Upgraded controller

[NDKoze]

Also the issue seems to be evolving. Back in October 2013 Johnnytex posted under "Auber PID Tips and Tricks" that
"I talked to Steve and he said the box and insulation was good to 500 °. The Auber works up to 383 °F. Since the #3 has a1200-watt element, higher temps should not be a problem."
I'm not clear whether the second sentence is Steve or Johnnytex. Incidentally the manual for my Auber(4th gen) states that it can read to 660 and control to 600. Since then Divot has talked to Steve who indicated that the box was good to 350.

I remember hearing this 500 degree number too. So, am wondering when it lowered down to 350 and why?

It would seem that the more recent mention of 350 from Tony would be more current since he does communicate with Steve. But, did this just change for liability sake? Was the originally reported 500 wrong? Was there new testing that lead to the reduction to 350?

 

[SuperDave]

How about whether the temperature limit applies to all models?  By volume and surface area, I'd think mine model 4 would have a different limit than a #1.

 

[DivotMaker]

I kind of get the feeling that my suggestions were interpreted as an attack on Steve or his company that needed to be defended. But that could not be further from the truth or how I meant for it to come out anyhow. It feels weird for me to be disagreeing with my mentors (Old Sarge and Divot), but I guess we all have our own opinions right?

Nothing farther from the truth, Gregg!  I took your comments as your opinion, which is valuable!  As I mentioned in my post, it was "my 2¢ on what it boils down to."  Let me clarify something - I do not work for SI, and I do not speak for Steve.  Yes, we communicate often, on lots of different issues, but it's his company - not mine.  Steve doesn't participate in the forum, as he believes it's our (users) forum.  I try to pass-on info, as I hear it, and do the best I can to help promote these great smokers. 

Healthy discussion is great, and different opinions usually lead to great solutions/compromises!  You have valid points, Gregg, but I still disagree.  You know, as well as I do, that the majority of SI owners a) do not participate in the forum, and b) do not have the experience, or common sense, many of us do.  I believe you have to strike a balance between what people want in a smoker, and what is "above and beyond" what the "average" consumer will buy. 

I'll clarify the box temp rating, for those of you who may want to push it to 500.

 

[NDKoze]

I'm glad my comments were received the way they were meant to be given.

I think I said my piece on this, so am fine with leaving it as agree to disagree. Like I said earlier, it was a healthy discussion where both sides were "passionately" given. That's all one can ask for.

It is a credit to Steve to provide us this forum where we have the opportunity to have these discussions.

Onward and upward. I just took 10lbs of burger out of the fridge to make some extruded Jerky this week. More to come on this in the Jerky section.

 

[old sarge]

Tony, Gregg, et al, Sorry for getting in here late. Watched  the SOTU  address followed by two episodes of Wanted Dead or Alive on the Western Channel. I actually liked the discussion but felt I came off a tad harsh with the crock pot remark ( I use that frequently).  I have, by PM, sent folks sources for controllers and elements if I thought for one second that they might be inclined to experiment or modify their smoker much the same way folks buy a car and start replacing the stock parts.  It is what they do. They have a rock solid platform and just want to push it to the limit. 

Over Thanksgiving, having run out of oven space, I threw a smoked ham into my smoker and maxed out the temperature at 300. I cannot say the smoker cabinet got hot enough to burn (maybe a child might cry), but it was too hot to comfortably rest one's hand on it for more than 15 or 20 seconds on the top.  Considering the temperature these rascals are designed to operate at, I would surmise that while the insulation chosen would handle much higher temperatures  (again surmising) it is the amount of insulation & air between the inner chamber and the exterior shell that would prove to be the limiting factor. And there is that well placed tag warning about the hot surface. As mentioned earlier, there is a liability factor.

Can someone purchase a heating element that will, with a proper controller (and all the high temperature wire and connectors), allow one to bake loaves of bread in their smoker? Yes! Is it worth the risk? That is up to the individual, not SI. Again, liability.

