# Replacement Thermo Probe?



## acarbone624

I have 2 Accu-Rite Thermos that I got from Lowes last year.  It has the metal wire and probe.  When I took it out of the cabinet today, it would only say LO.  It would read any temp.  So I took the probe from my other Thermometer and hooked it to this one and it works.  Is there any place I can buy just the wire and probe or do i have to spend another $20 on a new one?


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## richtee

Keep them OUT of water, and be careful of the probe/wire interface point. The two major failure causes.


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## walking dude

also.......chances are, replacement probes will darn near cost as must as the accurite did in the first place........


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## acarbone624

Yeah, I saw some of the prices online....ouch.  I sent them an email.  I guess we will see what happens.  Thanks guys.


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## travcoman45

Check with the manufacturer, I don know bout accurite, but taylor sent me a new one fer free, extras were 5 bucks each!  Unit is 20 bucks new, so they are worth replacin on the taylors.  Good luck.


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## geek with fire

I'm with dude on this one.  I wait for those to go on sale at lowes, and buy them by the box.  The last sale they had was for $5 a piece.  I now have about 10 (some still work, some don't).  When one goes bad, it ends up in the parts drawer.  And yes, the wires are thin and cheap.  You can further protect them by wrapping them in strips of foil.  still though, keep them dry.  This includes keeping them away from steam.  So if you inclose them in a foil wrapped boston butt, make sure that the joint is outside of the foil, or they are packed tight in foil themselves.


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## acarbone624

I checked the other day at Lowes and they had NOTHING on clearance.  Yet there were christmas trees in the same isle as the BBQ stuff.  Must be getting close.  And the only ones they had were the Taylor Wekend Warrior for $20.  Are they any good?


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## flash

http://www.chaneyinstruments.com/pgs/temp.htm

I had the same thing happen. Lost two of them at the same time. Emailed accurite at above URL and they sent me two replacement probes.......FOR FREE.


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## walking dude

Flash.........i just tried emialing them, and i keep getting a HTTP 500 error, like the site is maybe down?


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## flash

Worked for me.

http://www.chaneyinstruments.com/pgs/temp.htm


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## walking dude

yeah, thats the site...........Just tried again for the 4th time..........still doesn't work...........*sigh*.......story of my life


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## acarbone624

I got the same error.  Filled in all the info and ERROR when hitting submit.  I ended up calling them and they are sending me 2 new probes for FREE!

Thanks for the heads up Flash.


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## walking dude

thankx Athony.........called em, and they are sending out a new probe........attaboys for chaney industrys


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## flash

OK, so linked worked, just wouldn't complete form?

hey calling works, I actually did both. Sometimes emails get pushed to the back of the pile. Glad you got thru


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## walking dude

okay..........got my replacement probe today.........plugged it in, and it read 50 degrees to HIGH........called em up, and they are sending out TWO replacement probes next day..........so if nothing else, customer service for Chaney ROX............

I know it was 50 degrees to high, cause my maverick et-73 probe will fit in the acu-rite........

but again........their customer service ROX.........


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## acarbone624

I haven't gotten my replacements yet.  Should be soon!


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## acarbone624

I just got my probes today.  Both of them read 70 degrees high on both on my thermometers.  I was the WTH!  SO I called them up.  The lady had no idea why they weren't working properly.  After being on hold a few minutes, the lady told me she could upgrade me to one of their wireless thermometers at no charge.  But she could only send me one.  I was ok with that because I still have a working probe for 1 of my thermometers.

Chaney Inst. Customer Service Rocks!


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## walking dude

anthony............got my two replacement probes..........same thing as the FIRST replacement probe.......50 degrees reading too high.........so they are sending me a whole new unit........didn't get lucky enuff to get the wireless one tho.............tho i haven't SEEN that one at their site...........??

but like you said, their customer service does ROCK


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## walking dude

wow these guys rock...........just called yesterday afternoon, they said they would replace my unit, and it would ship monday. opened the door a hour ago, and BAM!. A box from chaney instruments. You guessed it. Brand new unit.  HAT OFF FOLKS, to Chaney Instruments........wow again!


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## acarbone624

I just got my new Thermometer today too!  That was fast!


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## walking dude

yeah...........wish they would of gaven ME the wireless.........but can't complain...........


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## sgtgeo

I work in a lab and we have lots of instruments that have to have very accurately regulated temperatures.

We use type J and K thermocouples of various lengths and diameters.  These are quite robust and last for a long time even in 1000*F high moisture highly acidic enviorments.

I am curious why no kitchen type thermometers use these readily available probes.

You can get a lab grade thermocouple reader but they are usually expensive.

I am considering this route for my PID smoker control system I'm working on


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## geek with fire

I've spent the last year and a half playing with temperature control processes and temperature probes for cookers.  The reason why companies don't use thermocouples is that they are too darned expensive.  Thermistors can be bought with pennies.  Thermocouples normally have platnum in them so even the cheapest made thermocouples are still expensive.  

The next reason is the controllers.  The cheap oven probes that use thermistors don't require much on the electronics side; they're basically just ohmeters that convert resistance to temperature.  Just like the probes, thermocouple controllers are more complex and therefore are more expensive.

If you are bent on useing thermocouples though, thermoworks has a pretty decent thermocouple controller for less than $45.
http://www.thermoworks.com/products/handheld/mtc.html
I use their plug type thermapen and am very happy.

I also use Phidgets USB thermocouple controllers to connect to my control system on my laptop.

Keep us updated on you PID controller project.


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## sgtgeo

I'm collecting the parts now to use a PID controller to regulate the heater output based on a thermocouple reading.  Planning on building it into a small control box that will contain the PID controller, relay, relay heatsink and all the wiring.  

If i can find a dual zone PID I could also have it turn off power at a given meat temp.  So far I have not been able to find an inexpensive 2 zone controller

Should be an interesting exercise in control theory


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## geek with fire

There was a thread sometime back about a cheap China import PID controller.  You might do a search for that.


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