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Big Fish
Guest
Anyone have a SI #3 and the top gets painfully hot? I thought these were supposed to be so insulated so they are cool to the touch. I can fry an egg on the top of mine. The sides are cool to the touch.
Pork Belly
Moderator
I have a #3 and noticed it was "Painfully Hot" on sunny days and much less on a overcast day. It is still cooler than my old smoker any day regardless of the weather.
DivotMaker
New member
They are insulated, sides and top. If you're running at 250, the top will be warmer than the sides (heat rises). I always set my Maverick on top of the #1 and #2 with no problems. It's warmer than the sides, but it would take a long time to fry an egg on.
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Big Fish
Guest
It has an overhead top over it - so no sun. It can/will fry an egg. I'm just winding down now with a smoke. Next session, I will fry an egg on top and show you how hot it gets. I leaned on the top of it and have red forearms. :'(
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Big Fish
Guest
Also, the temperature is all over the place. I opened the door once (I know, I know) and hasn't been able to maintain a temp since.
Pork Belly
Moderator
Look inside the smoker in the back above the firebox and coil. That is the thermostat. Is it wrapped in packing material? If you didn't remove it it makes a difference.
DivotMaker
New member
If I'm not mistaken, this isn't your first smoke. Did you notice this before? Also, what do you consider temps "all over the place?" The analog controller will have up to 20° swings, but it averages-out just fine. If you want temps to always show within a couple of degrees, you need a PID. All analog electric smokers have temp swings, as well as the "digital" Cookshacks...nature of the beast. You'll drive yourself batty if you constantly monitor the box temp during cooks. If I'm using my #1 (analog, no PID), I don't even monitor the box temp anymore. I know it averages to the set temp, because the cook times are accurate for the temp I'm using.
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Big Fish
Guest
When I did my first rack, I didn't know - the Maverick didn't show up. I really don't need a thermometer for the ribs, just for the box. Yep Tony, 20 degree swing was about right. Okay, I thought I was losing my mind. I'm going to get a PID, but afraid to order from SI. Yes, the packing is off the back near the probe. Now, to figure out why the top of the unit gets so hot.
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Big Fish
Guest
Oh, it does produce some killer ribs. Almost perfect. I just need different variations of rubs and q-sauces. I did 2 racks today, one with rub and q-sauce - one with rub and an apricot glaze. Both were a hit and DELISH. I'm kinda pissed that Steve missed the FREE add-ons though. I had to pay for the cord holder and no Miss Lilly's Flavor Savor. :'( I got the wrong cover too, I didn't see the long one on the site when I ordered, to cover the box and stand. That just might have been an oversight on my part, but it's there now. I didn't open it, so Steve said I could swap it - the other is on backorder until July though. I'll just dig up a tarp for now. Overall, this thing is killer. I can't wait until I put a butt in there.
Glad you and Sarge talked me into it - very well made and I'll have it for years. The best thing, while smoking, I don't have to feed the beast - 2 small chunks of wood is perfect for our taste.
Glad you and Sarge talked me into it - very well made and I'll have it for years. The best thing, while smoking, I don't have to feed the beast - 2 small chunks of wood is perfect for our taste.
DivotMaker
New member
Big Fish said:
Why? I can't emphasize enough that the last couple of weeks has been very tough for SI, with the move and all. Steve works closely with Auber, and there's no reason to not order from the company that made your smoker. Everything is getting back to normal now.
Sometime when you are bored, and if you are so inclined, pop the top off the smoker to see if the insulation got laid in properly during manufacture. It may have been moved around when the wiring was installed at the factory and not placed back properly. Wear gloves!
Mine gets somewhat hotter on the top than the sides. And hotter toward the smoke hole. Or maybe I should say warmer. It is sometimes amazing when people actually measure a temp they think is truly hot when in reality it might be only 20 to 30 degrees warmer than body temperature. It feels hotter than it is. And there is a warning sticker on the SI, ST and CS smokers that the smoker is hot. It is there for a reason. Don't lean on it and don't set a cold beer on it.
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Big Fish
Guest
I tried telling the kids that - and even a few adults that had a few, but....
I am going to take her apart. I just ordered the PID Auber from Steve (Tony, you're killing me). I am going to hard wire it like Tony did. ;-)
I am going to take her apart. I just ordered the PID Auber from Steve (Tony, you're killing me). I am going to hard wire it like Tony did. ;-)
DivotMaker
New member
Good move, Ernie - you'll love the Auber. When you take the back off to do the bypass, check that top insulation (I know you will). If you do the permanent temp probe, check out my post on that in the Auber section.
NDKoze
Moderator
I went 5-6 smokes before I found the packing cardboard wrapped around my internal box probe :-\ DUH!!!
It had really wild swings of 50 degrees or more.
I still get swings of 40-45 degrees on a pork butt smoke until the meat starts to heat up and the box stabilizes. I pretty much averages out, so I am not worried about it.
I will be getting an Auber with permanent probe at some point, but it won't be because of the temp swings. It will be because of the programming features as well as the ability to go higher than 250 when bypassed.
I would be perfectly fine with smoking without a box probe temperature. But I have the dual probe Maverick, so I use it to monitor the box temp if I am only smoking one piece just because I can.
BTW, the top of my #3 barely ever gets to a level that I would even consider warm. I would say for my average 225 degree smokes, I would term the temp of the top of the box as "room temp".
It had really wild swings of 50 degrees or more.
I still get swings of 40-45 degrees on a pork butt smoke until the meat starts to heat up and the box stabilizes. I pretty much averages out, so I am not worried about it.
I will be getting an Auber with permanent probe at some point, but it won't be because of the temp swings. It will be because of the programming features as well as the ability to go higher than 250 when bypassed.
I would be perfectly fine with smoking without a box probe temperature. But I have the dual probe Maverick, so I use it to monitor the box temp if I am only smoking one piece just because I can.
BTW, the top of my #3 barely ever gets to a level that I would even consider warm. I would say for my average 225 degree smokes, I would term the temp of the top of the box as "room temp".
Pork Belly
Moderator
I have a fairly good tolerance for heat and was able to leave my hand on top for a count of 20 yesterday running at 230 on an overcast day. The only time I thought it was crazy hot was running 250 in direct sun for the four hour seasoning run. Hot is a relative term, it has to cooler that a stick burner.
DivotMaker
New member
I never run mine in direct sunlight (always under a covered porch), so I can't comment on how much direct sunlight effects the top temp. Makes sense, though, that it would be significantly warmer. I would think the top, in the sun, would get as warm as mine does during cooking, even before you turn it on!
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Big Fish
Guest
Hey Tony, I've been at the house in Maryland for a week. I came home yesterday and prepped some St. Louie's. I plugged the SI #3 in today to smoke and can't get the darn thing to go over 174 degrees with just 2 racks in it. I had it set to 225, so I turned it up to 250 degrees. I still can't get it above 174 degrees. Either the Maverick is defective or the heating element is. Any suggestions?
DivotMaker
New member
Ernie, did you try to confirm the box temp with another thermometer? Also, do you have a pan or anything under the meat that might be channeling hot air up the back, over the temp probe? A lot of times, a drip pan or foil, between the meat and smoke box will cause low temps.
Did you get the Maverick, or is this happening with the stock controller?
Did you get the Maverick, or is this happening with the stock controller?
