Temperature problems

After doing a onceover twice, if you still havnt figured out what's wrong they will stand by the product.  The unit is simple.  If something is defective it could only be a couple possibilities.  Sorry your having issues but the vast majority of us have no issues reaching temp without a PID.
 
We just finished dinner, an hour later than we had planned.. The ribs turned out well in spite of the unit not being able to get up to an appropriate temperature. They were moist/juicy without foiling. They went for about 5.5 hours or so, could have gone a little longer but had to eat as the kiddos and wife were starving.

As soon as I took the ribs out I let the unit continue to run at 250. While I was cooking the temp never got above 119 or so. Shortly after I took the ribs out it shot up to 250 and stabilized for awhile. I will have to give Steve a ring because this is definitely not cool. These were the fears I had addressed before purchasing. I will do another post with pics and the details of the temps/smoking.

Thanks for the help during this smoke guys!
 
Mikey,

Let me get this straight:  You cooked 3 racks of baby backs for 5.5 hours, and they turned out good.  You say they could have used a little more.  How much more?  Were they tender and moist, or not fully-cooked?  I usually take 5.75+ hours to cook 3 racks of baby backs, so your timeline is about right.

Your problem is most likely probe placement, not the smoker itself.  If it was really only getting up to the low temps you indicated, your ribs would NOT have been edible at 5.5 hours!  Before going into panic-mode, I think you need to evaluate your temp probe placement, and try different locations (like below the meat).

Not trying to diminish your concerns, but we've seen this issue before.  The results of the smoke are great, but the analysis of the smoke may be faulty.  It seems, from your posts, that everything was going totally wrong, yet the ribs were good. ???  And then, when you removed the meat, the smoker magically shot back up to temp?  This is probe placement, plain and simple.  I saw this issue while testing the digital model 2; moving the probe (Maverick) during a smoke would make it vary as much as 20 degrees! 

Maybe you smoke something like a Boston butt, and leave the box probe out (I rarely use mine).  Put the meat probe in, set your temp to 225, and let your SI do its thing.  If, in a reasonable amount of time (1-2 hours per pound) your meat is not done, you'll know you have a problem with the smoker, not instrumentation problems.
 
I was about ready to send my reply and then Tony nailed it with his post. I'm going to send mine just because I had it ready and also to agree with Tony's points.

Baby backs take about 5-6 hours. So, if yours were done in 5 1/2 hours, I am wondering if the location of your temperature probe was not the cause of your reported low temperatures. I could be with better placement of the smoker probe, your temps would have been higher.

On your next smoke, I would suggest placing the smoker clip on the bottom of the rack your meat is on and off to the side of the smoker instead of directly in the middle next to the meat. I think you may get a more accurate reading.

If you took your ribs out in 5 1/2 hours and your ribs were done, moist, and tender, I would call it a good smoke.

If you planned on eating in 4 1/2 hours (an hour earlier), I think you were underestimating the amount of time the ribs should take to cook.

This doesn't mean that you still may not have a problem. My point is that it does not appear to be as dire as it would seam.

Let us know what you hear back from Steve.

P.S. In regard to the benefits or lack thereof for the water pan, I have run the water pan in both of my Smokin-It smokes with awesome results and countless times in my other electric and propane smokers and not found that it hurt my temps. From what I have read here in the threads with the Smokin-It smokers, the ones that experience problems are the ones that place the water pan on a rack beneath the meat. If you place it on the bottom of the smoker next to the smoker box, I think it will only help with your temp concerns. But that is just my opinion based on my experience with my smokers.
 
Thanks for the reply guys. I have been smoking for years and in the last year I have been doing small caters with a WSM. So, I know a little bit about temperature and smoking times. At 250 these ribs should have been done in 4.5 hours. I have made well over 100 ribs in a WSM at 250 and they come out amazing. Typically you place your probe where your meat is so you can measure the temp where your actual meat is. I did move the temp probe at one point on the rack with only 1 rib and I did it as far from the rib as possible.

Still had the same issue.. I am assuming that since the ribs were edible and moist the temp was probably 10-15 degrees off from the probe for whatever reason. So that means that while the dial was set to 250 the unit was reading on average 215 so I am assuming the actual temp was around 225. That would make sense since many people post that cooking the ribs at 225 for 5.5 hours or so made for them good ribs.

