Optimizing RFX

Here are answers to the most common technical support questions about RFX.

What power adapter may I use to charge RFX GATEWAY?

We recommend that you always use the power adapter that came with your RFX GATEWAY, but any common 5v USB-C charger will do. 

How do I set up my RFX GATEWAY?

Controlling your ThermoWorks connected thermometers is an elevated experience with the all-new ThermoWorks app and new ThermoWorks Cloud. The ThermoWorks app boasts powerful new features, a more intuitive interface, and more robust connectivity. Plus, now you can dive into your temperature data from any browser, explore and annotate graphs, and share everything with your team anytime, anywhere on the new ThermoWorks Cloud.

Learn more about the ThermoWorks app here.

Learn more about ThermoWorks Cloud here.

Download the new, free ThermoWorks app from either the iTunes App Store or the Google Play Store. Open the app on your smart device to begin.

How do I update the firmware?

If the above solutions do not work, please contact our Tech Support team. They are happy to help.

How long does the battery need to be recharged? How long is the battery life?

Battery Life

It takes approximately 4 hours to charge RFX GATEWAY. On a full charge, it can run for approximately 24 hours.  The Battery Bank or AC power is required to operate Billows.

A Recommendation

For maximum signal reach between RFX MEAT and RFX GATEWAY, use only the internal batteries of both devices.  AC power or a battery bank are necessary to power Billows, but will impact the strength of the signal between the two devices. Typically, signal strength isn’t an issue when using Bilows as the RFX GATEWAY and RFX MEAT are in close proximity to each other.

How far away can I take my phone and still get a reading?

RFX GATEWAY is designed to connect to your Wi-Fi network to give you unlimited range to your data via the ThermoWorks Cloud. It can also communicate directly with your phone or tablet via Bluetooth up to 95 feet line-of-sight unless other factors are involved. For example:

  • Devices that communicate via radio frequencies (microwave ovens, cordless phones, remote controls, etc.) may create signal interference.
  • Bluetooth signals are compromised by walls and building materials. Even tinting on windows can degrade the signal strength.  Of note, this is why we choose to use sub-GHz RF between the RFX MEAT probes and the RFX GATEWAY. It can power through obstacles that Bluetooth cannot.

I can’t seem to get my RFX MEAT probe connected to my cloud account. What can I try?

  • Ensure that you have enough room on your account to accommodate a new probe

My RFX MEAT probe shows as “INACTIVE” in my app. What can I try?

  • Ensure that your probe is fully charged.  To charge the battery, simply insert the probe into the charging block and let it charge for 10-20 minutes.
  • Ensure that your RFX GATEWAY is on, showing a green light (connected to the network), and within range of your probe. If it doesn’t turn on, try plugging it into power and trying again. If your RFX meat probe still isn’t showing a temperature, check the transmission interval on your RFX MEAT probe.  It may be set to a longer interval than you expected. Be sure to give it enough time to transmit data. If it remains inactive, try to improve the connection between the two devices by:
    • Having both the probe and the antenna on the RFX GATEWAY pointing up toward the sky
    • Bringing the two devices closer together
    • After the RFX GATEWAY is fully charged, unplug the external power source. RFX GATEWAY is optimized to run on the internal battery and will transmit the furthest when unplugged.
  • If your probe still shows as inactive, contact our Technical Support Team at 1-385-330-0591 or via email at techsupport@thermoworks.com

Read more about Transmission Distance Specifications here.

 

Wi-Fi Troubleshooting Steps

Make sure that your RFX GATEWAY has been set up with a Wi-Fi connection.

If it has not been set up with Wi-Fi yet, your RFX GATEWAY may be relying on its Bluetooth connection, which has a limited range.

It may be that your Wi-Fi network’s 2.4GHz connection isn’t strong enough in that location to remain connected to RFX GATEWAY. You can check the connection strength in the ThermoWorks app.

Signals Access Battery Level Percentage 1

Access your RFX GATEWAY Settings to view connection details.

Signals Bluetooth Wi-Fi Connection Details

You will then be able to view your  Wi-Fi connection strength.

1. Make sure you are entering network’s login and password correctly. Do not copy and paste the information into the login form as extra spaces may occur at the beginning or end if you do.

