Company News, Manufacturing, Tech, Using your FireBoard
FireBoard Pulse Wireless Food Probe: Specifications & FAQ
We recently announced the FireBoard Pulse, a cutting-edge wireless temperature probe set to revolutionize the way we monitor our cooks. Since then, we’ve been compiling questions we’ve seen from our users and new customers alike to produce a comprehensive FAQ to be used as an official reference. Let’s start by sharing the product specs, as we know those have been a hot topic.
FireBoard Pulse Features and Specifications
- Probe Tube Dimensions: 0.19″ W x 0.23″ H (4.75 mm W x 5.76 mm H)
- Probe Weight: 0.9oz
- Overall Length: 5.87 inches (149mm)
- Minimum Insertion Depth: 2.76 inches (70 mm)
- Internal Sensor Specifications:
- Temperature Range: 14°F to 212°F (-10°C to 100°C)
- Accuracy: ±0.4°F (±0.2°C)
- External Sensor Specifications:
- Temperature Range:
- Stainless Steel Version: 32°F to 662°F (0°C to 350°C)
- Color Versions: 32°F to 572°F (0°C to 300°C)
- Accuracy: ±1°F (±0.6°C) up to 302°F (150°C)
- Searing Max: 806°F (430°C) for 3.5 mins
- Temperature Range:
- Radio Type & Frequency:
- S1G (900 MHz / 868 MHz EU)
- Bluetooth 5.3 (2.5 GHz)
- Water Resistance: IP67 rated for protection against water and dust
- Battery Life: Approx. 24 hours of continuous use
- Charging Time: 10 minutes for a full charge
- Price: $149 (includes Pulse probe, charger, and USB-C cable)
FireBoard Pulse Device Compatibility
When pairing via Bluetooth, the Pulse connects directly to:
- FireBoard 2
- FireBoard 2 Drive
- FireBoard 2 Pro
- FireBoard Spark
- Smartphones (iOS/Android)
When pairing via S1G, the Pulse connects directly to the FireBoard 2, FireBoard 2 Drive, and FireBoard 2 Pro, provided the S1G Antenna is connected to the device.
For the best user experience, we recommend pairing via S1G as the low-frequency signal has a greater connectivity range.
Understanding Wireless Range
When you’re looking at other wireless temperature probes like the Pulse, you’ll see some impressive range specifications. But here’s the thing: those numbers often come from perfect conditions. In the real world, with all its variables, it can be a different story.
Your backyard isn’t a laboratory. Walls, doors, and stainless steel grills can and will interfere with the signal. It’s not just physical stuff either – other electronics, the weather, and even the lay of your land can affect how far that signal travels.
For example, wood and ceramic are pretty forgiving when it comes to signal penetration. By comparison, thick metals severely impact the range of wireless signals. If you’re grilling in a metal shed or using a smoker with thick steel walls, you will almost always see a noticeable drop in range.
It’s easy to see how a single wall in your house will impact the signal differently than a maze of walls or a large metal appliance, so to apply a singular value to “range” is not really giving the full picture. It varies from setup to setup, full stop.
So, what’s the best way to know how the Pulse will perform in your home? Simple: try it out. There’s no substitute for testing the device in your environment. It’s the most reliable way to understand its real-world performance.
However, to allow you to make an informed decision, we want to share a few metrics from our field testing. First, a general baseline you could reliably achieve with most grilling setups, as well as averaged results from multiple tests using a Kamado in a standard backyard patio environment:
| Type of Test | Minimum Range | Real-World Experiments* |
|---|---|---|
| S1G Radio Range (line-of-sight) | ≥1400 ft | 2413 ft |
| S1G Radio Range (obstructed) | ≥150 ft | 613 ft |
| Bluetooth Range (line-of-sight) | ≥250 ft | 630 ft |
| Bluetooth Range (obstructed) | ≥30 ft | 262 ft |
*These experiments were performed in standard “backyard” environments using a variety of grills, smokers, and environmental factors.
So while range is important, be sure you’re accounting for as many variables as you can. Our above results are true to life, but you may experience better or worse results depending on any number of factors. This is also why the Pulse was designed for dual-band, allowing for both S1G and Bluetooth – we don’t claim to know how you like to grill, so we leave the method of choice to the expert: you.
Battery Life and Charging
We understand that for serious grillers and smokers, a long battery life is required. That’s why we’ve engineered the FireBoard Pulse to deliver:
- Extended Use: Up to 24 hours of continuous operation on a single charge.
- Rapid Charging: A full charge takes only 10 minutes, getting you back to your cook quickly.
