Through drum cable port mods

scooter

Moderator
Staff member
Found this cable port/eyelet/grommet design on the Virtual Bullet forum last year. I've installed it on my WSMs and now my drum. It's a very easy mod and very cheap ($5).
Use 3/8" lamp nipple tubing which is threaded on the outside and hollow on the inside. The inside hollow diameter is 1/4". Also need brass locknuts that work well with the hollow tubing. I bought it at Home Depot but you can buy it anywhere lamps and lighting supplies are sold.
The hole in the nipple tubing is big enough and, when cut in 3/8" lengths, is short enough for the ET73 & ET732 elbow probes to go through. You can get 4 cables through the hole easily and a 5th with a little wiggling.

3 in. Nipples (2-Pack)-7060300 at The Home Depot

Brass Locknuts (12-Pack)-7017200 at The Home Depot

  1. Cut a piece of the 3" nipple tubing with a metal saw to 3/8" in length. It helps if you put two strips of painters tape over the spot where you intend to drill your hole to help stop the drill bit from wandering. Also use a few drops of oil to lessen the friction which will help keep the drill bit cool.
  2. Using a file or Dremel with grinder bit, grind off any metal burrs on the end of the cut tubing that occurred from the cutting process so the nuts will thread onto the tubing.
  3. Drill a 3/8" hole in the drum where you want the cables to go through the drum body.
  4. Insert the 3/8" cut piece of tubing into the hole you drilled in the drum and thread a nut onto either end of tubing for a clean finished look and to eliminate possible damage from chafing of the cables.

3" Brass lamp nipple tubing with brass locknuts sold separately. Cut a 3/8" long piece of this tubing, or, they also sell an pack of assorted lengths of the tubing. The shortest is I think 1/2" which you could use if you didn't want to cut the 3" nipple tubing into 3/8" lengths.
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Installed, one locknut on each side of the drum body.
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These would also work well but are a little more expensive and you only get two instead of being able to cut quite a few from the two 3" lengths of tubing. Lot of 2... 3/8" brass threaded bushing grommet TV-69 | eBay
 
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sheepdad

New member
Great mod scooter. I like that the end result give you such a clean look. Plus when not in use, a magnet like one of those business card ones can be use over it to seal off the intake of air.

I did something a little different.

My Temp probe system is a Maverick 732 Dual Probe. The company sells a 2pk of Hi-Temp silicone grommets for $6 w/shipping that allows for a thru the wall install while protecting the stainless woven probe cable that Maverick uses.
All I had to do was drill 2 1/4" holes and insert the grommets. Nice and easy for sure.

Just another option for members to consider.

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Greatscott!

New member
I love both these mods and it's almost enough for me to bite the bullet and upgrade my thermometer to the Maverick 732. Right now I use the Maverick ET85 which has both the meat and oven sensors built into one probe. The oven probe section is pretty wide in diameter and won't fit though a quarter-inch hole.
 

Greatscott!

New member
LOl Okay, Big P... I'll have to toss one on my order when I *finally* get around to ordering my drum kit. Just off medical leave and can finally get back to normal activities, like crawling around on top of steel drums drilling out bolt holes n' such. ;)

Side note: I did order some other stuff from your online store recently and your customer service peeps were absolutely incredible in helping me when a small issue came up. Big thumbs up for all you guys, thanks much.
 

scooter

Moderator
Staff member
If any of you have done a cable port mod on your drum or WSM, please post it here in this thread with pics please. I'd like to have a thread that shows the many variables in through cooker cable port/eyelet/grommet mods! Thank you Bob for the addition!

And Scott, you will LOVE the 732. I have 2 ET73's and they are still accurate and functioning great.
 

ajstrider

New member
This is what a lot of people and I use for temperature probe holes. You can find it at Lowes for about $2.50 in the electrical section. It is called a NM/SE connecter. It is basically just a fitting with a rubber grommet and a hole for the cable to go through, exactly what we need! I get the 3/4" size, which means a 1" hole saw puts the perfect sized hole, then I get one 3/4" conduit nut to put on the inside of the drum to tighten the fitting to the drum. I am able to put both the meat probe and grill grate probe through this at once, and I am sure you can fit more than that.

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Salmonsmoker

New member
This is what a lot of people and I use for temperature probe holes. You can find it at Lowes for about $2.50 in the electrical section. It is called a NM/SE connecter. It is basically just a fitting with a rubber grommet and a hole for the cable to go through, exactly what we need! I get the 3/4" size, which means a 1" hole saw puts the perfect sized hole, then I get one 3/4" conduit nut to put on the inside of the drum to tighten the fitting to the drum. I am able to put both the meat probe and grill grate probe through this at once, and I am sure you can fit more than that.

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AJ,
Any idea on the temperature rating of the rubber grommet in that fitting?
 

scooter

Moderator
Staff member
Just got these in today. They are great! No cutting of threaded pipe necessary! Just drill the 3/8" hole and they go right in. And they're cost effective. Purchased from eBay for $1.00 for 2 of them plus $2.60 shipping. I bought 3 lots of them (6) and shipping went up to $2.88 so total for 6 of them was $5.88. Looks like the price went up this week to $1.32 for a lot of 2 bushings
Requires a 3/8" hole. Those brass lamp nuts don't come with them. They're available at practically any store that sells lamps.

Lot of 2 3 8" Brass Threaded Bushing Grommet TV 69 | eBay

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Greatscott!

New member
I'm thinking another mod option is to go redneck style -- drill a hole of any size you like, then use a strip magnet to cover. A slit cut in the magnet from edge to center could accommodate as many probe cables as you need and an uncut magnet would seal the opening nicely when not in use.
 

Greatscott!

New member
AJ,
Any idea on the temperature rating of the rubber grommet in that fitting?

I've never found a temp rating for these but have read elsewhere they hold up fine in drum cooking given they're mounted on the outside of the cooker and relatively high up from the coal basket.
 

ajstrider

New member
Like Greatscott said, I have had no trouble with mine melting. I put one on my Weber Charcoal grill because I used it for smoking to start with, and I grill on it now and that one hasn't melted away on me.
 

whatchu smokin

New member
Those brass fitting that some of you use look great, but will probably make the mild steel of the drum rust before its time. Use mild steel fittings (not stainless), or find a way to keep the metals from touching.
 

scooter

Moderator
Staff member
Those brass fitting that some of you use look great, but will probably make the mild steel of the drum rust before its time. Use mild steel fittings (not stainless), or find a way to keep the metals from touching.

It's been over a year now and no rusting, not even a sign of rust.
 

richsilv

New member
My Temp probe system is a Maverick 732 Dual Probe. The company sells a 2pk of Hi-Temp silicone grommets for $6 w/shipping that allows for a thru the wall install while protecting the stainless woven probe cable that Maverick uses.
All I had to do was drill 2 1/4" holes and insert the grommets. Nice and easy for sure.

If you don't mind having a huge number of the grommets you can purchase the same item through McMaster-Carr for $6 for a bag of 25 of them... McMaster-Carr
 
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