clean traeger rtd temperature probe

How to Clean Traeger RTD Temperature Probe – 4 Easy Steps to Maintain Cleanliness of Traeger Probe

Wondering how to clean your Traeger RTD Temperature Probe?

Do you think if you should wash the probe or simply leave it in the dishwasher?

Don’t worry! 

I am here to provide you the easiest cleaning tips that you can use to keep your Traeger temperature probe in the best working condition.

To begin with, let us focus on the basics.

what exactly is a Traeger RTD Temperature Probe?

To put it in simple words, a temperature probe is a sort of thermometer that measures the internal temperature of the cooking meat.

It also helps you read temperature of other food items while they are cooking on the grill.

This prevents the meat from remaining uncooked as well as from being overcooked.

But then this entire process makes the temperature probe dirty and greased, so much so that it cannot be used in the next grilling session.

It has to be cleaned on a regular basis.

The actual cleaning process is pretty simple and straightforward which I am going to explain with 4 easy steps in this article.

So, I recommend you to read this article entirely and understand the importance of keeping the probe clean and functional.

4 Easy Steps to Clean Your Traeger RTD Temperature Probe

Many of the Traeger Pellet Grill owners tend to forget the very presence of a temperature probe in the grill before they notice the fluctuations while grilling.

Well, just in case you have not already guessed it, it is your RTD probe that now needs  a thorough cleaning.

Here is how you can go on about it.

Equipment Required:

Here are a few things you should keep at hand before you start the cleaning of your Traeger probe.

1. A screw driver, since you will need to remove a few screws to carry on the cleaning process.

2. Something to clean and scrub dirt and grease from the RTD probe.

If you have a soft cloth at home, then its perfect.

If not, you can try using your old soft toothbrush too.

3. You will also require a soap or soapy water. Almost a bucket full of soapy water is sufficient for thorough cleaning.

Cleaning Procedure:

Step 1:

When you look at the temperature probe you will notice a bracket attached to it and surrounding the probe with the screws.

Unscrew the bracket with the help of your screwdriver.

Once the screws have been removed, then you can actually start the cleaning process.

Step 2:

If you use wash cloth or soft cloth to clean the RTD probe, make sure it is wet or at least damp.

However, if you are planning to use your old unused toothbrush, then remember to spray or sprinkle a bit of water on the probe before you begin to clean it.

Do not use too much water since that will damage the sensor.

Remove as much grease and dirt as possible.

Step 3:

Now, move your focus to the bottom part of the RTD Probe.

Clean it as much as possible with the wash cloth or the toothbrush.

Move on to the part on which it sits.

It is not necessary to clean that part but it can be done just in case it later affects the temperature reading.

Step 4:

In the end, reset the entire RTD Temperature Probe using the screws to place the bracket around the probe.

And you are done with the entire cleaning process.

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6 Important Points To Follow While Cleaning Traeger Temperature Probe

It is comparatively easier to clean the RTD temperature probe if you have followed all the points and kept in hand all the equipment mentioned above.

But here are a few points that you must keep in mind when you are cleaning the RTD temperature probe at home.

1. Before you start cleaning your Traeger Grill Temperature Probe, make sure that you have switched off the grill, else it may cause damage to some of the parts.

2. Although it is comparatively easy to clean a Traeger Pellet Grill, it is somehow tedious to clean a Traeger Temperature Probe.

Because it is a terribly fragile device and a tiny bit of rough handling can easily damage it.

3. All broken RTD temperature probes must be immediately repaired or replaced.

Remember that they are not very expensive and can be easily replaced.

It is dangerous to keep using a damaged RTD temperature probe for your Traeger grill.

Click Here to Get a New Replacement Traeger Temperature Probe for Your Grill.

4. Keep the screws safe since you will need to put the parts back and losing the screws will make the cleaning process harder.

5. Remember to remove the bracket when you are cleaning the temperature probe.

Because, you will only be able to clean the top part and not the bottom when the bracket is in place.

6. Make sure you don’t pull up on the sensor or push on it too much.

Otherwise you may break the probe in the process.

Why Do I Need to Clean My Traeger RTD Temperature Probe Regularly?

Who does not love a neat and clean kitchen and all of its equipments including a pellet grill?

