auber PID vs ink bird

[$mok!ng]

This morning is the first time using my new auber PID. I reset the controller to P2 I0 D0, as smarter minds then mine on this site have similar settings. My first observation is wow this masterbuilt 30" smoker has huge temperature differences within the box! while heating up, my ink bird and auber read about 9deg. difference and they are only 2-3" apart, and my meat probe was more above the heating element and it was probably 50deg hotter at times. My smoker stays outside on a covered porch and its cool out (mid to high 30s) and pretty calm. At my current setting my smoker being set at 250deg. climbed to 258 before settling back to 250. Right now looking at the temps my auber reads 250deg. and my inkbird 2-3" away reads 239deg. I guess my question is does that seem right? I bought this auber because the inkbird aways read much cooler than what the masterbuilt electronics read. As close as I put the probes to each other I really didnt expect a difference in temp yet here we are. Any suggestions?

 

[Murray]

Get a pot of water boiling and check both Auber and Inkbird against each other. Water boils at 100C at sea level minus elevation difference. Then try both probes in an ice cubed bowl filled with water. That will tell you which one is correct.

 

[$mok!ng]

Yeah I really should, at the very least the temperature is holding more consistant than previously with the stock electronics.

 

[Coreymacc]

The auber being a PID has to "learn" the parameters inside your smoker, they have an auto tune that takes a while to set itself. Usually after the first smoke session the temp will become more stable as the PID will have learned how to heat the smoker evenly. If its new it won't really have any tune so they tend to over heat and dial back to a stable temp.

Corey

 

[jasinil2006]

My Inkbird was often off by 10-15 degrees F (or more). I replaced it with something more accurate.

 

[poacherjoe]

You need to program your PID to your smoker . I don't have my manual in front of me but you didn't mention that you did this first before you attempted to cook. And place the probe in the same spot everytime you do it. I really like my PID

 

[dr k]

The Mes 30 being smaller than the 40 may have different settings. Chopsaw has some info on that to share. I did the settings out of the box with the WS-1510ELPM( P7,I600 and D150. But came out of full power way too soon. Then auto tune was the same with so much air flow. Then I read the instructions for P mode and have been there two hours after getting it ever since at P1, I0 and D0. Preheating empty is all over the place with independent therm probes as ambient temp is being replaced with heat and no load. With an obstacle absorbing heat then things align. I cook at 275 for ribs, brisket, poultry and butts so my setting has the fastest response for such heat loss out the top vent. For fish, sausage in the Mes 40 I just change the P value to 2 or 3 and thats the degree below set temp it flashes to come in for a landing at set temp. I don't mind over shoots on preheat etc. I want a fast reponse on the way down past the set point and in a few cycles your holding well with food. That's better for me vs flashing ten + degrees below set point on the way up, taking forever to get to set temp. Give it an hour after food is in and hits set temp.

 

[chopsaw]

. Right now looking at the temps my auber reads 250deg. and my inkbird 2-3" away reads 239deg. I guess my question is does that seem right?

I'm fighting this with mine right now . Do you have the Ink bird clipped to the rack ? If so take it off and let it hang . I had a TP-08 and my Ink bird 2 inches from the Auber probe . Auber set at 250 . TP-08 read 260 , Ink bird read 280 .
Put them all in a pot of boiling water . All 3 read 212 .
Put them back in the smoker , and instead of clipping to the rack I just let the therm probes hang .
Again at 250 . TP-08 and the Ink bird both read 259 .
I think my Auber reads out low . You can adjust this to match a trusted therm . I think the code is 155 .

My first observation is wow this masterbuilt 30" smoker has huge temperature differences within the box

Mine does too . 9 degrees isn't an issue in my eyes . Just depends if it's high or low .

 

[Murray]

Irregardless of PID settings shouldn’t the cabinet temperature probes, all three of them, be reading the same temperature IF they were all correct and sitting side by side?