There are no 'black holes' that questions fall into and never get answered. Just areas that have not been explored at personal expense by forum members and therefore cannot be answered.  Sometime one has to strike out on their own, blaze a new trail, and report back. That happened early on with the Auber, then the bypass, the switch, etc.  Some money, some time, some risk. Lots of success.

Time for a Pabst!

Dave

 

[jcboxlot]

You'll need more than a Pabst if you saw the STOU tv parade.

 

[old sarge]

I always enjoy the State of the Union.  No matter who is President.  Still the greatest nation on earth.

 

[bigbassnutt]

Good discussion guys. I have been working a lot lately so haven't had a lot of time to visit the forum. I have a model 2 with an Auber and have done the bypass. I can see where having the analog controller be able to go a little higher would be beneficial but also see where a lot of people just wouldn't need the higher temps. I have cooked poultry at 275 but that's the only time I have went higher than 250. I am somewhat of a gear junkie so the Auber was a no brainer for me. I love my #2 but in if I had it to do over I would have spent the extra money and got the #3. The extra room would be nice!

 

[SuperDave]

I love my #2 but in if I had it to do over I would have spent the extra money and got the #3. The extra room would be nice!

I don't think I'll ever fill my model 4 but bought it for the rack size.  I'll wonder if I could have spent a less money and done with a #3 but the big rack size is really what I wanted. 

 

[NDKoze]

Actually at 15X20, the #3 racks are really not that much smaller than the 18.5" racks from the #4. I have seen some conflicting information on the rack size in the #4's, so not sure if I am 100% right on that.

The big thing with the #4 is you get that height which would be awesome if you want to be able to hang things like sausages, bagged hams, etc.

 

[DivotMaker]

Back to the original question on box temp:  Steve confirmed what I originally posted - 350 is the max recommended safe temp for the box.  Hope this clarifies this.

 

[old sarge]

'nuff said.

So, who has an opinion on football air pressure?  Personally, I am waiting for baseball.

 

[DivotMaker]

'nuff said.

So, who has an opinion on football air pressure?  Personally, I am waiting for baseball.

  I'm with ya, Dave!  Sick of "Ballgazi!"

 

[SuperDave]

Back to the original question on box temp:  Steve confirmed what I originally posted - 350 is the max recommended safe temp for the box.  Hope this clarifies this.

And stated so as the same for all boxes, 1 - 4?

 

[DivotMaker]

And stated so as the same for all boxes, 1 - 4?

Same for all boxes.  They are made exactly the same, just different sizes.

 

[Limey]

Tony, thanks for all your work on this.

 

[DivotMaker]

Not a problem at all, Roger!

 

[paidin]

My 2 cents are that allowing the smoker to be able to reach 325 or 350 degrees stock would be a tremendous advantage from a marketing standpoint for Steve and SI.  People do not drop $1400 for a smoker and do not know what they are doing.  Those people buy Masterbuilt Electric Smokers from Bass Pro for $150, not a Smokin-It.  I would have to venture a guess that every single person that bought a Smokin-it did a tremendous amount of research to find that it is worth the extra money to invest in a Smokin-it vs a Masterbuilt and that its a great value compared to some of the other electrics.

Personally, I owned a pellet grill before the Smokin-it and never once did I cook pork higher than 225 degrees or chicken at less than 325 degrees.  The amount of money involved with these cuts of meats pretty much guarantees that you look up the best way to cook the cut, including spices, temps, and cooking times.

I talked to Steve at the show before buying my smoker and told me to come to the forums to find out how to modify my smoker to have it run higher than 250 degrees.  It could be liability that it is limited to 250 degrees but I think he is missing out on what could happen to his demand if this maximum would be raised to 325 or 350.

I am also wondering if we can just modify the analog controller itself to bump up 75 or 100 degrees.  This way, the machine would maintain its failsafe shutdown ability past 350 degrees.  If anyone has the electrical diagram of the analog controller, please let me know.  I have some talented electricians at my work.

thanks,
paidin