My apologies for "freaking" out about this but for the last couple of years I debated getting electric because I have been so fond of my WSM with stellar results. However, my catering demand is growing and I need more room and more set it and forget it temps for my smokes. I know it is premature considering this is only my 3rd time using it but I fear it is not what I expected. I have a wedding coming up that I really needed this for so I need some reliability.

I will re-test my probe and play around with placement, but I guarantee, this things was set to 250 but was not smoking at 250, or even really close to that.
 
Tony- Wasnt it you that posted 3 baby backs on the digital unit with a total cook time of 5 hours and 15 minutes? What temp was that smoking at exactly?

Is the auber more accurate than the digital unit you were using?
 
Just got done testing my probes. My maverick grill probe & food probe read within 1-2 degrees of each other when placed in hot water and both were about 2 degrees away from my thermopen. I was kind of hoping my probe was bad.
 
You're right, at 250 for four hours they should have been done.

How many times did you open the smoker? These units do recover fast, but that could affect the timing/temp.
 
Mikey,

When I tested my smoker, I initially placed the probe in approximately the same location  distance wise from the wood box as the built in. The remote had a much higher reading than the built in.  On the second test, I placed the remote probe in the same location and on the same plane as the built in. Temperatures were more closely aligned than before, but still different and it was disheartening.  I boxed up the remote and stashed it away. Both the built in and the remote are digital. Which should I trust? I am sticking with the built in. I really have no choice as it is fully integrated and controls everything. But I do get good food, moist and tender every time.

If I remember correctly, the SI bulb is parallel to the back of the smoker. When you have the time, and if you are so inclined, paper clip your Maverick in the same location and in the same orientation. This way it is out of the direct path of the heat.  You may want to place a clean brick or some other heat sink item in the smoker when you do this.

You should get a quicker reading with the digital as the bulb capillary type probes have a time lag.  But I am curious if after an hour or so, your temperatures are closer. Maybe start at 150 and work up in 20 degree increments. Your research could prove beneficial for all.

Dave
 
Gregg- I opened it 2 times in the beginning, once to remove the water pan and the other time was to move the probe. I opened it one last time about 30 minutes before they were done to sauce the ribs. Each time they recovered quickly but only to about 215 or so.
 
Thanks for the reply Dave! I am willing to try anything, so I may give this a whirl. However, like I said, it was set at 250 and was most definitely not running at 250. If it were at 250 or close to it 5.5 hours would have not resulted in the same product at all.
 
Just checked my BBQ notes. On 1.5.14 I smoked a chicken, 1 rack of baby back ribs, & a tri-tip. I maintained a temperature range of 230-235. Ribs were pulled off after 4 hours and 15 minutes. Please see the pic below, they turned out perfect. The reason I share this is, if my #3 was actually smoking at or around 250 5.5 hours would have killed them  ;)
 

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I also just realized that on Youtube Steve cooks St. Louis style ribs set at 225 for 3 hours?!?! His unit must not have any problems getting to temp  ;)
 
TheSneakyZebra said:
Tony- Wasnt it you that posted 3 baby backs on the digital unit with a total cook time of 5 hours and 15 minutes? What temp was that smoking at exactly?

Is the auber more accurate than the digital unit you were using?
Click to expand...

Mikey, yes, but that test was not an accurate comparison to the analog smokers.  The digital board in the test unit is inaccurate, and I am not testing it any further (I've actually bypassed it for the Auber).  Temps during that cook were all over the page, and it was not consistent.  I believe it actually averaged 230+, and it took 5:15.  In my analog model 1, I've smoked lots of ribs, so I was basing my time of 5 1/2-6 hours on that experience. 

If you want very accurate box temps, I highly recommend the Auber PID.  Not only does it hold a true temp within 1-2 degrees, it has the ability to set different steps, based either on time or internal temp triggers.  Fantastic unit, and definitely a plus for those concerned with accuracy that cannot be achieved with an analog controller.
 
Yes, Mikey, especially if you bypass the analog controller.  The Auber then directly controls the element, and you will even be able to go higher than 250.  The Auber actually varies the output to the element to maintain temp.  I'm super impressed with it!
 
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