heating issues

[old sarge]

Not sure how Steve explained the process to you. You should see a stop or limiter on the mounting that the shaft passes through that prevents the controller from overshooting or undershooting the temperature readings on your smoker. In many cases, this stop is adjustable, even if slightly. On occasion, the stop may be permanently fixed in position or only accessible by dismantling a secondary housing.  Once you have it adjusted to 'increase', and reassembled, it is just a matter of repositioning the controller assembly and/or the knob so that the control knob index aligns with the low to high temperature settings on the decal. It may take some finagling, as well as testing to see if you have it set to where you are satisfied.

By adjusting the stop, you increase or decrease the current reaching the element and thus the temperature. I am not an electrician, so I probably explained that all wrong, but you get the point.
 
Be aware, that in his FAQ, there are temp swings of 30 degrees or better above and below the set point. And this is common with other analog smokers as well.

Lastly, I hope I have not stepped on any toes here.

Dave

 

[DivotMaker]

Rick - glad to hear the dog is doing better! ;D  Dave - great explanation!  I'm going to mess with the controller knob on mine to see if I can "fine tune" it a little.  I don't get big temp swings in my #1, but it's a little off from the dial.  I'll get back to you on this...

 

[rickne]

 
Be aware, that in his FAQ, there are temp swings of 30 degrees or better above and below the set point. And this is common with other analog smokers as well.

The swings are minor and not an issue at all.  Trying to get the cooker over 210 degrees before the element kicks off is my issue.  When my dial is pegged, I'm typically running 180-210

I sent an email to Steve for directions on what I need to do. I think I did misunderstand him.  Moving the plastic knob is not going to get me more heat.  Now it points to 240 when it's off and 220 when I have it maxed.  From  what David said, it sounds like there is an adjustment on the metal piece that the knob attaches to.  That would make much more sense.  I will get directions from Steve.  I don't want to go prying anything that I don't need to. My knob is already really lose.

 

[rickne]

I got the pictures/directions from Steve.  The only fix is to adjust the "orientation" of the plastic knob so that it points to 245 when it's off and 220 when its cranked all the way up. 

David, do you know of a way to adjust the stop on the smoker, itself?

 

[rickne]

Do these operate with a Rheostat or a thermostat?  That could be the answer to the question of how weather affects these.  A rheostat is a dimmer switch with no monitoring of the smoker temps.  A Thermostat will have a probe that monitors the internal temp and run the heating element accordingly. 

Everything on the website states thermostat.

But people here refer to it as a rheostat.

Is there a temp probe inside sensing temperatures and kicking the element on and off?  I really haven't seen one, but haven't looked that closely at the back wall.

 

[old sarge]

The temperature probe is inside the smoker, protruding from the back wall.  You should see it between the shelves, and use, this is what regulates the thermostat, or controller to an on/off state.

These can be called many things, including a potentiometer. It is not any different than what controls a deep fryer, other than they are set /designed to reach a higher temperature.

 

[rickne]

The temperature probe is inside the smoker, protruding from the back wall.  You should see it between the shelves, and use, this is what regulates the thermostat, or controller to an on/off state.

These can be called many things, including a potentiometer. It is not any different than what controls a deep fryer, other than they are set /designed to reach a higher temperature.

Good.  With that said, it really shouldn't be the weather affecting it, given my element is turning on at 180 and turning off at 210. 

 

[DivotMaker]

I don't know, Rick, but it sure sounds like a bad thermostat.  I can set my dial to 140 and produce smoke, and I seen it hold 225 during smokes (I rarely crank it up above that).  Sounds like the thermostat is not kicking on and off right.  Just my 2-cents...

 

[DivotMaker]

Congrats on "Hero Member" status, Ed!  We now have 3! ;D

 

[rickne]

I've been working with Steve.  I think we are heading down a path of resolution.  I will let you all know how it turns out but I'm confident it will turn out fine.  I have a couple of cooks "scheduled".  One for the office on Dec. 20th (Pulled pork and bbq beans for 20 people), chicken for the family on the 21st, and Buffalo Wings and Stuffed Jalapeno's on Christmas Eve.  There may even be a Christmas day cook. 

I'm hoping to get out pheasant hunting over the holidays and with some luck, will get to do some bacon wrapped pheasant breasts.

 

[DivotMaker]

Glad to hear that, Rick!  Hope all turns out well.

 

[cwshiles]

Rick,
Let us know what you come up with. I am having a similar issue and it's driving me crazy. I desperately want to love my smoker, but I can't seem to finish a cook with it. My temps just stall and hold.  Even with allowing for additional hours of time I am still not able to finish. My buddy has a commercial cookshack and I think what I need is a digital controller. I have been trying several cooks to try and hit a home run, but just can't seem to finish a cook. 

I currently have 2 8 lb. butts on my #3 and it's been 17 hours and I am still sitting at about 180 IT.

