SMOKIN-IT SMOKER
- Thread starter mitsuruss
- Start date
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puddle jumper
Newbie
Hey, Just a quick question??
Are you using a extension cord with your smoker??
If not, have you tried checking the voltage of the plug you are plugging the smoker in to see if the voltage is low.. Ether of these will cause a low temp problem...
Just a thought..
PJ
Good to see you on here Tony...
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kbosch74
Fire Starter
PJ,
I am not using an extension cord and voltage is fine. Ambient temps were mid-70s this past weekend.
I am not using an extension cord and voltage is fine. Ambient temps were mid-70s this past weekend.
shtrdave
Smoking Fanatic
How big is your pan? If it is the same size as the rack or very close you are blocking the heat getting to the top of the smoker, kind of like a cold smoke baffle, also look to see if the probe or sensor for the smoker stat is below or above your pan, if it is below and your a blocking the heat somewhat, then that sensor is getting more heat and telling the stat that it is happy and shutting down the element. Just a thought.
puddle jumper
Newbie
Ok,
Man,,I hate you are having problems with yours ,,,That was just a thought I had when I was reading you problem,,
Let us know how it works out..
Hope its soon..I know it's aggravating when this kind of thing happens..
PJ
kbosch74
Fire Starter
I Think this is it (and, yes, the pan is about 80% of the size of the interior). Although I don' get the science, it must be. In my mind, this makes sense...outside of a concealed box. It's like holding a heat source against an aluminum shield...no heat on the other side. My lack of understanding was INSIDE the enclosed #3. I just don't get it. I do this all the time in an oven, always gets to temp.
Thank you for your thoughts. I appreciate it.
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grimm5577
Meat Mopper
I imagine your oven is bigger than the #3 leaving more room around your pan. Plus oven use convection, a fan to move the heat around. The smokin-it doesn't do that. Give it a try with out a pan and see if you hit temps.
magikben
Newbie
And if the pan is near or just above the thermostat sensor, the pan could be trapping heat and causing the element to shut off earlier than needed to heat the whole unit. I don't understand the use of the pan anyway; just line the bottom of the #3 with tin foil making sure to poke a drain hole where the normal one is, plus cover the smoker box with foil. Makes cleanup dead simple.
divotmaker
Smoke Blower
Hey Kbosch, have you tried testing the temp with meat inside, and just a water pan next to the wood box? I find foiling the wood box lid and bottom of the box makes cleaning not so bad. I know if I place a catch pan on the lower shelf in my oven, whatever's on the upper shelf doesn't cook right. It may interrupt the heat transmission from the wood box to "fool" the temp sensor. Just a thought for troubleshooting.
kbosch74
Fire Starter
Thank you all for the feedback.
So I'm smoking some babybacks now. I have 3 full racks in there, all cut in half. Outside temp is 42 degrees. I have the smoker turned to 250 and the thermometer probe dangling just about in the middle of the smoker. It's been turned on for 2 hours. No pan as I was doing previously.
The temp is hovering around 212. I recognize that the meat will absorb some heat and it's pretty chilly out, but am I crazy to think this should be getting much closer to the 250 than the 40 degrees it's off by?
So I'm smoking some babybacks now. I have 3 full racks in there, all cut in half. Outside temp is 42 degrees. I have the smoker turned to 250 and the thermometer probe dangling just about in the middle of the smoker. It's been turned on for 2 hours. No pan as I was doing previously.
The temp is hovering around 212. I recognize that the meat will absorb some heat and it's pretty chilly out, but am I crazy to think this should be getting much closer to the 250 than the 40 degrees it's off by?
magikben
Newbie
One thing you can do, especially if there is a breeze, is to block a portion of the vent hole at the top. Sometimes the breeze, even if it is slight, can suck the hot air out of the box at a faster rate than it can be restored.
As for your temp, you may find that the temp will rise as the cook goes on and the meat isn't sucking up as much of the energy as it is now.
As for your temp, you may find that the temp will rise as the cook goes on and the meat isn't sucking up as much of the energy as it is now.
divotmaker
Smoke Blower
Your problem this time may be "probe dangling." Is it through the top hole, but hanging above the meat? If so, it probably won't read accurately. I've experienced that when I used mine like that. Try attaching the probe to the grate next to what you're cooking - much more accurate.
kbosch74
Fire Starter
I appreciate the thought, but I don't think so. I made sure the probe was not touching the meat and was literally in the center of the smoker. By the end of today's smoke, the temp got to 235 when dialed to 250. Not bad, and I can live with that. But that was 4-5 hours into it. All said, 3 racks of babyback ribs (that turned out great, of course), dialed to 250 degrees took 7 1/2 hours.
It looks like I'm going to have to go to a PID and override the thermostat. I don't see another fix. Great, another 200 bucks.
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divotmaker
Smoke Blower
That's really surprising. I cook 3 racks of BB ribs a lot in my #1, and it never takes longer than 5:45! And that's set at 240! I don't know why the temp stayed that low... Never heard of 3 racks taking 7 1/2 hours!
My two cents worth. Some folks like ribs that literally fall off the bone with most/all of the fat cooked off, while others like tender ribs but still have the meat firmly attached to the bone. One style takes a longer time than the other.
As for the temperature, there may well be a problem. Then again, one may be inadvertantly checking during the low point of the temperature swing. One last thought is regarding the calibration of the digital temperature probe. Is it accurate when checking the temperature of boiling water?
A second last thought: Take a feeler gauge, brass is flexible, and check for gaps between the door and the box. That could be a source of lost heat. 3M makes a high temperature stainless steel tape that could be trimmed to fit in those areas, like a shim, to seal the gaps. I have had to do that in a couple of areas on my smoker, one for smoke loss and the other for heat escaping.
Last thought. Even with the change out of the controller, has Steve been notified of the continuing problem?
As for the temperature, there may well be a problem. Then again, one may be inadvertantly checking during the low point of the temperature swing. One last thought is regarding the calibration of the digital temperature probe. Is it accurate when checking the temperature of boiling water?
A second last thought: Take a feeler gauge, brass is flexible, and check for gaps between the door and the box. That could be a source of lost heat. 3M makes a high temperature stainless steel tape that could be trimmed to fit in those areas, like a shim, to seal the gaps. I have had to do that in a couple of areas on my smoker, one for smoke loss and the other for heat escaping.
Last thought. Even with the change out of the controller, has Steve been notified of the continuing problem?
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divotmaker
Smoke Blower
Thanks Tony.
I had gaps all over my smoker. So much smoke was escaping I wondered if the meat was absorbing flavor. Seal a couple, and the smoke found another escape route. Residue buildup sealed the minor ones but tape has to be used for the larger ones. I was not foolish enough to try realigning the door and hinges to get a good and perfect compression fit. So, tape to the rescue. And nothing is more frustrating than an out of calibration (or defective), highly accurate digital thermometer. It happens.
Dave
I had gaps all over my smoker. So much smoke was escaping I wondered if the meat was absorbing flavor. Seal a couple, and the smoke found another escape route. Residue buildup sealed the minor ones but tape has to be used for the larger ones. I was not foolish enough to try realigning the door and hinges to get a good and perfect compression fit. So, tape to the rescue. And nothing is more frustrating than an out of calibration (or defective), highly accurate digital thermometer. It happens.
Dave
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grimm5577
Meat Mopper
divotmaker
Smoke Blower
I bet the size of the door makes a difference. My #1 doesn't ever leak smoke from the door - it's very tight. I can see how the larger doors could be a little "off" on the hinge alignment.
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