2. Make sure you have downloaded and installed the latest version of the ThermoWorks app.

3. Make sure that you have a Wi-Fi or Internet connection on your phone or tablet.

4. Make sure that location services are enabled on your phone or tablet and that the ThermoWorks app is authorized to use location services. (You will find location services in your phone or tablet’s settings.)

5. Make sure you are connecting to a 2.4 GHz (not 5 GHz) network. Because a 2.4 GHz network has a longer range than a 5 GHz network does, a 2.4 GHz frequency network is not as negatively affected by the number of walls, floors, and other objects between the router and the device as a 5 GHz network would be. This makes a 2.4 GHz network the best option whenever a device cannot be placed close to a Wi-Fi router. Some networks “hide” their 2.4 GHz band. Contact your internet service provider (ISP) to ensure that you have a 2.4GHz option and that it’s enabled.

6. Try connecting your phone to your 2.4 GHz network prior to setting up RFX GATEWAY connection in the ThermoWorks app. This can help ensure that you are using the proper login credentials.

7. Try taking your RFX GATEWAY outside before setting up its Wi-Fi connection where the 5 GHz network will be weaker and the 2.4 GHz network will be stronger.

Another solution is to give the networks different names so your phone or tablet won’t mix the them up. (Example: mynetwork24 and mynetwork5)

8. Make sure you are not using a VPN (Virtual Private Network).

9. Try restarting both your RFX GATWAY and phone or tablet.

10. Try disconnecting and reconnecting your phone or tablet to your network. Afterwards, begin the RFX GATEWAY set up process again.

11. Try disabling your phone’s cellular data during the setup process. You can turn it back on once it has been set up.

12. A Wi-Fi connection strength test you can easily try is to take your phone next to RFX GATEWAY and disconnect it from its cellular data signal. Then, see if your phone can connect to your local Wi-Fi 2.4GHz network correctly. If your phone has difficulties connecting (or staying connected), you will know that your local Wi-Fi network’s 2.4GHZ signal isn’t strong in that area. Try moving to a different spot or consider using a Wi-Fi booster to increase your network’s Wi-Fi range in the desired area.

13. Some people have issues connecting to a mesh network when there are multiple router devices in a mesh topology. To get your RFX GATEWAY connected, try unplugging all the routers except one. With only one router to communicate with, it should be able to connect to the 2.4 GHz portion of your network. Also with only one router online, the “walk far away” method is more effective because you don’t have to leave the 5 GHz range of multiple devices. Once the RFX GATEWAY is connected, you can turn your other routers back on.

14. Try connecting RFX GATEWAY to another network (such as a friend’s or at work) to determine if the issue is RFX GATEWAY or possibly, your network’s. If you determine that RFX GATEWAY cannot connect to any network, please let our Tech Support team know. Your RFX GATEWAY has a 2-year warranty and we are happy to help.

15. Check your router’s manufacturer’s website to see if there is a firmware update for your router. If there is, install the firmware update, reconnect your phone or tablet to your network, and then, begin the RFX GATEWAY setup process again.

16. If you are using an add block app (such as Adguard), try disabling the app during the Wi-Fi set up process. Once the connection is established, you can re-enable the app.

Please remember that it can take up to two minutes for the probe’s temperature readings to update and appear in the ThermoWorks app after the Wi-Fi connection is established. 

Sometimes, the app has a delay in updating (or doesn’t update at all). When this happens, it doesn’t show that a probe is connected. What is happening?

If your network’s Wi-Fi signal gets interrupted or drops for some reason during the cook, data updates will be delayed while RFX GATEWAY attempts to reconnect to your network. After the reconnection is made, it may take up to 1 minute for probe data to appear in the app, after which updates will occur according to the interval rate you have chosen. You can set the interval update rate in your RFX GATEWAY Settings to 15, 30, or 60 seconds apart.

Where can I find instructions for my RFX GATEWAY?

Download your RFX GATEWAY Operating Instructions here to learn how to adjust the settings, see recommended food safety temperatures, and more.

Instructions for using the ThermoWorks app (such as recording and graphing temperatures and changing the measurement intervals) are found in the ThermoWorks app (left-hand menu>Help Center) and in the online help file, located here.