- USB-C Compatibility: The charger uses USB-C for fast, universal charging.
- Innovative Stacking: Pulse chargers feature magnetic contacts, allowing you to stack multiple chargers. When one is plugged into a USB-C cable, all stacked chargers will charge simultaneously, perfect for those managing multiple Pulse probes.
This combination of long battery life and fast, flexible charging ensures that your Pulse is always ready when you are, whether you’re doing a quick sear or a marathon smoking session.
Durability and Longevity
The FireBoard Pulse is built to last, designed for the demands of both home enthusiasts and professional pitmasters:
- High-Temperature Resilience: Engineered to withstand the high heat of grills and smokers over extended periods.
- Weather-Resistant: With its IP67 rating, the Pulse can handle rain, snow, and accidental submersion.
- Quality Materials: Constructed with high-grade materials to ensure longevity and consistent performance over time.
We stand behind the durability of the Pulse, but as with any precision instrument, proper care and handling will ensure the best long-term performance.
Software and App Experience
You will primarily interact with the Pulse via the FireBoard app, much the same as any other FireBoard device:
- Real-Time Monitoring: View temperature data from all your Pulse probes in real time. Pulse will display two channels, one for the internal temperature and one for the external temperature.
- Customizable Alerts: Set up notifications for when your food reaches specific temperatures or if temperatures fall outside your set range.
- Data Logging and Analysis: Review and analyze temperature data from your cooks to refine your techniques.
- Cloud Sync: Access your data from any device, anywhere.
- Regular Updates: We continuously improve our app based on user feedback, adding new features and refining existing ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Finally, we wanted to answer the major questions we’ve seen come through since the announcement. If you have any questions that aren’t answered below, feel free to reach out to us at support@fireboard.com to reach our customer service team.
While it can be cleaned in a dishwasher, we do not recommend this method as cleaning chemicals commonly used in dishwashers may cause buildup, reducing the Pulse’s ability to charge properly. In our field testing, we’ve found that a little dish soap and water is often all that is required to fully clean the Pulse.
About Author
Ted Conrad
Ted worked in the investment industry for the first 14 years of his career, focusing on building expert systems and proprietary software to support investment strategies. Always tinkering and soldering with electronics in his spare time, FireBoard has brought together Ted’s passion for not only building businesses and software, but also building hardware to solve simple problems for everyday life.
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One Comment
Matthew Langley
Really appreciate this post. There have been a ton of questions floating around about this. I especially the temperature tolerances clarification.
Searing Max: 806°F (430°C) for 3.5 mins
I love my Fireboard 2 (both of them since my LSG pellet grill technically has one in it too). I also use a Meater Block with 4 probes and have 2 meater 2 plus probes. Some of my meater probes are falling apart so I’m looking at what to possibly replace them with and this is really compelling. I think your software, hardware quality, and overall experience is the best in the industry, period. So the idea of just adding wireless probes with the simple antenna with the low frequency wireless (connection through things like my Workhorse 1975 with 3/8th steel can be a bit finicky through bluetooth for example) is really compelling.
My absolute favorite feature you are doing that is probably the easiest, cheapest, and least technical of them all (though I understand the software coordination requires some work) is the color coded probes. When you have 6 wireless probes it can be really challenging keeping track, especially the ones that have no markings at all. All it takes is one time where I rotate meats without thinking about it and now tracking is essentially useless.
My only concerns are two fold. I feel the chief competition for this is the RFX Heat Wireless system by Thermoworks that they just released and one of the most compelling advantages they have is like the meater 2 plus probes they go up to 1000 degrees with no guidance on time limits for that for searing. Additionally their probes retail only $90 each vs yours at $150. Now I get that they don’t have the bluetooth radio and the ambient probe at the end of the probe which certainly can factor into the cost difference, but if I’m looking to say get 5-10 probes that cost difference can really add up.
Likewise the
Searing Max: 806°F (430°C) for 3.5 mins
Is definitely better than just keeping it at 500-ish max, but I’m still a bit concerned for use of searing. After first getting a Meater Block with the original probes that top out at 527 degrees and then warn of damage then trying to grill with those things and no matter how hard I tried I would trip those limits (and limit the capability of searing) I’m determined to only get any new probes that can handle it. I have 2 meater plus 2 probes that can handle 1000 degrees which has been great for searing meats like steak etc, though these are non block and not wifi (and one isn’t working right so might have to RMA it, my standard Meater probe ends have started to come off etc, probably due to higher heat than rated to be fair).
I’m really curious about this 806 for 3.5 minutes. That seems like that would be fine for searing but might hit the thresholds a bit if you get distracted or something and damaging the probe.