Make Your Pellet Smoker More Accurate! / Easy Temperature Probe Modification!

Easy to do mod to make your pellet grill more temp accurate
Here’s the Amazon link to RTD probe…www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B...
Here’s the link to the RTD probe holder…. www.amazon.com/dp/B083J1Q3TG?...
Here’s the link to the King Cii pellet grill review….. • The Cheapest Wood Pell...

[@smokinpecan]

Great video Tom! Lots of great insights.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching!

[@watermain48]

Never wonder Tom, your videos are always helpful.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching Bill!

[@HeavyMetalBarBQue]

Been saying this exact thing for a long time. We'll have to see what manufacturer gives it try.
Great job Tom! 👍

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks Ken! Inspired by the best!

[@MYglock4life]

SUBSCRIBED and I cant wait for more upgraded Videos, I just found this on Clearance at my local WalMart for $189.
I have never owned a pellet smoker , My go to has been my 25 year old Big Green Egg. So I am very excited to try out this toy. Thank you for all the time you put in to make these videos.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching! Enjoy!

[@bond007xxx]

Tom! Thank you for your 2 KingChii reviews! Based upon your first review, I ended my 3 week search for a used Traeger and bought the KingChii from Amazon (Walmart had nearly same price) for $249!!! They had it for $349 - $100 coupon! :) Your down-to-earth review sold me. In particular, it seems that EVERY manufacturer except for Traeger had some complaints about poor warranty support/company communications. You helped me to realize that all major components on the KingChii were standard!!! I no longer concern myself with warranties - if the controller dies, then $30-$50 replacement and 5 minute swap will solve that problem! Fan, auger motor, burn box, etc. I liked the compact ASmoke AS300/AS350, but supply chain disruption has caused them to either be out of stock, lacking replacement parts, or too much $$$ given supply/demand. Amazon was supposed to deliver it yesterday, but now they claim to deliver it this morning. I have a potluck / BBQ to attend in another 10 hours, so it had better arrive here soon! ;) Got 60lbs of pellets and seasoned ribs just waiting to go. BTW, this is my first ever pellet smoker and I'm quite happy with the deal I received. In general, grills / smokers are not that complicated, IMHO.
Your modifications are excellent. I will follow them as soon as the unit arrives. Take care and all the best! Keep up the great reviews/experiments!😋

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching and for the feedback. Enjoy!

[@tedz.]

The probe in my Timberline is near the top of the grill just like the Z Grills you showed (it seems to be a clone of the Timberline, except the cost). The temperature difference from grate to grate as you move up inside the grill surprised me. I first learn that from watching Tom Horsman!
I always throw an ambient probe in the grate I'm cooking at as a back up.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching Ted! Good to know

[@220Rick]

Great mods Tom!!

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching Rick!

[@jaybooth4815]

Really great tips Tom! I have the Memphis Pro and the temp probe is at the second level. It’s pretty spot on. Interesting to see what mods are coming for the latest pellet grill in the “land of grills.” Thanks for sharing!

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching Jay!

[@michaelhenderson5098]

I replaced the controller that came in the 2015 model Traeger Texas 34 with one made by Smoke Daddy (PID control). It made a world of difference. Temps are consistent with minimal swings. Very happy with my setup.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching Michael! Good to know! Appreciate the feedback

[@masaleov]

I have the lil tex. I wonder if this would help mine as well.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching! It could

[@tiggersdad6878]

Very interesting content. I invested in a ThermPro 4-probe, with remote access. I can't wait to try placing probes in different areas and monitoring the performance.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching! Appreciate the feedback

[@Fatboypool]

Great idea Tom

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching Eric!

[@Dougy_Fresh]

Great idea!

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching Doug!

[@chrishonerkamp5979]

Great video Mr. Tom!
I have the chargriller 980. Would you recommend this? Thanks for all you do.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching Chris! Nope, you are all good with your setup

[@CatScratch244]

Nice Job 💥

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching!

[@heycooley]

Basically a printed paper saying if you move it "here" to zone A, adjust temperature to "x" to sync. 🙃

[@toddcrockett5957]

Good video Tom. I have a question for you. I have a camp chef DLX that I have had for about three years and it has the old original controller. I would like to have the new PID controller that can be adjusted for more smoke. Where can I purchase one? Thanks.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching Todd! Ryan is correct, however there are other available, depending upon what you have the Smoke Daddy PID might work better. www.smokedaddyinc.com

[@heycooley]

Wondering about the algorithm and if someone has a hack to make the adjustments to the temperature knob with the movement of the probe. 😎👍🏻

[@egviking1]

Great video Tom! Thanks for all the time you spend creating these very helpful videos. I just purchased a ZGrills 1000D3 and finished the biscuit test with results as expected and similar to your own test. I decided to track the temperature with my own BBQ probe and achieved some poor results. For a temp setting of 180, the temp inside the chamber was 207 degrees (as measured by their probe and displayed on the controller) and my own temp probe measured 218 degrees. Those differences tracked similarly when I changed the cooking temp to 225. I contacted ZGrills customer support and was told that this is normal but I have my doubts. I decided to check with the experts (you) and was wondering if you have also seen temperature disparities as I did?

