Thermoworks Multicolor Probe Rings?

[MadUncleAndy]

For most of my cooks, I'm using one grate temp probe, and one meat probe, so no issue, but every now and again, I'll have a bunch of meat probes, and it would be super-cool to have an easy way to tell which bit of meat was hooked up to which channel on my Fireboard.

Enter Thermoworks...they make silicone probe rings. In a set you get 8, two each of red, yellow, green, and blue, and they're awesome to solve this problem. ...with one drawback.

After several uses in a smoky environment, they turn so black that they become impossible to identify. Thermoworks recommends washing them with detergent between uses...and that does make them last longer before they get to this point.

Have any of you found a better solution? Even if there is none, these are inexpensive enough that I'll use them and replace them as needed, but it would be lovely to be able to not fill up a landfill with little probe rings.

I've considered, but not yet tried, coating them in oil before use, or liquid soap, hoping the smoke stick to the oil/soap and can be better washed off, but before I start experimenting, wanted to consult the hive mind and see if someone already has a solution.

Thanks!

[barelfly]

You could put masking tape on the wire, outside of the cooker close to the unit, label A, B, C or whatever. I do what you do for my cooks, using a Thermoworks Chef Alarm. I have 2-3 probes going but look at how the wires come out of the probe port I installed and remember top or bottom.

At least being outside, the smoke won’t discolor anything.

[fzxdoc]

I label each channel at the beginning of the cook on the Fireboard app with the type of probe and where it is. As in "Front Ambient Probe" or "Left Side Pork Butt". Then you can just see which channel belongs to which cut of meat or ambient probe position when you look at the Dashboard view.

I have the Thermoworks rings, and I use them only on the plug end to designate my working probes--the six I use all the time, as I have several and like to "use them until I lose them" before moving on to another probe. Usually those working probes are at the top of the stack, so I really don't need the rings at all, but they're a nice reminder.

Kathryn

[glitchy]

I do that too, but sometimes I flip and rearrange everything mid cook, then I’m hosed.

[HawkerXP]

I would think you only need the bands on the outside of the cooker.

[glitchy]

Don’t you have to trace the wires from the entry point to the piece of meat then? That doesn’t seem much different than tracing the whole cable as the entry point is where they usually cross. I took the idea that you look at the probe that’s at temp, see it’s color then open up your cooker and look for the probe with the same color ring,

[Joetee]

You could always place 1 on each end of probe one. 2 on each end of probe two. And so on. Of course you would need 20 rings. You wouldn't need to know the color. Just count the rings. And the price isn't bad at all. They seem to hold up well, other than the color fade.

You could get by with only 12 rings by not using them on one probe.

[glitchy]

That’s a great idea. I might try that. I bought 2-3 sets since shipping was more than the rings.