another_jim wrote: If I were to order it again, I'd ask for a second well for a dial thermometer or TC, located in the front plate, near the top edge, so one could monitor the ET at the same spot I use, but more elegantly than my jury-rigged setup.

I'm in the process of ordering one. Does it matter exactly where this hole gets drilled, or is anywhere "in the front plate, near the top edge" close enough?

Does anyone have any other suggestions for factory changes before I place my order?

Hi SlowRain.

If you cannot get it with an extra gauge, this is a very good placement for the second gauge. It was found by Jim and it works very well.



You could use a thermometer instead of a thermocouple. The probe is very very close to the drum and it is an excellent spot. Thanks Jim!

Hi Rafael,

Interesting, and no need to drill the front plate. How far inside does the thermocouple sit?

I thought that it would have to be much further out to be between the inner drum and outer casing.

Hi Eric.

It works very well like that. The reading responds fast, which is what I wanted to control the roaster. I haven't tried it placing it more towards the front plate but it could be done. Are you trying to place the sensor inside the drum, or are you trying to catch the air moving through the crack? The drum goes inside the front opening plate lip about 1/32" (the front plate is very thick), so I think it would be difficult to put a sensor inside the drum this way (it would have to have a double U shape and bend twice and be ultra thin). I think most of the air enters the drum through the rear where there is more gap.

Cheers

Hi Rafael,

Sorry, I did not phrase my original question very well.

No, i'm not trying to place it in the drum.

I was just wondering how far into the roaster the extra probe that is inserted where one of the screws has been removed goes before it hits anything?

I take it that this extra probe gives you a good idea of the environment temperature?

All the best
Eric

Hi again.

The new (second) probe sits outside the wall of the drum. Therefore, it can go as deep as you want (up to about 6 inches). If the probe was inside the drum, like the BT probe, it could only go about 2.5 inches before it hits the rotating radial arm of the drum. Having the probe outside I think is better because you have a sooner reading. I you had a late reading, your power adjustments would be bouncing with a lag in between. That's why you cannot control the roaster reading the BT. If you roast by reading BT, you have to anticipate adjustments because of the big time lag (very difficult). The BT is only used to stop the roast and to chose a charge temperature.

Yes, the extra probe reads the ET. The benefit of reading the ET is that you can monitor for excessive high temperature, which gives a burnt charcoal flavor. Keeping an eye on the ET is good to save guard the flavor. In my case, ET is used to control the power to the roaster and set a max limit.

Cheers

Hi Rafael,

Excellent news.

I have a spare Omega thermocouple to use.

I'll give it a try next time I am roasting.

Cheers.

another_jim wrote:there's an accurate thermometer

What's the lag time between the factory-supplied analogue thermometer and the digital one you're using? Do you still occasionally check the analogue one to see how accurate it is?

Hi SlowRain.

There is no lag at all using an analog thermometer. In fact it is faster. The lag I was talking about before has to do with cause-effect. If you raise the power (cause) you should read a higher temperature in the BT thermometer (effect). But that doesn't happen right away. Not because of the gauge but because the mass of the beans takes a while to heat up (or to cool down). It is like heating a rock. It takes a while before a rock raises in temperature. This is most important in the finish phase of the roast. If you have a big lag and cut the power, you may stall the roast. Then if you want to raise the power to come out of the stall, you would have to wait the lag time (+1 minue or so which may become 4 or so).

The analog BT thermometer works very well. Sorry for the confusion.

Cheers

The lag I was referring to was what I assumed to exist in analogue vs. digital thermometers. I just assumed digital thermometers would respond faster to temperature changes than analogue ones would. Does that mean both the factory-supplied analogue thermometers and the digital ones other people are using respond with equal speed?