to how new this is for me.

The picture that 1buckie posted makes me think of the COS I bought about 7 years ago when I first wanted to learn how to smoke. It had all kinds of gaps and holes and leaked smoke and heat EVERYWHERE, and caused me so much grief, I gave up on it. Oh sure, it would sometimes work out okay in the end, but the results were inconsistent both for the time it would take and for the quality of the food at the end of the cook. It was neither easy or fun. By comparison, my Weber is a dream machine. Easy to set up and easy to make adjustments to during the cook. However, I do rely on the Maverick to tell when I need to make those adjustments!

Thanks for the feed back DirectDrive. I am also worried about the silicone grommets during grilling, even though I use the two zone method and could put the grommets away from the coals, it still does get pretty hot. I thought I might be worrying about this over nothing, but having you voice a similar concern is giving me reason to reconsider this option. I tend to overthink decisions like this, but in the end it never hurts and often saves me from making a big mistake.

CharliefromLI, I went to Home Depot and looked at the service connector and I am not sure, but I have my doubts the Maverick food probe will fit through it. The length of the connector seems to long for the 90 degree bend in the probe.

Right now, I think the method with the lamp nipple used by jdefran seems to be the most appealing. Can you confirm that you are using the bent Maverick food probe in your solution?

Oh, and thanks to everyone for the advice on using the unibit (step bit). I would not have thought of that, and it really seems like the best way to go.

Thanks to everyone for your patience with me and all the great advice. You have all been very helpful.

[1buckie]

 "Easy to set up and easy to make adjustments to during the cook. However, I do rely on the Maverick to tell when I need to make those adjustments!"

That's cool......think in terms of learning then aim for going thru a sort of weaning process when you got the hang of it pretty good......
That way, you can go with or without......any problems with the unit, no problem.....want to go up camping & not bother, no problem.....

"and keeping a log of the time and temperatures, I am learning what works for settings on the vents, amount of charcoal to use, etc. ":

Great idea there too !!!

You can then refer back to type of day, type & amount of fuel, vents, all that stuff.....

 Don't get me wrong, if the machine helps with the learning curve that's just fine & I'm all for that : People getting to enjoy very well cooked food with minimum hassle & maximum enjoyment....the food & process both.......


There will be those fluctuations in temperature with live fire; I just sometimes get concerned about people not getting too upset or frustrated by the ebb & flow......

Here's a few links for long & low cooks that explain some setups that get pretty even temps....might help some in your new found quest !!!

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/other-recipes/something-different/

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/ok-finally-brisket/

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/food-pr0n/bob's-beef-o-rama/msg20382/#msg20382

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/re-print-ok-what's-in-kettle-3/

[jdefran]

Right now, I think the method with the lamp nipple used by jdefran seems to be the most appealing. Can you confirm that you are using the bent Maverick food probe in your solution?

Here is a photo of the probe inserted through the grill and on the interior:

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[RangerOne]

Thanks for the confirmation jdefran. I will be making a trip to the hardware store today to look for the parts.

It looks like a tight fit. Can you get both probes through the one opening?

[RangerOne]

Hey 1buckie, thanks for the links. I get hungry just looking at those cooks. I have never tried the C minion set up. I bought a Smokenator and have been using that for my cooks so far, and I believe it is a good part of the reason why it has been so easy for me to adjust and maintain my cooking temperatures. The combination of the Weber Kettle, the Smokenator, and the Maverick has made my first month of cooking very enjoyable. Still have not tackled a pork shoulder or brisket, but should be trying both in the next few weeks.

[1buckie]

 Lance  (Mirkwood) has a smokenator & knows how to wrangle it.....I'm sure others have that setup & know the ropes too, if you have any specifics that need answered.....

[jdefran]

Thanks for the confirmation jdefran. I will be making a trip to the hardware store today to look for the parts.

It looks like a tight fit. Can you get both probes through the one opening?

Yeah, I actually had three probes in there this weekend..just insert them one at a time.

I too use a smokenator and find it rather easy and enjoyable to smoke meats with.

[CharliefromLI]

For me, the Maverick is a great learning tool. I have only owned my Weber Kettle for 4 weeks, and this is my first real experience with smoking. Through using the Maverick, and keeping a log of the time and temperatures, I am learning what works for settings on the vents, amount of charcoal to use, etc.  As Johnpv has said, what works well on a day when the temperatures are hot and the sun is shining, does not work the same when it is cool, cloudy, and windy. I have gotten to the point already where I can set the up the kettle, set my Maverick alarms for 215F and 250F and go about other things. I also like knowing the internal temperature of the meat without having to open the kettle to probe it.

As MacEggs stated, outdoor cooking should be fun and easy. However, I chose a Weber kettle over a pellet BBQ because I did not want it to be too easy. For me the fun is in the mastery of the kettle, the art of BBQ. If all I had to do was pour in the pellets, set the temperature to 225 and press START, it would loose most of the satisfaction. I like to tinker and feel like I have real knowledge and control of the whole process. Of course, part of my enthusiasm is due to how new this is for me.

