Meat thermometer for mash temp?

[Tony B]

I had been trying this thermometer to monitor temperature in my mash but found it unreliable. I just tried using it in a pork roast, then tested with a newer thermometer and it was way off. Should I try to contact the manufacturer or did I F it up?

 

[Bobby_M]

The junction between the solid stainless probe and the braided wire is not waterproof. You likely flooded it and it's done. You can get replacement probes for that one.

 

[jacoob]

I use the same ThermoPro brand, but a different model the TP605 folding meat thermometer. For both cooking and brewing. I've found it reliable. Shows 211.8F at boiling. Mine is advertised as waterproof.

A lot of these modern digital thermometers measure conductivity. As mentioned if you got water in the probe, what's happening is the water around the internal thermocouple is decreasing the conductivity of the probe metals. So it's reading higher than actual, since thermal conductivity of metals decreases with increasing temperature, the probe "thinks" the temp is higher than it is when waterlogged.

If you're able to dry it out, it will likely function properly again. Probe in a bag of rice? Or just buy a proper waterproof one, and sideline this one for meat.

 

[Indian_villager]

The junction between the solid stainless probe and the braided wire is not waterproof. You likely flooded it and it's done. You can get replacement probes for that one.

If you got water in it you can try just baking the metal probe (leave the connector out) at 250F for half an hour or so. Then test again. Was able to recover a similar probe that way

 

[Tony B]

Thanks, everyone!
I’m sure I’ve dropped the entire probe and cable assembly into the sink for cleaning. I also have a folding thermometer of the same brand. They seem pretty decent for the price. I’ll look into a waterproof probe.

 

[pfabsits]

The junction between the solid stainless probe and the braided wire is not waterproof. You likely flooded it and it's done. You can get replacement probes for that one.

I had been trying this thermometer to monitor temperature in my mash but found it unreliable. I just tried using it in a pork roast, then tested with a newer thermometer and it was way off. Should I try to contact the manufacturer or did I F it up?
View attachment 879596

It looks like you have two channels. Did you try the probe on the other channel? From a website it shows that the temperature is up to 572 oF. For that temperature it should be a thermocouple. With a thermocouple there are two wires of different metals twisted together that produced different voltages at different temperatures. If I remember right that is the "hot" junction. At the probe input is the "cold" junction that is part of the measuring circuit. Maybe channel 1 is bad and channel 2 is okay. If a bad reading on channel 2 then it is most likely will be the probe.

I am not sure whether it matters if the hot junction is wet or not. I have not tried a junction on its own in a liquid to see. I do not believe the stainless steel body acts as a ground for a liquid to act as a short. If it does tehn drying just the probe (not connector) in an oven can be tried.

Even though the ice water clearly shows it is not working. In case this information can be of benefit, if you use a thermometer that can be calibrated then it is important to make ice bath with crushed ice made with DI/RO water and add (or wait to melt) DI/RO water. Any salts in water will lower the freezing point. Not the case here since you were well above.