 

[Paul Case Luca]

I have been running some tests since I am new to SI. NOTE also dealing with different cuts of meat as I bought a half pig versus my normal trips to the butcher to get exactly what I want. 

That said... Try an over sized cookie sheet with a 1" lip.  I have and old one and I when filled with water it adds moisture and acts as a drip pan too. And with such a thin amount of water say 1/2" or so it helps act as a heat sink to stabilize the heat your food sees without being obtrusive to the process.

I have auto tuned my Auber and SI3 with this in place and it's rocking holding within plus minus degree F.

Steve

 

[DivotMaker]

will do on the no pan, since it seems I will have to make ribs this weekend any way 

I've been thinking about the pan on the lower shelf issue, and have theorized that the pan doesn't so much "block" the heat, but rather channels it.  As the heat rises from the smoke box, it is redirected around the edges of the pan.  So, you're actually "channeling" the heat right up the back to the thermocouple.  This would be a "focused" stream of hot air moving across the thermocouple, which would fool it into thinking the box temp is much higher than it is, and would shut the element off before it should.

I'm no engineer, but that's my simple theory!  Of course, I could be wrong...

 

[sts3d]

I think you should check your outlet and or extension cord if using one. I had a similar issue with a cheap electric smoker a while back. Took a couple of incidents and my Fluke volt meter to figure out that I  had voltage drop of 12 to 30 volts!!!! Depending on which side of the outlet I used. One of the wires to the outlet had loosened a little causing the problem. I found the problem only after the controller melted down from low voltage ,I replaced the outlet and been good since.

 

[Paul Case Luca]

... volume too low and air flow minimal for that to be of any significance (re: bottom shelf cookie sheet)... from a heat transfer analysis air flow negligible and there is no medium to transfer any heat except the outlet vent ... Once system stable what you say makes sense but it would be in the 0.01 deg F kind of range.

 

[rickne]

I think you should check your outlet and or extension cord if using one. I had a similar issue with a cheap electric smoker a while back. Took a couple of incidents and my Fluke volt meter to figure out that I  had voltage drop of 12 to 30 volts!!!! Depending on which side of the outlet I used. One of the wires to the outlet had loosened a little causing the problem. I found the problem only after the controller melted down from low voltage ,I replaced the outlet and been good since.

Possible, but I never used an extension cord and ran this on 3 different outlets/breakers with the same result.  I could have a voltage drop in the house, but I don't think it was the issue.

... volume too low and air flow minimal for that to be of any significance (re: bottom shelf cookie sheet)... from a heat transfer analysis air flow negligible and there is no medium to transfer any heat except the outlet vent ... Once system stable what you say makes sense but it would be in the 0.01 deg F kind of range.

From my experience, placement of the thermometer has everything to do with numbers you register.  I would have agreed with your statement but I've ran this thing several times with different size loads, with two probes monitoring temps.  There is a significant difference in heat between the probe below the meat and the probe above the meat.  It's not such a big deal if you are cooking one thing, but if you have 2-3 things on different racks, it is.

Every smoker I've owned measures cooking temps in the middle of the cooker or higher. 

I've gone with an Auber now and I love my set up.  I can place the probe on the rack I'm cooking on so I can be confident of the temp at the meat level.  It's also given me the flexibility to cook at a wide variety of temperatures.  I can cook pork low and slow, bumping up temps at the end to complete it.  I can cook turkeys at 250 degrees or higher.  I even cooked my beef tenderloin at 300 degrees. 

I'm really happy with this combo. 

SI #3    +    Auber  =  An incredibly flexible, cold weather cooking machine.

 

[Paul Case Luca]

... agree if place the temp probe closer to the heater it reads a higher temp.... was only commenting the water pan doesn't impact temps or temp gradients in the box once equilibrium reached. ;-)


QUESTION: Did you bypass the thermostat on your SI3? I am considering doing that and wondering pros/cons? For now I'm leaving it in the loop... sort of like a "safety" on a piece of weaponry... does it get better results of the AUBER?

Steve

 

[rickne]

Sent you a PM regarding the bypass, Steve.

As far as the water pan, maybe once the box has reached an equilibrium.  But my personal experience has been with a dozen pounds or more of cold meat above a large enough pan, it took a long long long time for my #3 to reach that equilibrium.  I suspect the smaller box of the #1 or #2 might reach that point much quicker (less volume and less meat).

If it's working for folks, don't change it.  It's part of the fun of BBQing.  There aren't always right and wrong answers...  just answers.

 

[Paul Case Luca]

Saw the PM. Thanks. I might bypass but thus far I'm staying under 250 so the S13 set at 250  and Auber programmed to 225.... I have effectively bypassed the controller.  Should I want to go above the 250 mark I may need bypass.

Love the response.... There are only answers.. No right or wrong just answers.  How true it doesn't matter as long as the food is good.