Brand-New Probe Won't Connect?Updated 5 days ago
Just opened your Predictive Thermometer and it won't connect (or won't seem to turn on) on the first try?
Take a breath; you're almost certainly a couple of minutes away from your first cook. Nearly every out-of-the-box hiccup comes down to the same short list. Work through these in order.
The 5-step setup, in order
1. Charge it first.
Pop the thermometer into its charging cradle and plug the cradle into a standard 5V USB port (a phone charger is perfect). The light goes from red or amber to green as it charges. A full charge takes only about 25 minutes, and even 5 minutes is enough to get started.
⚠️ Use a standard 5V USB port only. Avoid "quick charge" ports and 12V chargers, which can damage the probe.
2. Take it OUT of the charger to wake it up.
This is the big one, and it trips up almost everyone. Your thermometer is asleep while it's sitting in the charger, and it powers on automatically the moment you remove it. So if the app or Display isn't seeing your probe, take it out of the cradle/Booster first. It needs to be out to broadcast.
3. Get the app and turn on Bluetooth.
Download the free Combustion Inc. app (iOS or Android) and make sure Bluetooth is turned on in your phone's settings, not just in the app. Keep the probe within a few feet of your phone during setup.
4. Set up one device at a time.
If your kit also came with a Booster or Display, turn those off for now and get the thermometer talking to the app first. Multiple devices powering on at once can compete for the connection during that first setup.
5. Using a WiFi Booster or WiFi Display? Join a 2.4 GHz network.
Combustion WiFi tools connect to 2.4 GHz WiFi only (not 5 GHz). Many routers use the *same* network name for both bands, so it's easy to land on 5 GHz by accident. In the app, go to Settings, then WiFi Devices, pick your tool, choose Join Network, and select your 2.4 GHz network.
Still not seeing it?
A few quick things clear up most of the stragglers:
- Force-close the app and reopen it.
- On iPhone, restart the phone. iPhones sometimes hold onto old Bluetooth connections, and a restart clears that.
- Clean the metal contact on top of the handle with a little isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab. Even a brand-new probe can have a film that blocks charging or connecting. Let it dry, charge, and retry.
- Check the charge light again. If the light never turns green after cleaning and a solid 25 minutes on a known-good 5V port, note that for later.
What's normal on a brand-new probe
So you know these aren't problems:
- The app may show "not inserted" until the probe is actually in food. That's expected.
- You won't see a surface temperature or a "Ready in" prediction until you set a target temperature in the app or on the Display.
- The thermometer runs in instant-read mode by default and switches to cooking mode once you set that target.
Still stuck?
If you've charged it, taken it out of the cradle, and worked through the steps above and it still won't connect, email our support team at [email protected] and include:
- Your order number
- Your phone model and whether you're on iOS or Android
- What you're seeing on screen (a screenshot helps) and which steps you've already tried
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