Thermometers should be calibrated whenever the they are dropped, before first used, and when going from one temperature extreme to another. The following will calibrate a thermometer if it uses a probe/sensor.
Ice Point Method
►Fill an insulated cup with crushed ice and water.
►The cup must have enough crushed ice to provide an environment of 32°F, so you may need to pack more ice into the cup during the process.
► When the mixture of the water has stabilized in about four or five minutes, insert the thermometer to be calibrated to the appropriate immersion depth.
►Be sure to hold the stem of the instrument away from the bottom and sides of the container (preferably one inch) to avoid error.
► If your thermometer is not accurate within +/- 2°F of 32°F., adjust the thermometer accordingly. The ice point method permits calibration to within 0.1°F.
But dunking your thermometer into a tub of ice water might not be a good idea if it's not waterproof. The alternative would be to take another thermometer, dunk *it* in ice water to calibrate it, then set both thermometers next to each other and reset yours accordingly.
Ice Point Method
►Fill an insulated cup with crushed ice and water.
►The cup must have enough crushed ice to provide an environment of 32°F, so you may need to pack more ice into the cup during the process.
► When the mixture of the water has stabilized in about four or five minutes, insert the thermometer to be calibrated to the appropriate immersion depth.
►Be sure to hold the stem of the instrument away from the bottom and sides of the container (preferably one inch) to avoid error.
► If your thermometer is not accurate within +/- 2°F of 32°F., adjust the thermometer accordingly. The ice point method permits calibration to within 0.1°F.
But dunking your thermometer into a tub of ice water might not be a good idea if it's not waterproof. The alternative would be to take another thermometer, dunk *it* in ice water to calibrate it, then set both thermometers next to each other and reset yours accordingly.