 

[tallbm]

This morning is the first time using my new auber PID. I reset the controller to P2 I0 D0, as smarter minds then mine on this site have similar settings. My first observation is wow this masterbuilt 30" smoker has huge temperature differences within the box! while heating up, my ink bird and auber read about 9deg. difference and they are only 2-3" apart, and my meat probe was more above the heating element and it was probably 50deg hotter at times. My smoker stays outside on a covered porch and its cool out (mid to high 30s) and pretty calm. At my current setting my smoker being set at 250deg. climbed to 258 before settling back to 250. Right now looking at the temps my auber reads 250deg. and my inkbird 2-3" away reads 239deg. I guess my question is does that seem right? I bought this auber because the inkbird aways read much cooler than what the masterbuilt electronics read. As close as I put the probes to each other I really didnt expect a difference in temp yet here we are. Any suggestions?

Hi there and welcome!

Great input from the guys.

When you go to test your temp probes in boiling water put them in a gallon bag and then tip that into the water without touching the bottom of the pot. These probes are not water proof so putting in a gallon ziplock type bag effectively water proofs them for this test hahaha.

Also I too alligator clip my PID probe in the center on the underside of the bottom rack and I always cook on the bottom rack first and move up. Fastest response time is detected in that position AND I have removed all of the crap covering my element so nothing to diffuse the heat, it rises directly up with no interruption.
As you go further up the temp decreases as the air is moving up to get out of the smoker and cooling on the way. Also you will notice that even at a single rack level temps are different. Left, middle, and right track temps will be different based on your heating element shape and where your air vent is.
I flipped my heating element so it is more centered but it still has more element to the left side (facing MES) of the smoker so the left side is hotter. My vent is on top right of my smoker so the right side racks are always cooler then left side, and middle of the rack is well... a temp between the 2 hahah.

Once you know how accurate (or not) your probes are you can tinker more and learn how your smoker behaves at rack levels and across racks. Having a good 4+ probe thermometer helps with this.
Also your smoker WILL behave differently with load in it. A simple way to check with a decent load is to get like a 5 pound whole chicken, brine it, then put on a roasting rack and the rack in a foil pan. Place on the bottom rack in the center of the rack with the PID probe cliped under the center of the bottom rack.
Smoke this bird at 275F (290F if you want to be almost as cool as me haha) and see how your smoker behaves. Initial heatup will overshoot some but thats no big deal. After that see how well it holds temp and also use your inkbird to see what temps are on left side of rack, right side of rack, and in the breast meat of the chicken.
This is a cheap and tasty way to test your smoker and tune things in as chicken is cheap and tastes good! Also you can learn to brine a chicken at the same time so it's like multitasking :)

 

[tallbm]

Irregardless of PID settings shouldn’t the cabinet temperature probes, all three of them, be reading the same temperature IF they were all correct and sitting side by side?

Only in theory my friend. The air and heat flow inside has no predictable rhyme or reason. It is just heated swirling chaos in a box. The key is to get consistent readings and to roll with those as a guide. For the most part I know what to expect but with major changes in setup like a 22 pound turkey on a rack in a pan, I know that the heat and airflow will be different than 2 racks of ribs or rack full of boneless skinless chicken breast.
The key is to see how it is behaving and that the behavior is consistent and then appropriately roll with it :)

 

[dr k]

Some probes are faster than others but should ultimately be close on short cycles. I hang probes from the top rack (wooden spring clothes pins are handy) and manage cables on top and cook on 2nd from top and below it for two rack smokes and the bottom rack has the drip pan I can slide left or right a rung or half rung of the rack at a time (small changes) to even temps left to right not the oval stock water pan. The auber probe with the others pit probes goes down top vent and the the sensor is away from the side wall 2"at the rack and tip of sensor is same height as the rack so heat hits it before rounding the food. If probe is higher then it could be cooler than the bottom of the meat. The opposite side of the vent is cooler so I want the side that heat migrates to the vent for the controller sensor. The hottest spot in the smoker is a couple inches below the top vent. I have another probe next to the Auber sensor and both are the same temp the one opposite side of the rack is cooler. Then one probe on the half of the top rack nearest the vent set to a high/low range alarm. All three on vent side are the same the opposite a little cooler. I have the Gen 1 40.

 

[chopsaw]

My ink bird was off out of the box . Boil test all my therms , they read 212 , some of the Ink bird probes read 210 .
I've stuck them in the fridge , and they read close to the set temp of it .
I've even put them in some water with my SV and check at random temps . All check right on , or within a dergee or two of my Anova .
Put them in my MES 30 they are all 5 to 10 degrees different , even close together .