Temperature problems

[TheSneakyZebra]

The best place for probe temp is where your meat will be so you can cook at a temperature you want. With these units the probe is too close to the heat source and shuts off sooner than what would be considered efficient. But that is the world of analog hence all the swings, it does not account for heat absorption of the meat. With normal smokers you can just open the vents more to increase the temp, on this you can only go so far so you are kinda limited. This is where the PID will be king. On the chicken I am smoking now I have the probe different then with the ribs. In total I have tried 5 different placements to get a good feel of whats going on. I am a little bummed about the extra money and the modification to the unit but soon that will be all past me and I can smoke away.

As a side note. I eventually would like to do a side by side comparison between a WSM and the SI and having some blind taste testers. Should be fun and interesting. What I am most excited about using the PID is I can really focus on fish and sausage

[benjammn]

For me it is really interesting that you are having such huge discrepancies in temps. Just seems really odd for these smokers. Hope all works out for you though. I know that Steve will be there for you though.

[old sarge]

Here's hoping. Steve is a square dealing gentleman.

[benjammn]

I think that there maybe something to do with what Tony talked about with the thermometer in the units being attached to the side with no buffer rings. Plus my thoughts are the maybe the thermometer probe or the rheostat might be out of tolerance and that could be causing the low temps. Not sure at this point.

[TheSneakyZebra]

I hear ya Ben! the discrepancies in temp is easily explained by the laws of thermodynamics. Heat transfer occurs by higher heat to lower heat, which from the element to the meat. The first law of thermodynamics relates changes in internal energy to heat added to a system and the work done by a system. From this we go straight to the second law thermodynamics, but now we are just getting too crazy  The real downside is compensating for these effects, and the PID is our compensation. If I had done more research I probably would have come to these conclusions sooner rather than later.

Have you gotten around to your PID, I think I saw somewhere on here that you were making your own? That sounds like a lot of fun. If I had the time I probably would do that but I gotta get this thing running up to 250 with 40 pounds of pork butt stat 

I am going to do another run with 2 chickens this weekend. I am going to place the probe as close to the SI probe and do calculations from there. I will just add a rack to hold the probe in close proximity.

[TheSneakyZebra]

Steve is great. He was very cool with me on the phone today and was very understanding and even agreed to some extent about my hypothesis. He did assure me the PID would fix everything. I cannot wait, and I cannot wait to report back with stellar news! Thanks guys, yall are great. The BBQ community is awesome! 

[NDKoze]

I am guessing the Auber will make a big difference.

I'm guessing that at some point I will get one too.

[benjammn]

I am working on what I want from MY PID and although I like the Auber ( which is really great in it's own right) I want more. I am a uber geek that plays WoW and loves to see lots of tech. That is why I bought the Tappacue and really like it overall. I think that your personality will require something such as the Auber to fulfill your needs. Most everyone else lives with the analog and does just fine. I am still using the analog until I get the stuff I want for my needs. BUT everything that I have done so far has be stellar and I don't have to really do anything to make the best Q that my family and friends love. Everyone loves my smoked salmon and for me it doesn't take much to make. I think that there is a simple solution to your prob but I don't exactly know what it is right now.

[TheSneakyZebra]

I'm really looking forward to salmon. I like doing the increase every 1.5 hours or so which 2 I'll be much easier on the SI, and exceptionally easier with the pid.

[HamFisted]

Mikey, what was the result? Did the PID solve your problems?