My RFX GATEWAY doesn’t show a temperature in the app/cloud. The temperature only shows NA or NO PROBE.  The probe is inserted correctly. What’s wrong?

It is possible the probe has failed. If this has happened, a new probe will resolve the issue. The most common reasons for probe failures include:

  • The probe has been used outside of the recommended temperature range. Keep the probe cable away from oven elements, flames, coals, grill or oven racks—all of which can reach temperatures far higher than 700°F (even if an oven/smoker is set lower).

  • The cable got too wet for too long. While the cable is water-resistant, it is not entirely waterproof (the term “waterproof” means that an item is completely impervious to water). When you’re cleaning your probe, you can carefully wipe down the stainless steel cable as long as you don’t submerge it in liquid. You might find it easiest to clean the cable with our probe wipes.

  • Excessive wire kinking.

Avoid grilling or broiling with your probes unless you protect your probes, as flare-ups often involve temperatures above your probe’s specifications. We recommend that you use an instant-read thermometer—such as a Thermapen ONE.

Important to Know

While our probes are designed to be best of class (each batch is tested to make sure they meet our high-quality standards) and are much hardier than those of our competitors, all cooking probes—no matter what type they are, how expensive they are, or who makes them—are subject to decay over time due to the harsh conditions they are used in. Professional BBQ teams always keep extra probes on hand for this reason. Plus, it never hurts to have more types of probes on hand to handle different kinds of cooks!

As a note: Pro-Series probes come with a 6-month warranty. Please let our Tech Support team know if you need help with yours. 

 

My RFX GATEWAY is displaying an LLL (or HHH) error. What does this mean?

There are several reasons your RFX GATEWAY may display either an LLL or HHH error, the most common being that the probe wire was damaged or broken. If your Pro-Series probe was exposed to temperatures above or below its temperature range (-58 to 572°F  or -50 to 300°C), you will see one of these errors.

As a note: Pro-Series probes come with a 6-month warranty. Please let our Tech Support team know if you need help with yours. 

 

My RFX GATEWAY is not reading air temperatures accurately. What’s wrong?

Judging the accuracy of your RFX GATEWAY in the air can be difficult as air isn’t particularly uniform or consistent, even inside a smoker. The best way to verify the accuracy of a probe or digital thermometer is with a proper ice bath test. This can be done quickly and easily at home with the instructions found here.

If your Pro-Series probe is accurate, it will read within ± 1.8°F of 32°F (30.2 to 33.8°F). If it is reading accurately in this test, you can rest assured that it is reading accurately in food and at higher temperatures.

Please contact our Tech Support team if you need further assistance. They are always happy to help.

 

How should I care for my RFX GATEWAY?

  1. The best way to extend the life of your RFX GATEWAY hardware is to clean it properly after each use. Wipe it off with a damp, soapy cloth or paper towel. Do not submerge it or put it in the dishwasher.
  2. Your RFX GATEWAY should not be affixed directly to a smoker or grill’s lid or left in the smoker or oven. The high heat will melt the plastic housing.

 

How should I care for the Pro-Series® High Temp Air probe?

Avoid grilling or broiling with your probes unless you protect your probes, as flare-ups often involve temperatures above your probe’s specifications. We recommend that you use an instant-read thermometer—such as a Thermapen ONE.

Important to Know

While our probes are designed to be best of class (each batch is tested to make sure they meet our high-quality standards) and are much hardier than those of our competitors, all cooking probes—no matter what type they are, how expensive they are, or who makes them—are subject to decay over time due to the harsh conditions they are used in. Professional BBQ teams always keep extra probes on hand for this reason. Plus, it never hurts to have more types of probes on hand to handle different kinds of cooks!

As a note: Pro-Series probes come with a 6-month warranty. RFX MEAT probes come with a 1-year warranty, and RFX GATEWAY comes with a 2-year warranty. Please let our Tech Support team know if you need help with yours. 

 

What is the warranty of the probe that comes with RFX GATEWAY?

Pro-Series probes come with a 6-month warranty. RFX MEAT probes come with a 1-year warranty, and RFX GATEWAY has a 2-year warranty. Please let our Tech Support team know if you need help with yours.

You can read more about the warranty terms here.

 

Have more questions?

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact our Tech Support team by calling 1-385-330-0591 or by emailing techsupport@thermoworks.com.