WSM thermometer way off?

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matty gunns

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jan 30, 2017
34
28
Using my wsm i noticed the factory thermometer at the dome compared with temp at the grate level shows a difference if 100 degrees. Is that normal or should i just never trust the dome temp again. Kind of suprised. I know there is a difference between grate level and dome temps but 100 degrees? Im smoking wings and removed the water pan completely maybe thag has something to do with it
 
Yea the dome gets a lot hotter than the grate.

I drilled a hole in the side of mine at grate level & put in a Tel-Tru therm.

Al
 
Mine is usually reads -30 degrees or more from grate temps so I could be really cooking at 290 and the thermo is showing 255, I use a Maverick to monitor cooking temps, the WSM thermo is worthless. I have an 18.5 I'm getting ready to sell, love how it cooks just want something with more capacity. If I was keeping it, I would replace the thermo with a Tel-Tru or River Country thermo.
 
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It's not unusual.  In fact it is a norm.  Watch the temps and sometimes it will flip flop.  On a long smoke, it usually will come very close to evening out..  I replaced the factory with a tel tru and put the same in the side near the grate.  I wanted both thermometers to be the same brand.

Now that I think about it, mine did not come with a factory thermometer.  I'm getting old.....
 
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