Do you want to remove the grill probe from your pellet grill to test it for accuracy, clean it, or replace it with a new one? If so, are you sure you will be able to replace the probe perfectly?
In this article, I will show you how to replace Pit Boss temperature probe in detail.
But first, I will begin by showing you how to clean your probe. Also, I will give you several pit boss probe recommendations if your current probe is faulty. All this will ensure you do a perfect grille probe replacement.
Table of Contents
How to Clean Pit Boss Temperatures Probe
An RTD probe (remote device probe) sits in a pellet grill. The probe reads the temperature in the pellet smoker grill and displays this information on an exterior control board.
On the other hand, you insert pit boss meat probes in the deepest parts of your meat then the probe wire snakes are linked to the controller board. This way, you can monitor the progress of your cook and easily tell when your meat cuts have attained doneness.
Now, the grille probe, just like your pellet grill, will get dirty after use; you will find a black residue or soot on this probe. Also, the meat probes will have stubborn oil or food lumps.
Too much dirt on your probes can interfere with their accuracy. Therefore, you will need to clean your temp probe regularly, e.g., after every long cook or after 3-4 cookings.
That said, it's very easy to clean dirty probes, but you have to keep in mind that a pit boss rtd probe is highly fragile; thus, you will need to handle it with care.
Now, let's clean the RTD temperature probe sensor. Here are the steps:
1. Ensure you have the following tools before cleaning the cabinet temp probe: screwdriver, a basin with soapy water, clean water, a washcloth, an old toothbrush, and a paper towel.
2. Disconnect your pellet smoker grill from the power source; this is critical even when you are cleaning your grill, as mentioned in my other article on how to clean a pit boss grill.
3. Using the screwdriver, remove the bracket that protects the probe. Next, remove the cabinet temperature probe from its place. Remember to keep the screws safely since you will need them when replacing the probe.
4. Wet your washcloth in soapy water and wring it out thoroughly to ensure you don't damage the electrical parts of your internal temperature probe.
Now, scrub off the black residue from the sensor using the wet cloth. In addition, you can use your fingernails or an old toothbrush to remove the stubborn or lumpy dirt particles.
5. After removing all the dirt from your temperature sensor, it's now time to rinse it. So, dip a clean cloth in clean water and wring it thoroughly. Use the damp cloth to wipe the probe sensor.
6. Use a paper towel to dry the moisture on your probe.
How to Replace Temperature Sensor in the Pellet Grill
Now that you have cleaned your pit boss temp sensor and meat probes, it's time to put them back into place, ready for the next afternoon cook.
To begin with, pass the RTD wires through the probe hole while their sensing parts stay in the grill and link the wires to the controller body
Next, pick the screws, put the internal grill sensor back in place, and replace the bracket that guards the temperature sensor.
New RTD Temperature Sensor Replacement
Here are some of the reasons that will cause you to get new remote probes for your grill:
1. If your pit or meat probes can't get clean even after following the above cleaning process
2. If the sensor or probe wires are damaged
3. If your grill temp sensor or meat probes are too old
Here are some of the best remote probes you can get for your pit boss grill:
Pit probes
1. Mars Camp replacement RTD temperature sensor – compatible with Pit Boss P7 series and other pellet smokers
2. FCCUM RTD temperature probe sensor – compatible with Pit Boss Tailgater, Austin XL, classic, and other vertical smokers
3 .Entsong RTD temperature probe sensor – compatible with all Pit Boss 700 and 820 series smokers
Meat probes
1. SUNKISTCOOK 2pack meat probes – compatible with Pit Boss models: 1000 Traditions, 1000 Traditions 2, 440/700/1000 Nascar,1000SC, Classic, 3/5/7 Series Vertical smokers, KC Combo, Austin XL pellet grill, Levington, Pro Series 820/1100, Pro Series 1100 Combo, Tailgater, Whiskey Still, Rancher XL and Ranch Hand.
2. FCCUM 2pack meat probes – compatible with pit boss models: 3/5/7 Series vertical smokers, 400/700/1000 Nascar, Pro series 820/1100, Pro series 1100 Combo, Lexington, Whisky Still, Tailgater, Ranch Hand, Rancher XL, KC Combo, Austin Xl pellet grill, 1000SC, 1000 Traditions 2 and Classic.
3. Entsong 2pack meat probes – compatible with pit boss models: Classic, Whisky Still, Austin XL, 1000SC, 1000 Traditions, 1000 Traditions 2, 3/7 series vertical smokers, KC Combo, Rancher XL, Ranch Hand, Tailgater, and 400/700/1000 Nascar.
Remote Probes Maintenance Tips
We have seen that you can stay away from some of the pit boss temp probe problems by cleaning your grill and meat probes regularly. Let's now see some more tips that will better the life of your probes.
1. Don't stab food
I know that meat probes have pointed sensors but ensure you reject that urge to stab your food with the sensor! As we had said earlier, temperature probes are fragile. Thus, stabbing your food with a probe will damage your probe.
So, insert your digital probe into place gently.
2. Keep meat probe from bones
Avoid pushing your meat probes into the bonny parts of your meat since the bones can damage your probes. Instead, insert the probe into the deepest part of a boneless section of your meat.
3. Don't lift food with your RTD temperature sensor
You will be exerting too much weight on your probe when you use it to lift meat cuts, thus damaging your probe. Instead, you can use other BBQ utensils to pick your food.
4. Do not pry or puncture with the probe
Ensure you don't use your probes in opening cans since this can damage your probes.
5. Hold temperature probe wires when lifting probes
Lift the pit boss temperature gauge or meat probe by its wire; this will ensure that you don't bend it when you hold it by its sensory part.
6. Keep probe wire snakes from water
Remote probes are waterproof, but their wires are not; moisture can destroy the electronic parts in the cables.
7. Keep your thermometer from direct heat
Keep your digital probe from flames, live coals, or the heat gun. Probes can't stand too much heat.
FAQs
1. Why is my Pit Boss controller sensor not working?
Two possible reasons can make your probe not work: when the barbeque smoker has too much heat or when you have not linked the probe wire correctly on the control board.
2. What can you cook in a Pit Boss smoker?
You can cook dozens of recipes in your barbeque smoker, including Chilli pepper rubbed brisket, stuffed pork tenderloin, smoked beef short ribs, Texas-style turkey, western bacon cheeseburgers, salmon burnt ends, and many others.
3. Why is my pit boss catching fire?
Some of the reasons that will set your smoker on fire include too much grease, oil, and debris buildups. To prevent grill fire, always remember to clean your smoker after every use. Also, avoid using too much heat when you can't manage the heat properly.
4. What should I do if my pellet grill catches fire?
First, don't panic. Secondly, unplug the grill and put away flammable objects from the grill. Ensure you keep the grill door and hopper lid closed.
Remember not to use water or floor to extinguish the grill; just leave it alone; the fire will die on its own.
5. How will I know if my RTD temperature probe sensor is working?
Here are two ways by which you can test if your probe is working correctly:
You can insert the probe in iced water; the probe should read between -1° and 1°C.
Or, insert the probe in a pot of boiling water; the probe should read between 99°C and 101°C.
Conclusion
Grill maintenance is not as fun as cooking on the grill. However, proper gill maintenance assures you of an amazing cooking experience for all the years to come.