Large BBQ smoker temp monitoring advice

Hardware
1

EDIT: The temp readings will just be fixed thermocouples into the side of the smoker into the chamber. No meat probes as there are just too many briskets at any one time. The large smoker is built off a 1,000 gal propane tank.

We have two large wood fired commercial BBQ smokers that I would love to nerd out and monitor with thermocouples linked back to an HA instance.

I anticipate four probes in the main smoker chamber and maybe a very high temp one in the firebox.

Happy to learn from the group here.

If you’re in the DFW area we can chat over brisket!

Mike

2

should be a good start. The outside probe goes up to 500 celsius. Integration with HA is seamless…

3

Slightly cheaper.
INKBIRD Bluetooth BBQ Grill Thermometer w/ 6 Probes IBT-6XS
Integrates using Bluetooth

1 Like
4

Interesting.

How would I integrate that, Given that My Hass Runs on a NUC in the Front Office that is Well away from the Bbq Area.

Is that an Issue that a Proxy can Deal With?

5

Proxy should work fine.
I don’t think I have tried it but as far as I know, ESP 32 proxys are just like built in Bluetooth. So it should work.
If I have time tonight then I can try and boot up my inkbird next to a proxy and see if it connects that route.

6

It connected through the proxy

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7

Edit: didn’t mean to reply directly to BebeMischa

If it were me (and it sort is I have done this on my smoker)

I would use Esphome and the thermocouple component. I am using the MAX6675 sensor.
https://www.amazon.com/MAX6675-Aideepen-thermocouple-sensors-Interface/dp/B09XVBJRV6/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3NI52IIHWVJTQ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Tv7R1eah--Mah4UyYeWqArX_4o_tBGEHKA8WcTxK-wnWpNpGz9I4k1mjZjbP-zBIlC6FiaE1PGAqN6wtdCHAePb84ttDVklYI-MMDqMWHIVQ-s4YYqOxN2UMjMaFIAnmNH0ktSXVN7TBOyBzConCbYWXiYsWM0r4J-1ko_MqLjEeylXyxoT848SGF1jcG0RVXhxs1vpjdGOmVrsyX8OIpT7mLlf2hkQrgsUn4w6wFVw.4IPijYnDPtsUeZU6cy5-tdzGtZgu_7koDd9FlUox_lo&dib_tag=se&keywords=max6675&qid=1763746533&sprefix=MAX6675%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-6&th=1
(link is not affiliate)
Should be able to use any K-Type thermocouple

example yaml I just threw together. Very similar to what I am using.

esphome:
  name: smoker-temps
  friendly_name: Smoker Temps

esp32:
  board: esp32dev
  framework:
    type: arduino

logger:

api:
ota:

wifi:
  ssid: exampleSSID
  password: wifi_password
  ap:
    ssid: "SmokerTemps Fallback"
    password: fallback_password


spi:
  clk_pin: GPIO18    # SCK
  miso_pin: GPIO19   # SO 

sensor:
  - platform: max6675
    name: "Smoker Probe 1"
    cs_pin: GPIO5     # unique CS for probe 1
    update_interval: 2s
    unit_of_measurement: "°F"
    accuracy_decimals: 1
    filters:
      - lambda: return x * 9.0/5.0 + 32.0;  # C -> F

  - platform: max6675
    name: "Smoker Probe 2"
    cs_pin: GPIO17    # unique CS for probe 2
    update_interval: 2s
    unit_of_measurement: "°F"
    accuracy_decimals: 1
    filters:
      - lambda: return x * 9.0/5.0 + 32.0;  # C -> F

I’m sure someone with better YAML syntax experience will correct some of this though. :smile:

8

This is down the path I was thinking.

The meat itself won’t be probed, just 3-5 probes hardwired into the smoker depending upon which smoker.

Thank you

1 Like
9

I am using a probe with a quick connect for my meats actually. It is more reliable than my bluetooth probes ever have been.

Using a derivative helper and then an input number helper it shows me the estimated time (in minutes) on my WLED matrix above the TV in the living room.

Super helpful and has been much more accurate than I expected!

10

I monitor a lot of things that are a fair distance - I use ESP32 with Lora modules attached. Then I have a Lora inside the house as a base station and use Mosquitto to queue and send messages and recieve confirmation and data. The Lora can send and recieve a LONG way since it is only minimal data and it can also wake up the ESP32 if its battery - ensure you get the right Lora. New wifi standards with Halow may make all this redundant.

Mine integrate with lithium batteries along with solar recharge.

I integrate this data into HA with Grafana and Prometheus for fancy charts etc. They run in Docker containers on a server - do not know if they have HA containers.

11

Yeah it does - I do not have one, but my HA sees two inkbirds in my neighbourhood via proxies