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching! I haven’t noticed this, although you need to remember where the temp probe is, not at grill grate level, majority of other pellet grills don’t have the temp probe at grill grate level. You should expect some differences. Now that you know you can adjust accordingly

[@philedgar9940]

I also have a Zgrills 1000D and see the temp difference of 20-30 degrees from the probe to the middle grate. I modified the mounting bracket so the probe is in a horizontal position at the middle grate level. Now temps are +/- 5 degrees from the setting on the controller. I told Zgrills customer service about this and they had no answer. But they did say they would send me a new controller free under warranty.
This is clearly a design issue.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching Phil! Good feedback. All pellet grill manufacturers have the rtd probe hard mounted in the grill. I’ve suggested that the probe be on a longer wire with a clip that be attached to the grill grate at the level that you are cooking. Here’s a video I did showing that….th-cam.com/video/0XENNqvrm0g/w-d-xo.htmlsi=hy9Y131hfwDU2T7p

[@larrymathews7194]

Tom Horsman, Thanks for the video. I like the concept and want to implement it on my Camp Chef WWpro. I used your link to order the RTD from Amazon and it arrived today. I wanted one with the metal covering over the wires, but I received one with a cloth covering. Can you provide a link or tell me where to buy one with the metal cover?

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching Larry! Amazon probably has the best selection. I fair amount of the ones for Pitboss have the metal sheath

[@larrymathews7194]

Do You know if the Pit Boss connection is the same as the camp chef?@@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Not sure,,, it pretty universal amongst pellet grills

[@optionstraderman]

When using a Pellet Grill like the Z-Grills with the NON-PID Controller, what is the probe actually doing? Is it simply showing you the temp at the top of the probe at any given time ONLY, or is it actually being used in conjunction with the operation of the timed pellet feed electronics?
Personally, I think it is only displaying the temperature of the probe itself. I say this because I have frequently set my grill to a lower temp like 180 F after being at 225 F for an hour or more and the display temp actually rose and the grill continued to feed pellets into the burn pot after the temp reduction. In some cases, the temp actually INCREASED in the grill for a while taking up to 1 hour or more to get down to the selected temp, and sometimes never reaching the lower temp.
This may indicate that all of these traditional controllers are purely time dependent and don't really use the probe for anything regarding heat regulation in the grill.
A simple test would be to set the grill at say 225, let the grill reach that temp for an hour or so, then physically remove the probe from the inside of grill and set it outside the grill while it's running and let the probe come to ambient outside air temp and see what happens to the internal temp of the grill You could use something like a Grill Temp probe attached to a Thermapen Smoke thermometer device to see what happens to the temps inside the grill. I'm betting it doesn't change at all over time if the probe is simply used to display the temp of the grill. It would be a good test for sure. Perhaps you could give it a try and show us in a new video.
One more question... Are ALL RTD probes that you have seen the same "Resistance". I believe all of them work on a resistive principle that when the probe heats up, the resistance will either go up or down. This can be tested with an ice bath and a cheap meter that has an OHMS Scale on it. Perhaps you could test a few of your different brand pellet grill probes and let us know if they all measure about the same resistance at specific temps like ambient, 225F and 350F. That would be very helpful for folks to know if they had to purchase a new RTD Temp probe in the future for their grill due to a failure of their existing proble.
Thanks for these informative videos, I have learned a lot from you.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching! Any none PID grills probe only reads the temp and shows on the display. As far as the workings of the RTD probe, it’s seems you know more than me. Thanks for sharing

[@theobserver9565]

Tom, which pellet grill that you have used gives off the most smoke flavor?

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching! They are all about the same, when it comes to smoke flavor

[@bigworknoscales]

As someone well-versed in thermometry, I believe it may not be necessary for you to undertake extensive measures and instead, it would be advisable to keep the probe in its intended position.

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Ok, Thanks for watching

[@bigworknoscales]

@@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ Wireless internal thermometers do seem very useful however.

[@bullmangotti]

Ohhhh yeahhhh, was that Macho Man, no that was Tom Horsman

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching Adam! Lol

[@iridesseaction]

@@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ do you have a vid or recommendation on moving the probe for a woodwind or woodwind pro camp chef?

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching Ben! I do not, but the theory is the same

[@Jason315NY]

thats the way they should come

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for Watching Jason! Agreed!

[@mr.s1961]

@0:39 you mean the grill owner, as owning a home has nothing to do with operating or owning a grill LOL

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching!

[@heycooley]

Suppose you could do it yourself by using some oven thermometers and checking with a biscuit grill test. 😉

[@TomHorsmanAmateurBBQ]

Thanks for watching