Proper Ice Baths for testing probe/grill accuracy

JGW

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I decided to retest my grill accuracy today with my new Signals unit. Verified Signals was accurate with the ice bath, and then fired up the grill and made the offset adjustment.

(Mine burns a little hotter than it says, and I like to check and make notes when changing to a different brand of pellets. Testing out B&B Hickory pellets right now).

Anway, with a lot of new faces here, I thought I'd post this link on how to properly do an ice bath. This has been posted in years past, so apologies to anyone offended by redundant information.

https://blog.thermoworks.com/thermometer/thermal-secrets-creating-properly-made-ice-bath/
 
I decided to retest my grill accuracy today with my new Signals unit. Verified Signals was accurate with the ice bath, and then fired up the grill and made the offset adjustment.

(Mine burns a little hotter than it says, and I like to check and make notes when changing to a different brand of pellets. Testing out B&B Hickory pellets right now).

Anway, with a lot of new faces here, I thought I'd post this link on how to properly do an ice bath. This has been posted in years past, so apologies to anyone offended by redundant information.

https://blog.thermoworks.com/thermometer/thermal-secrets-creating-properly-made-ice-bath/
Thanks!
 
What does putting your probes in ice have to do with knowing if they are accurate in high heat?🤔

From the Thermoworks site:

"This method is that an accurate thermometer will always read 32°F in a properly made ice bath regardless of altitude or atmospheric pressure."

Makes sense, as boiling varies with altitude and pressure. I live at 5200 feet. Boiling is 203 degrees here, not 212.
 
I work in the restsurant industry and we calibrate our thermometers weekly. Most health departments would accept either the ice bath method or the boiling point method.

In my experience it is very rare for a thermometer checked by one method not to be accurate with the other method as well. I would say, pick either of these methods based on your preference. It is much quicker to make an ice bath so that is what we usually go with.
 
The ice bath is the most precise method because it does not vary by altitude.

If you want to use boiling water to calibrate your thermometers, here’s a link to a boiling point calculator based on altitude.

https://www.omnicalculator.com/chemistry/boiling-point-altitude

Of course, you will need to know the precise altitude of your specific location To make this work.
 
Or, you can use your recently purchased ThermaOne with calibration certificate to compare it to.

It was actually a Christmas gift from my wife. She gives those things away like candy bars...if you're on her list. ;)

It'll go in the drawer that's getting crowded with all the Thermapen variants from over the years.
 

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