TempSpike Ambient Temperature Low

[J-Melt]

I just got the TempSpike and have used it as a second heat thermometer with my Thermoworks Smoke X2. I have noticed that the ambient temperature on my TempSpike is significantly lower than on my Smoke.

When I did my two briskets cook last week, I noticed a 20-25 degree difference between the two. Today, I’m doing chicken leg quarters and I’m noticing about a 70 degree difference. I am using an Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco.

What do y’all think is causing this? I have some theories, but am also starting to wonder if it is faulty in some way.

[Jerod Broussard]

Are the probes practically tied together?? Temps vary ALOT in barrels.

[J-Melt]

I forgot to note that it also showed a significantly lower ambient temp while my briskets were hot holding in my oven too. I guess they could all be legit because of differences in where they are in the cooker, but I’m not sure.

[RonB]

To check you thermometers for accuracy, put them side by side in ice water and then in boiling water. That will give a direct comparison. I would be willing to bet that the Thermoworks probe is the most accurate.

[J-Melt]

Problem is that it’s the ambient part of the thermometer that is above the probe that I’m suspecting is off. I need to read up on how to calibrate that part

[RonB]

How about preheating your oven to 250° to 300° and place both probes in the oven. If the tip cannot go above 212°, then stick it in a potato.

[J-Melt]

Great idea! I’ll try that. Thanks

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

Mine all read low on the ambient as well. I've learned to ignore them. I figure it is because of being so close to large hunks of cold meat - when I put them in the smoker, they're always way lower than my wired monitoring probes I use for ambient. Then, as the cook progresses, they warm up and get closer to actual ambient. Thus, my assumption was it is so close to the meat, it is measuring the cool air temp in the 'bubble' around the meat.

So... like I said, I just ignore the ambient portion of the temp report. I almost always use wired probe ambient temp monitoring in different places in my smoker, anyways.

[J-Melt]

I suspected this might be the issue. I’m glad that I’m not the only one who has noticed this. I was hoping to use it for ambient in my Bronco if I needed to use my Smoke with billows in my Weber for big cooks. May be better to return this one and hold out for a second wired thermometer. I’m also not a fan of the fact that I lose connectivity in about 70% of my house.

[MtView]

I started playing around with some wireless probes from a couple different companies (soon to be three different companies - overkill) and mine do the same thing. I don't find the ambient sensor as useful as I thought it would be versus a wired ambient probe because they are simply recording temps from two different locations and I have been controlling pit temps based on the wired probe for a long time. In fact, I'm not sure how I would incorporate the wireless ambient sensor data into a cook.

[GolfGeezer]

This issue was also raised regarding Combustion Inc' wireless probes. I'll try to locate the threads later, but as explained by Chris Young, the make of CI's offering, it is precisely because the probe's ambient sensor is just outside the food being monitored. The air temp close to the food is much lower than even a few inches away. I've seen this using my Fireboard alongside my Combustion Inc probe, whether in my smoker or my oven. Science I guess. So I use my Fireboard to measure ambient as it is closer to the overall temp in the cooker.

[GolfGeezer]

Here is the link to a video Chris Young did that helps explain the air temps around food when cooking. While he is talking about convection versus conventional cooking, the same applies in a smoker. Look at around the 5:15 minute mark within the video.

The Best Countertop Air Fryer? | Ninja Foodie XL Smart Oven REVIEW (Ep#3) - YouTube

[MtView]

Thanks for posting the link. This must be what Chris is talking about using surface temp to cook. My wireless probes are measuring surface temp more than ambient but probably not as accurately as the 8 sensor Combustion Inc.

[Jfrosty27]

I used two TempSpike’s last night with rotisserie chicken on the Weber kettle. I have found that you need to be sure they are fully charged at the start of your cook. The app shows that in real time. The internal meat temps always match very closely to my Thermo Pen. But as noted above, the ambient temps seem to bounce around early in the cook and level out later on. I really don’t sweat it. As long they’re in the neighborhood I don’t care.

[RichieB]

I had 2 probes. One the ambient varied from the other by 12 degrees. This happened over time. In meat, fridge or sitting on the counter. I contacted Thermopro and explained the issue, 2 days later I received my 3rd probe. Ambient matched the other good one. Great customer service, no questions asked.

[J-Melt]

They didn’t ask for the faulty one back?!?! Have you compared them to a wired ambient probe?

[RichieB]

No they did not ask and based on others feedback they wouldn't. Yes in cooker I had my smoke monitoring ambient. And when I set in on the counter and I forgot I did comparison in the fridge. All with thermometer right next to the probes. Also repeated fridge and counter with all 3. Same.

[RichieB]

Here it is on the app.

[Alan Brice]

Could always have as a redundant. Stick it in a tater n gwan w/it.

[RichieB]

Absolutely I now have 3. Ambient shmanbient.

[J-Melt]

I reached out to support and they told me that if it is accurately reading the room temperature, then it is good. Meaning the one I have is fine. The question I now need to answer is if it is worth it knowing that the ambient temperature will be significantly influenced by the meat temperature. It's definitely a nice cheap second leave in thermometer, but with my desire to monitor two cookers at once, I'm not sure it's worth it...Thoughts from the Pit?

[UncleSpike]

Yes! I noticed that as well! I cooked a pork loin the other day, and the ambient temperature was reading 195 degrees. I know my cooker was warmer than that, so I pulled out the ThermoWorks smoke to check. There was a 50 degree difference!

I'm certain that the reason is because the spike needs to be so close to the meat. It's 1" away from a cold piece of meat, and this will affect it. The temp difference was closer to a 20 degree difference when the meat warmed up.

[UncleSpike]

I would imagine this problem is consistent with any wireless probe out there...