Quick Maverick ET-7 Question

[Dex]

I will be using my ET-7 for the first time tomorrow. I will use one probe for my roast, and the other probe I will set up for box temp reading. For those of you doing this, where are you mounting, and how are you securing that second probe?

Dex

[Smoking Duck]

Dex,

I like to put the smoker probe under (but not directly underneath) the lowest piece of meat so I know the temp the lowest piece of meat is getting.  I either secure with the metal piece that came with it (to use in the bradley rack) or simply have it hanging below the lowest rack.  You don't want the juices of the meat running on the smoker probe however.  Some may do it differently, but that's how I do mine.

SD

[Dex]

I didnt notice a metal piece in there? i will have to look again

[Smoking Duck]

It should have come with a little stainless clip that has a hole in it that the smoker probe will fit through.  At least mine did.

SD

[Smokin Soon]

Dex, if you really get hooked you will probably get a PID. I use the Auber, but there are other options. I bought an extra meat probe for my ET-73 and will monitor 2 pieces of meat rather than look at cabinet temp.
There was a Linen & Things here going out of biz I even picked up an extra one for 20 bucks. It comes in handy when doing mixed smokes, Butts with fatties and a pork loin. All with dif cooking times and final IT.

[Smoking Duck]

It's funny you should mention that.  I was contemplating switching my smoker probe with another meat probe because of my PID and I generally do more than one piece of meat when I smoke.  The only concern I had with that was during overnight smokes; I set up the alarm to wake me and am afraid if I just have the meat probes, it may be awhile before I'm warned something has happened to the smoker.  I then contemplated trying to find a cheap ET-7 so that I could monitor both pieces of meat and the smoker as well.  Do you have something else that might warn you of the smoker malfunctioning during an overnight smoke?

SD

[LilSmoker]

Dex, i have found it's best to try and place the probe as near to the centre of cabinet as posible.
I have a 4 rack BS, and i usually clip the probe to the underside of the second from top rack, the readings seem very accurate this way ;)

LilSmoker

[Smokin Soon]

Don't really know on that one Duck, I never use the alarm function. I have just learned that in my climate 2 or more butts are going to be a 16 hour cook at least. I usually do the whole cook in the Bradley, but I gotta tell ya the times that the weather has pushed me to an oven finish,  the smell is priceless. Kind of like my Grandma's kitchen that I remember as a kid!

[Habanero Smoker]

Dex;

The ET-7 is different from the ET-73. The ET-7 has two meat probes, while the ET-73 has one meat probe, and one cabinet probe that has a metal clip so you can attach it beneath the rack. I've also converted my ET-73 to use two meat probes, since I got a temperature controller. That works well.

I have the ET-7 also; I like it over the ET-73 because of the extra bells and whistles, and it seems to have better range. I just with it was a little more compact. What you can do is buy what is called an alligator clip and attach it to probe sensor #2, then you can clip it to the rack. You can find them at any radio shack, or the specilty fastener section in either Lowes, Home Depot, or any local hardware store.

Or if you have extra space, slide probe #2 through a small piece of potato so the point is protruding at least 1 inch and place it on an empty rack just below the rack that has the meat, or place on the rack with the meat, as far away from the back of the cabinet, and meat as possible. I like to keep the cabinet probe at least a few inches from the meat, because near the meat surface the temperature is cooler. Oh! the potato is to keep the sensor from touching the metal rack. I'm not sure if that really makes any difference.

SD;
If your PID has an alarm, and if you have an old baby monitor. You can set it up so the baby monitor will alert you when the PID alarm goes off. One of my relatives gave me a baby monitor some years back for that purpose. I just put the monitor near my DigiQ II (PID for your), and the reciever in the room that I'm at.

[Dex]

Dex;

The ET-7 is different from the ET-73. The ET-7 has two meat probes, while the ET-73 has one meat probe, and one cabinet probe that has a metal clip so you can attach it beneath the rack. I've also converted my ET-73 to use two meat probes, since I got a temperature controller. That works well.

I have the ET-7 also; I like it over the ET-73 because of the extra bells and whistles, and it seems to have better range. I just with it was a little more compact. What you can do is buy what is called an alligator clip and attach it to probe sensor #2, then you can clip it to the rack. You can find them at any radio shack, or the specilty fastener section in either Lowes, Home Depot, or any local hardware store.

Or if you have extra space, slide probe #2 through a small piece of potato so the point is protruding at least 1 inch and place it on an empty rack just below the rack that has the meat, or place on the rack with the meat, as far away from the back of the cabinet, and meat as possible. I like to keep the cabinet probe at least a few inches from the meat, because near the meat surface the temperature is cooler. Oh! the potato is to keep the sensor from touching the metal rack. I'm not sure if that really makes any difference.

SD;
If your PID has an alarm, and if you have an old baby monitor. You can set it up so the baby monitor will alert you when the PID alarm goes off. One of my relatives gave me a baby monitor some years back for that purpose. I just put the monitor near my DigiQ II (PID for your), and the reciever in the room that I'm at.

Yeah i know the ET-7 is different. I picked it because I wanted to be able to have the ability to measure the meat OR box temp. I live right next to a lowes, so I will go see if they have an aligator clip. Are clipping to the probe, or to the wire? If you are clipping the probe directly to the rack, wouldnt that be the same as clipping directly to the rack?

[pensrock]

Before I made my PID setup and used the second probe for tower temps I just use a wooden clothes line clip to hold the probe. I placed it as near the center as possible.

[aha638]

I monitor the temperature as it exits the smoker and have had very good results.  I just insert the probe through the vent, about 1" inside.  This way I don't have to be concerened about moisture getting into the probe.

Al

[Smoking Duck]

I didn't realize the ET-7 had 2 probes.......I was under the impression it only had 1.  And I answered Dex's post as if he had the ET-73.  I keep telling you I'm a nit-wit.  Now, maybe people will start believing me  ;) ;D

I do find that for most smokes, it really doesn't matter as much where you put the smoker probe.  However, I like to see the temp the meat closest to the heat source is receiving as I'd rather have my meats receive the lower of my temp ranges versus the higher (i.e if smoking pork butt, I'd rather the meat be receiving 205 vs 215).  In making sausage, the temp come into greater play.

SD

[Dex]

Well I have it going now. Im doing a chuck roast. Im an hour into it with a box temp around 205 and the IT is already at 106. Does that sound kinda high? I wasnt expecting the IT to climb so fast

[Smoking Duck]

Nope, you're fine Dex.  The roast will go fast enough.....much faster than a pork butt.  I find mine climbs quickly at first but then slows down a bit. If it gets done before you need it, just FTC it for a while.

SD