Stampede Temperature on 590 display vs that measured at the cooking grate.

[Maule Guy]

Temperature on 590 display vs that measured at the cooking grate.

I may be getting picky but how many out there have measured the temp of the 590 at grate level and compared it to what the RT-590's display shows via their internal temp probe, say at 225F?

I made insulating blocks for my ThermPro thermometer probes to keep them from picking up the grate temp then place one probe about 3" from the left and right end of the cooking area and centered front to back.

I was seeing about 20F higher readings from the ThermPro than from the 590 with about 15F average differential from left to right.

I am not disturbed by temperature swings over time as it is the nature of the beast, but was pretty impressed by how consistent the temperature was once the grill stabilized.

Busted ! I am one of those science nerds that measure everything.

Any thoughts out there?

 

[CajunSmoker]

If you are using meat probes they will show different than an ambient temperature probe.

 

[Maule Guy]

I was not aware that there was a difference. I calibrate the probes in boiling water at sea level and they both give me the expected 212F.

 

[ol' stonebreaker]

I'll say the grille probe is just a reference point. It's up to the cook to find the sweet spot. If you think it cooked too fast or slow adjust from there. On my 340 I've found grilling bacon the right side is hotter. Since I lay the bacon on some 1/4" screen I turn it 180* halfway thru the cook and I'll start doing the same with multiple pieces of meat.

 

[Greg Jones]

I was not aware that there was a difference. I calibrate the probes in boiling water at sea level and they both give me the expected 212F.

Your probes may be perfectly accurate, as may be the RTD probe on the 590. The RTD probe is not at the cooking area, it is instead measuring temps above the grate at the left side of the grill. You can always change the offset of the PID (the manual and YouTube videos explain the process) if you want the PID to be reporting closer to what you are measuring at the grate. I expect the same is true of your house oven, but few people check that!

 

[C. Keeper]

If the 590 built in probe is at one area of the grill, and your "test" probe is measuring at another part of the grill I'd expect a difference.

Get your test probe next to built in probe to verify accuracy.

 

[TheGuto]

I'm not super-scientific or anything, but do like to pay attention to the small details as well. Currently running a 7lb pork butt on my RT-590, and have the set point at 220 and the stationary probe on the left (the one that's sticking up about halfway up the cook chamber in the air) is measuring exactly 220 and has done so for almost the whole cook (12 hrs at this point). I have probe A sitting just off the grate in a grate clip off to the right side of the butt, and it has consistently measured 10-20 degrees hotter than the stationary probe on the left. It's done this for 2 overnight cooks of pork butt so far.

Doesn't necessarily bother me that they are slightly different, as I understand there will be different hot spots on the grill surface vs up in the air off to the side, but I like to always know what my grate surface temp is for peace of mind.

 

[Maule Guy]

I'm not super-scientific or anything, but do like to pay attention to the small details as well. Currently running a 7lb pork butt on my RT-590, and have the set point at 220 and the stationary probe on the left (the one that's sticking up about halfway up the cook chamber in the air) is measuring exactly 220 and has done so for almost the whole cook (12 hrs at this point). I have probe A sitting just off the grate in a grate clip off to the right side of the butt, and it has consistently measured 10-20 degrees hotter than the stationary probe on the left. It's done this for 2 overnight cooks of pork butt so far.

Doesn't necessarily bother me that they are slightly different, as I understand there will be different hot spots on the grill surface vs up in the air off to the side, but I like to always know what my grate surface temp is for peace of mind.

Thanks. That is what I am seeing as well. I guess it is a design issue with pellet grills. The Louisiana Grills LG900 that I sold was in the range of 25-35F higher on the right than the left. They measured their temp in the center rear of the barrel at about grill height.

It is only an issue if I use the entire cooking surface and I want the items on the left to get done at the same time as the ones on the right. As mentioned above, the solution is swapping ends with what's being cooked about 1/2 way. I used it to my advantage on the LG900 when cooking a full packer brisket by putting the thicker end to the hotter side of the grill.

At "Low" the temps seems to be more consistent across the cooking surface and very close to the displayed temp. Function of fan speed??

 

[TheGuto]

Thanks. That is what I am seeing as well. I guess it is a design issue with pellet grills. The Louisiana Grills LG900 that I sold was in the range of 25-35F higher on the right than the left. They measured their temp in the center rear of the barrel at about grill height.

It is only an issue if I use the entire cooking surface and I want the items on the left to get done at the same time as the ones on the right. As mentioned above, the solution is swapping ends with what's being cooked about 1/2 way. I used it to my advantage on the LG900 when cooking a full packer brisket by putting the thicker end to the hotter side of the grill.