The picture that 1buckie posted makes me think of the COS I bought about 7 years ago when I first wanted to learn how to smoke. It had all kinds of gaps and holes and leaked smoke and heat EVERYWHERE, and caused me so much grief, I gave up on it. Oh sure, it would sometimes work out okay in the end, but the results were inconsistent both for the time it would take and for the quality of the food at the end of the cook. It was neither easy or fun. By comparison, my Weber is a dream machine. Easy to set up and easy to make adjustments to during the cook. However, I do rely on the Maverick to tell when I need to make those adjustments!

Thanks for the feed back DirectDrive. I am also worried about the silicone grommets during grilling, even though I use the two zone method and could put the grommets away from the coals, it still does get pretty hot. I thought I might be worrying about this over nothing, but having you voice a similar concern is giving me reason to reconsider this option. I tend to overthink decisions like this, but in the end it never hurts and often saves me from making a big mistake.

CharliefromLI, I went to Home Depot and looked at the service connector and I am not sure, but I have my doubts the Maverick food probe will fit through it. The length of the connector seems to long for the 90 degree bend in the probe.

Right now, I think the method with the lamp nipple used by jdefran seems to be the most appealing. Can you confirm that you are using the bent Maverick food probe in your solution?

Oh, and thanks to everyone for the advice on using the unibit (step bit). I would not have thought of that, and it really seems like the best way to go.

Thanks to everyone for your patience with me and all the great advice. You have all been very helpful.

It fits, I've done many times. The rubber insert is hollow inside so the bend isn't as bad as it looks.  the lamp hardware seems to fit too from what I've seen, and is likely more discrete.

[RangerOne]

Well, I took the plunge and modified my Weber Kettle to add a metal grommet. Decided against the silicone because I thought it might melt when I was grilling. Same issue with any of the options that had rubber in them.
Here is what I did.


The above picture shows a 1/16" drill bit I used to drill the pilot hole. It is a Split Point tip that starts on contact so it does not skip or skid around. Next is a step drill bit that I marked off with a marker at the approximate hole size I would need. Under that are two sizes of light fixture nipples. I was able to use the smallest one. Two hex nuts to hold the nipple in place, and a cap to seal it up when not in use are the last items.

The above picture shows my Weber kettle. I use the Smokenator on the left, and I put my digital thermometer on the shelf on the right. So I wanted to drill my hole on the right side of the kettle.


The above picture shows the pilot hole I drilled. Because the meat probe I use is quite long and has a 90 degree bend, I had to make sure that the hole in the kettle would be just above the level of the side table to ensure that I would be able to fit the probe in. I used my cordless drill (18 V) on high speed. Only apply a light to medium pressure to avoid cracking the porcelain finish on the bowl. Some people recommend putting layers of painters tape over the area before drilling, but I did not find this necessary when using the Split Point tip bit to drill the pilot hole.



Next, the above pictures show I used a step bit (unibit) to widen the hole to the proper size. I marked it off at the approximate point and then stopped and checked at each step until the nipple fit in the hole. Again, I used light to medium pressure and let the bit do the work of drilling. No cracking or chipping of the porcelain coating was detected.




The above pictures show the finished hole from inside and outside the kettle.




The above pictures show the hex nuts holding the nipple in place.



The above picture shows the cap in place for when I am not using it. I think it looks neat and clean.



Final picture showing the whole completed project. I am very happy with the results and feel it was well worth the effort.

Allan aka RangerOne

[1buckie]

 Bingo !!!
worked out swell......still not a big fan of drilling personally, but if you're going at it, that's the way to go.....nice & clean !!!!

[Chuck]

Great pics and nice work. Nice to know it worked without any issue for you.

[jcnaz]

Nicely done sir!

[Frantz]

Awesome write up! I've got the same thermometer, so I may try this out if I decide to go this direction.

[Bamboofisher]

If you want to run the cables through the bottom vent one thing you can do to prevent hot ash and or small coals from touching the cables is to wrap the section of cable that will be going through the vent in aluminum foil.  Just take a small strip of foil about 12" long and roll it around the cable and this will protect it.  You can also insert the cables in the vent that is on the side opposite of the coals.  I used these two methods when doing a pork shoulder in the OTS while we were on vacation at our place on the Yaak River last month and it worked fine.

[eccj]

If you want to run the cables through the bottom vent one thing you can do to prevent hot ash and or small coals from touching the cables is to wrap the section of cable that will be going through the vent in aluminum foil.  Just take a small strip of foil about 12" long and roll it around the cable and this will protect it.  You can also insert the cables in the vent that is on the side opposite of the coals.  I used these two methods when doing a pork shoulder in the OTS while we were on vacation at our place on the Yaak River last month and it worked fine.

Yep, using that (Heavy Duty) grilling Reynolds Wrap sounds like a viable solution to me!