Wanna build a PID temp controller.. help?

[geek with fire]

Sometimes "cost effective" gets thrown out by accident. I built a control system for my horizontal because I wasnt about to spend money for a guru or stoker. Over time I have accumulated at least twice what I would have spent on one of those. With that said, when you do it yourself you usually end up with something that works exactly they way you want and you spend the money when you have it. Keep at it, it will be worth it in the end.

 

[scottlindner]

Cost effective is hard to measure. If I could achieve the same temp control and smoke quality of a Traeger with this GOSM and the total package (GOSM included) costs $250, would that be cost effective since Traeger's are 3x the cost?

I have read about some people on this forum experimenting with the Sentry. It worked for some and didn't for others. It seems to be due to the regulator pressure on the propane tank. I was going to buy the Sentry since it's so cheap but I couldn't determine the pressure of my GOSM's regulator to know if it would work or not.


UDS?

Cheers,
Scott

 

[davenh]

Scott...I'm kind confused with your ultimate goal of an overnight Turkey. Most turkeys are a shorter cook than ribs. Not usually a overnight low and slow cook.

I'm also a little leary when it comes to shutting down and re-starting the gas flame inside a small chamber. Seems a little risky too me. If you are set on going this route, maybe you can strip the control and pilot system of an old propane furnace.

 

[scottlindner]

My understanding is turkeys take 18 hours. Since my family usually does the big Thanksgiving meal for lunch, that would be an overnight smoke.


That's a really good idea.

Search this forum for Sentry. You'll find others have done this. I'm not unique in this quest.

Scott

 

[davenh]

I do my turkeys at 300+ for usually under 4hrs for a 15lb bird. Even at 225 a 12lb turkey would be finished in under 7hrs to a 165 internal temp. 18hrs will really dry that bird out.


It is an interesting control for $25, but the design is for a burner out in the open. Once you put it on a burner in an enclosed box you need to have the pilot, pilot TC and gas shutdown valve to be safe. Those you could scavenge out of an old LP furnace, check with some HVAC guys, maybe they got some carcasses you can pick. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

 

[scottlindner]

I guess I'll have to poke around on this topic of turkey cook time. Maybe there isn't a real need. Now I gotta figure out where I got the 18 hours from.

It's been over 15 years since the last time I cooked a turkey. Now the wife and I have settled down into a real home, started our own family, and live in a place our friends and family actually want to visit regularly, cooking big is something on my mind.


The burner for the GOSM is exposed outside. Not wide open like with turkey fryers, but it's open. Look at the underside of one.

I will try the wind break idea first. If that produces a fairly stable temp, that's what I'll do.

Scott

 

[mgnorcal]

How about using a gas oven thermostat and adding a pilot light?

 

[scottlindner]

I think that would work very well. It certainly would meet my objectives and be far lower tech than adding a PID. Probably a heck of a lot cheaper too.

Scott

 

[ddave]

Ugly Drum Smoker

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=67767

Dave

 

[scottlindner]

I already have a smoker, don't need another one.

Cheers,
Scott

 

[haterhater]

Buy a used PID on ebay, a solid state relay and a new temp probe.  The parts should cost less than $60.00.