Apart from the fact that a clean Traeger RTD Temperature Probe is hygienic to use, there are other reasons why you must clean your probe regularly.

The most prominent and obvious reason is that any sort of dirt or grease on the surface of the temperature probe will prevent it from providing an accurate reading of the temperature of the meat.

Hence a greased or unclean temperature probe does not serve its basic function perfectly.

The only way to prevent this is to keep your temperature probe as clean as possible.

And in this article, you get to know everything about cleaning of Traeger RTD Temperature Probe.

What  are  the Major Traeger RTD Probe Problems?

A faulty or problematic temperature probe can become an obstacle in the cooking or grilling process.

There are different types of problems of the Traeger RTD Probe which you may face while operating your grill.

To explain the problem, the users must know exactly how an RTD works.

The long form of RTD is Resistance Temperature Detector.

No matter what design of an RTD you look at, the principle always remains the same.

Actually, it uses a single fine wire to function.

And this single fragile wire decides whether or not the temperature reading is accurate.

They function smoothly on stationary grills and last for years but their longevity on a pellet grill is not that higher.

This is mainly because pellet grills are moved around frequently.

If the grill or the probe is still warm when moved around, there is a huge chance that the wire can get damaged while moving.

If this RTD probe gets damaged or malfunctioned, then obviously you will need to obtain a new replacement RTD probe for your grill.

Can You Wash Traeger RTD Temperature Probe?

You can only wash the insert part and not the actual thermometer part.

There are two different parts of the RTD temperature probe which are as mentioned below.

1. The Insert

2. The Thermometer

The insert can always be washed with a hot or lukewarm water along with a bit of soapy solution.

But as far as the thermometer is concerned it should not be placed inside a dishwasher or even submerged in the water.

Any sort of contact with moisture or water usually causes the machine to get damaged and also affect the reading accuracy henceforth.

2 Methods to Test The Accuracy of Traeger RTD Temperature Probe

In order to check whether or not the RTD sensor is defective or faulty, you have two methods to check.

Method 1:

 You can put a thermometer inside the Traeger pellet grill on the rack as close to the RTD temperature probe as possible.

Next you can take some time and check if the reading on the RTD probe is the same as that of the thermometer on the oven.

Method 2:

Consequently, the other option is to make use of an infrared heat gun.

In order to handle an infrared heat gun, you will need to aim it as accurately as possible.

With the help of a good aim, it should be quite easy to receive a digital reading correctly. 

If the reading of the two thermometers do not match each other, you can rest assured that the machine is faulty.

Can You Leave Traeger Probe Inside While Washing or Cooking on a Grill?

Traeger RTD Probe Thermometers have been designed to be left inside the grill.

As a matter of fact, some of them have a grill thermometer alongside the probe thermometer which measures the internal temperature of the grill.

This is meant to help the user monitor the temperature without having to open the lid time and again thereby preventing the aroma to escape.

The insert can always be washed with hot or lukewarm water along with a bit of soap.

But the thermometer must not be washed or dipped inside the water to prevent its damage.

Any sort of contact with moisture or water will cause the machine to get damaged and also affect the reading henceforth.

Therefore, it is important to keep thermometer away from the water exposure.

Should I Use a Traeger Temperature Sensor Cover?

Yes, I would highly recommend to use a cover for the Traeger temperature probe.

It is always a good idea to use a proper cover for your Traeger RTD temperature sensor.

The sensor of the RTD temperature probe is not only sensitive but also prone to damage.

Because, it is always used in and around a barbecue grill.

So, if you cover it with a proper temperature sensor cover, it will keep your sensor protected all the time.

I will increase its shelf life quite efficiently.

Final Thoughts

To effectively clean your Traeger RTD temperature probe, you can use cleaning agents such as white vinegar, soapy water and scrub pad.

The cleaning method mentioned in this article is pretty simple to follow for every Traeger user.

I highly recommend to keep your Traeger RTD probe clean and dirt free to keep it functional and durable all the time.

References:

https://www.traegerforum.com/threads/best-ways-to-clean-rtd-sensor.717/

https://www.pelheat.com/traeger-temperature-probe-replacement.html

https://backcountryandbeyond.com/blog/probe-cleaning-grilling-tips-from-grill-guy-jeremy/

https://cookingchops.com/thermometer-in-meat-while-smoking/