At "Low" the temps seems to be more consistent across the cooking surface and very close to the displayed temp. Function of fan speed??

Very possible. Haven't tried higher-temp cooks on my RT-590 yet.

And that's exactly what I've done with this pork butt, put the thicker side on the right. ;-)

 

[Wslayer]

 

[Maule Guy]

Thanks for the link.

The left right difference is not something that this will address and I need to get a handle on how big a spread I am dealing with.

The video gives me the idea to use three probes and I can calculate the offset and the spread at the same time. I like the 250F suggestion as this is close to the temps used for many long cooks.

 

[okie]

Temperature on 590 display vs that measured at the cooking grate.

I may be getting picky but how many out there have measured the temp of the 590 at grate level and compared it to what the RT-590's display shows via their internal temp probe, say at 225F?

I made insulating blocks for my ThermPro thermometer probes to keep them from picking up the grate temp then place one probe about 3" from the left and right end of the cooking area and centered front to back.

I was seeing about 20F higher readings from the ThermPro than from the 590 with about 15F average differential from left to right.

I am not disturbed by temperature swings over time as it is the nature of the beast, but was pretty impressed by how consistent the temperature was once the grill stabilized.

Busted ! I am one of those science nerds that measure everything.

Any thoughts out there?

You can adjust that. There is a RT video and also manual instructions. I would get a center grate temp first. Can’t do much with the side to side but it is not enough to matter. A lot of folks do nothing since that isn’t much fluctuation. Control reading does not move much cause it is averaging. Even when you get it adjusted it will go up and down on your Thermopro but will average your desired temp hopefully. 10-15 degrees is actually good for a pit.
You might want to check several higher temps before you do adjustments. If they are right on then I would do nothing! Set it at 215 for 225 cooks. Or reduce pellet drop setting from 65. Not sure that would work but it might (it is supposed to work at lowest temp) Now don’t take readings until the temp is reached for about 20 minutes. Prepare to spend an afternoon if you do all this stuff! And lots of pellets.

 

[Bradd1146]

I did this test with my Thermoworks Smoke and an Inkbird. Both ambient temp probes on the grates. They ran 15-20 degrees hotter than the RT probe. While its obvious they are in 2 different spots I think it matters most of the grate temp since that's where the food will be. RecTeq actually reached out to me after seeing my post on FB and said the RT probe takes an average ambient temp and the controller adjust accordingly, which makes sense because it cannot be pinpoint accurate since you are using wood pellets and some may differ in size. But you would think it wouldn't be that far off. But using pellets as fuel and other factors in the mix I'm okay with slight temp swings, because I think it should be normal overall. What makes me laugh is those who praise the RecTeq for its set point to actual "dead locked in not budging temp hold" I love my 590 - wouldn't trade it for no other brand! But let's be honest, no pellet grill will be that dead locked. This is my opinion until someone educates me further!

BTW : I'm doing a brisket right now and my set point is 250 on RT and my Thermoworks is showing 268. I'm okay with it. However, my ambient probe is just below on the grate vs the RT probe several inches above it.

 

[Greg Jones]

What makes me laugh is those who praise the RecTeq for its set point to actual "dead locked in not budging temp hold" I love my 590 - wouldn't trade it for no other brand! But let's be honest, no pellet grill will be that dead locked. This is my opinion until someone educates me further!

Same here! I love recteq and my recteq grills (most of the time), but sometimes the BS meter inches toward pegged.

 

[Bradd1146]

Same here! I love recteq and my recteq grills (most of the time), but sometimes the BS meter inches toward pegged.

Absolutely! And the fanboys meter stays pegged and it gets annoying sometimes lol.

 

[okie]

Same here! I love recteq and my recteq grills (most of the time), but sometimes the BS meter inches toward pegged.

I’ve fussed at them for just showing 5 star reviews (with a few 4 stars). But over all, their overall service and response time is the best. Also, they offer adjustable controls that most of their competitors do not. So if the bosses have a little ego I’m ok with that.

 

[C. Keeper]

Absolutely! And the fanboys meter stays pegged and it gets annoying sometimes lol.

Try Traeger customer service if you need a break.

 

[Maule Guy]

Try Traeger customer service if you need a break.

Traeger's what???

 

[Ostrichsak]

Traeger's what???

He said try Traeger's "Customer Service" support. He just forget the air quotes as he typed it.

 

[Bradd1146]

Try Traeger customer service if you need a break.

Don't understand what you're saying here.