PID sensor placement

[Roget]

I have my PID cabinet sensor hanging from the vent, just above the top rack.

I"m curious though, where in the cabinet is the optimum spot to have the sensor?

I read one post that said that the best place is just below the top rack, which would be lower than I have mine.

Also, should it be in the center of the cabinet? (as opposed to the front, back or one side)

Thanks for your input.

[Little Bear Game Farm]

You should also follow Devo's suggestion of placing the probe underneath the bottom rack, away from the meat. When you place it between racks you will get a lower temperature reading. Your bottom rack is probably being expose to temperatures over 250°F. That is alright, but those ribs on the bottom rack will cook in about 4.5 hours.

When I cook ribs in the Bradley I will rotate the racks, and never had all the racks finish at the same time.

This was posted on another topic, might help

[GusRobin]

Just in case:
When it says the lowest rack, it means the lowest rack with meat (or whatever you are smoking).

[beefmann]

under bottom rack... and above v tray

[Roget]

If I am understanding everyone correctly the probe should be directly under the lowest rack with meat on it. (Regardless of how high in the cabinet the meat is.)

So I suppose in order to drop it through the vent, I need to wrap it around & under the meat & then clip it to the bottom of the rack.

Is there a better way to do it, as I really don't want to mess with the temp probe every time I rotate or remove racks.
I thought about feeding it through the door as I do the meat probe, but that would still mean always unhooking it.

[devo]

I have a alligator clip on mine and just run it through the door. The seal is soft enough to not damage anything. Many of us do it this way.

[Roget]

Yeah, as I said, I do run my meat probe through the door, but that really doesn't solve the problem of having to continually mess with the probe.

[Habanero Smoker]

Just make sure the probe is not underneath the meat, that will also give a lower reading.

You can also place an empty rack below the last rack that has food. Like Devo's my cabinet probe is attached to an alligator clip. If I have an empty self I will clip it on the rack railing on the right side of the cabinet. That way you don't have to mess with the probe when you rotate racks and/or when checking the food.