# Looking for a way to pass themo leads through the hood and plug a hole



## piaconis (Jul 2, 2012)

I have a Brinkmann TMLE offset smoker.  One of the problems with the design is the temperature differentials, so I drilled a couple of holes down at the bottom of the cooking chamber door, and I installed grate-level dial thermometers.

Since then, I have gone digital, and there is a difference between the temp in the middle of the grill grate vs. the edge, so the dial thermos are pretty useless.  I'm planning to remove them, and plug the holes.  What I'm wondering is if anyone has some ideas on a silicon plug or some other type of soft material "gasket" so I can pass the wires for the thermos out of the lid and seal the hole.

Suggestions?


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## jsdspif (Jul 2, 2012)

I was thinking high temp rtv silicone . this stuff says up to 650 degrees

http://www.permatex.com/products/au...ermatex_High-Temp_Red_RTV_Silicone_Gasket.htm


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## sqwib (Jul 2, 2012)

I f I am reading this correctly you want to plug the holes up but use them for wired leads. If so You can use a rubber grommet.

Rubber grommets should be fine on a smoke chamber door.

How big are the holes.


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## piaconis (Jul 2, 2012)

Grommets would work, but I need something that will hold up to the heat.  The holes are about 3/8" to 1/2" in size.


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## sqwib (Jul 3, 2012)

Grommets 

Gromit


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## sparkypyro (Jul 3, 2012)

Look up McMaster-Carr. They have EVERYTHING you could ever need for anything.

http://www.mcmaster.com/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## sqwib (Jul 5, 2012)

Manufactured to meet MIL-G-3036 and MS-35489 (unless noted), these grommets are also AN (Army-Navy) approved. They insulate and seal around holes cut into panels, while damping vibration and minimizing abrasion. Durometer hardness is 50A.

Flexible grommets are made of Buna-N rubber, have a temperature range of 0° to 250° F, and are black in color. Use indoors.

High-temperature flexible grommets are silicone with a temperature range of –60° to +500° F. Color is red-orange. Use indoors and outdoors.

ditto sparky

Grommet Link to McMaster Carr


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## dyslexicdawg (Jun 23, 2013)

I am considering doing the exact same thing with passing the lead wires through a grommeted hole in the body of the smoker.  Google "silicone grommet" and you will find grommets suitable for hi-temp applications.


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## fwismoker (Jun 23, 2013)

piaconis said:


> I have a Brinkmann TMLE offset smoker.  One of the problems with the design is the temperature differentials, so I drilled a couple of holes down at the bottom of the cooking chamber door, and I installed grate-level dial thermometers.
> 
> Since then, I have gone digital, and there is a difference between the temp in the middle of the grill grate vs. the edge, so the dial thermos are pretty useless.  I'm planning to remove them, and plug the holes.  What I'm wondering is if anyone has some ideas on a silicon plug or some other type of soft material "gasket" so I can pass the wires for the thermos out of the lid and seal the hole.
> 
> Suggestions?


Cork works great to seal holes in smokers...i have it this application and also in another smoker where i needed to plug a hole. http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/140549/maverick-owners-probe-eyelet-solution-sealed


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## misterc01 (Apr 27, 2014)

I just went on eBay and got  a couple  tubes of RTV 650F Red Silicon Adhesive smoker sealer for about $7 each free shipping.....
[h1]  [/h1]


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## misterc01 (Aug 4, 2014)

Best source - Grommet Link to McMaster Carr. you can also get silicon plugs to block the holes when not in use.  Try using high temp silicon plugs used for powder coating - possibly from Eastwood.


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## RRR (Jan 3, 2019)

The chance of finding High-Temperature Grommets are slim to none in the Philippines.


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## dward51 (Jan 3, 2019)

I used a silicone plug (think like a cork) in a 3/4" hole in my smoker body for the temp leads.  I drilled a hole in the center of the silicone plug and then slit one side.  The slits lets it go over the wire and once it's inserted into the smoker hold it compresses to seal around the wire.  Silicone is high heat tolerant and the plugs were cheap. I think I found an assortment in a bag for under $10 on Amazon.  Just search Amazon for "silicone plugs".


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## airmec (Jan 4, 2019)

amazon sells the probe inserts installed it in my Traeger over a year ago still works 
*Weber #85037 Replacement Grommet for Weber Smokey Mountain Cookers *


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## johnmeyer (Jan 4, 2019)

I created my own when I wanted to use the oven probe in my Weber grill and didn't want the leads to touch the metal. My solution was to get a length of Teflon tubing from McMaster-Carr. Get the highest temp rated. You only need a few inches. 

I then used an Xacto knife to cut about two inches of tubing. Once cut, I then made a cut down the length of one side. I pried this open (the Teflong is quite stiff) and got my probe wire though the cut. Once through, the cut snapped shut and there is zero change it will come off. This gave me a 2" "grommet" that lets me snake the wire through any opening or slot, without risking the wire getting as hot as the firebox itself.


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## RRR (Jan 4, 2019)

Just a tip, don’t drill the holes in the lid or you will be fighting wires every time you raise the lid, drill them right below the lip of the bottom of the smoker.


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