PSA for Fireboard K-Probe owners

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

I had 2 probes go bad, started reading 1000F+ randomly. Threw one away before I realized they actually weren't failed.

Anyway, the Fireboard probes have 4 screws (other brands I have are all glued together) and the k-probe was rattling, took it apart and both wire screws were loose with one barely making contact. Re-ran the wires and cranked all the screws down and it works perfect again.

Sadly it was too late to recover the one probe I had thrown away by the time I made this discovery.

[RonB]

Thanks. I will try to keep this in mind.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

Funny timing, but when the 1st probe I threw away went bad I ordered 2 more. They came in today so double checked em. The screws were not tight... I'll send FB a note to let them know.

However there are some improvements, the new ones still have the sheathing on the wire until the hold down clamp and the rubber piece is already into the plug, neither of which was true for the 2 probes I checked that came with the 2 PRO when I bought it on initial release.

[gboss]

For whatever it's worth and FYI, the red wire is nearly always the "-" wire for thermocouples in the USA.

https://www.thermocoupleinfo.com/thermocouple-color-codes.htm

[gboss]

You have no idea how many type-J thermcouple connections I had to re-wire in Japan....

[STEbbq]

Would this advice apply to all probes or just FB? Basically, what about the cheap ones?

[gboss]

Just the thermocouple types, which are not very common for this. The probes with a TS “audio” type jack are typically the RTD or thermistor types. Those are typically molded and not serviceable like this.